AN EMB145 FO'S RPT ON A NON PROFESSIONAL CAPT THAT DID NOT ADHERE TO REGS OR PROCS NEAR LGA; NY.

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THIS IS A SAFETY SUBJECT THAT YOU MAY NOT HEAR MUCH ABOUT; AND THAT IS THE DISGRUNTLED AIRLINE EMPLOYEE. IN A RECENT MONTH; I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY WITH A CAPT THAT WOULD FIT QUITE WELL INTO THIS CATEGORY. THIS PERSON WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING -- FROM ATC TO THE MANUFACTURER OF THE ACFT TO MGMNT. HIS WHOLE ATTITUDE ON THE JOB WAS 'I DON'T CARE; I GOT SCREWED BY MGMNT 2 YRS AGO; SO WHY SHOULD I CARE!' LET ME GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF HIS ANTICS: SHOWING UP TO THE ACFT 5 MINS BEFORE DEP ONLY TO FIND A MECHANICAL WRITE-UP (SCUFFED PAINT AS AN EXAMPLE) AND DELAY THE FLT. TO SLOW 10 KTS IN CRUISE; HIS PROC WOULD BE SLAM THRUST LEVERS TO IDLE; SPD BRAKES OPEN. AFTER LOSING 10 KTS; SPD BRAKES CLOSED; THROW PWR BACK INTO CRUISE. TRY IT SOMETIME; KIND OF VIOLENT. RAPID DSCNTS OF 3500-4000 FPM WITH SPD BRAKES OPEN ALL THE TIME. ENTER NOW A BIGGER PROB -- INTIMIDATION. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FO DOES NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THE CAPT IS DOING? DOES HE SPEAK UP; OR IS HE TOO INTIMIDATED BY THE CAPT'S ATTITUDE NOT TO SAY ANYTHING? CASE IN POINT: WE WERE GOING INTO LGA; ABOUT 18 MI S OF THE ARPT. ATC CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO STRAIGHT-IN RWY 4. THE CAPT WANTED TO DO SOME SIGHTSEEING; SO HE DIALED 1600 FT IN THE ALT SELECT. I FELT THIS WAS WAY TOO LOW FOR THIS FAR OUT. I MENTIONED THAT MSA WAS 2800 FT. HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT WE ARE ON A VISUAL APCH AND THAT THOSE ALTS DON'T MEAN A THING. HE CONTINUED ON BY SAYING THAT 1600 FT ALT WAS PATTERN ALT. THE CAPT DID ASK ME WHAT THE INTERMEDIATE APCH ALT WAS; AND I RESPONDED 2700 FT. I THEN SAW HIM CHANGE THE ALT IN THE ALT SELECT. THINKING WE WERE DSNDING TO ONLY 2700 FT; I RELAXED; BUT BEFORE I KNEW IT; WE WERE DROPPING AT 3500 FPM; SPD BRAKES OPEN AND STILL 18 MI TO GO. WE LEVELED AT 2000 FT; WHICH I FELT WAS STILL TOO LOW. ATC EVEN MADE A COMMENT ABOUT OUR LOW ALT. I AM SURE WE SET OFF ALL THE LOW ALT ALARMS IN THE APCH CTL. AFTER LNDG; I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND THOUGHT POOR JUDGEMENT WAS USED IN DSNDING THAT LOW THAT FAR OUT. THOUGH I DON'T KNOW IF ANY REGS WERE BROKEN; BEING WE WERE AT PATTERN ALT; IT WAS STILL POOR JUDGEMENT. WAS I TOO INTIMIDATED TO SPEAK UP? I TALKED HIM OUT OF 1600 FT; BUT SHOULD I HAVE SAID MORE TO HIM? HOW DOES ONE HANDLE A DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEE? ARE THEY A REAL THREAT TO THE FLYING PUBLIC; KNOWING THAT THESE GUYS 'JUST DON'T CARE?' HOW DOES A COMPANY GO ABOUT IDENTING THESE PEOPLE; AND ONCE THEY DO; HOW ARE THEY TO HANDLE IT? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR. THIS GUY IN THE L SEAT COULD ONLY THINK OF HIMSELF AND HOW TO SCREW THE COMPANY. NEVER MIND HIS FELLOW EMPLOYEES; OR WORSE YET; THE FLYING PUBLIC. ANY YES; PERHAPS I WAS INTIMIDATED BY THE CAPT THAT DAY GOING INTO LGA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FO STATED THAT HE NO LONGER HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS CAPT SINCE THE SUBJECT PERSON WAS HIRED BY ANOTHER ACR. HE ADMITTED TO REACTING TOO MUCH TO THE LEVEL OF INTIMIDATION AND TOO LITTLE TO THE SOLUTION OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE REVIEW.