EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Company Policy; Human Factors
Upon descent; I was pilot not flying and was calling Operations on radio 2 while First Officer was pilot flying. Upon returning from calling Operations; I saw that we were below 10;000 MSL and speed was 270. First Officer had autopilot ON and using VS set at about 2;500 down. The First Officer had just started to put in speed brake to help slow down the airplane but was using less than half speed brake input. I finally intervened and reduced the descent rate and used full speed brake to be under 250 KIAS.  The First Officer; first flight off of IOE; was told that he should never use full speed brake. Also; the First Officer coming from a twin Cessna; relied on VS and not FLCH mode; and didn't comprehend the priority of descent vs. speed in the various descent modes.Stop teaching new hires that using the speed brake is bad. Also need to emphasize the descent modes and their priorities. Finally; need to instill in everyone that we must fly the airplane; and when automation is not working; it's time to eliminate the automation.
An ERJ-170 Captain intervened by extending full speed brakes during descent below 10;000 FT at 270 KTS because the First Officer; as the flying pilot just off IOE; was trained not use full speed brakes.