Little Plastic Wings!

CapnJim

CapnJim

Well-Known Member
How many of you guys carry little plastic wings to give out to the kiddos? I personally always carry a bag of 'em around, and go through about 2 bags a month. The way I look at it, it's one of the perks of the job. The parents are so appreciative, and the kids go absolutely banannas about a stupid little set of plastic wings. Seems like everyone hates going to the airport nowadays, and it's just another one of the ways we can turn people around, and maybe make it a little more like the '60's and a little less like 9/11.

Thing is, other pilots are split down the middle on the Little Plastic Wing thing. I've head comments like "Ugh, I have enough to carry around" and even, "I don't get paid to play with kids..." How • is that? On the other hand, there was one time in ORD when I made a big to-do with this little kid, talking to him about airplanes, giving him the wings, shaking his hand-- the works. And when I looked up, my crew was staring at me smiling, and gave me the thumbs up sign. Talk about win-win!

What do ya'll think? Pro-wing ar anti-wing?
 
I'm totally pro-wing. However, I've hear various rumors as to why they're a rareity ranging from lawsuits because someone's little darling didn't get a set, to a lawsuit about being a choking hazard to "it was all fun and games until someone put an eye out with the pen".

Who knows!
 
CAL/XJT has a ton of wings in the crew rooms, but the little glued-on pins on the back have been replaced with a little bit of peel-off stickytape. Guess there was too much worry about pin-ative damages!

HAR!
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I used to carry them at Chicago Express, but I haven't found any at XJT to give out. If I found a bundle, I'd carry them. You'd be surprised how often kids want to come up and see the cockpit. A lot more than they did at ChiEx.

Best story ever:

A captain I flew with at Chicago Express one time had a handicapped child on his flight. The kid wanted to see the cockpit, so his mom took him up. He was going on about how he was going to be a pilot someday, and it kinda broke my captain's heart, knowing that it probably was impossible with his handicap. Sooooo, he took off his metal wings and gave them to the kid. He just figured he hardly wore the dang things anyways, so why not?

I thought that was awesome.
 
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What do ya'll think? Pro-wing ar anti-wing?

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Pro-Wing for sure! Someday some kid will remember that moment in time that a Real Pilot gave them some wings. It is a very simple gesture and can go a long way to put the individual at ease.


Congrats on You !!
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he took off his metal wings and gave them to the kid.

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Dude, that's the coolest thing I've heard all month. Good on that Captain. He gets free beer if I ever somhow run into him.

Oh yeah, the XJT wings are in little plastic bags of about 10-15, in the crew rooms. In EWR they're behind the schedule coordinators desk by the copy machine, and they're in a similar place in IAH, though I'm not sure exactly where.
 
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I used to carry them at Chicago Express, but I haven't found any at XJT to give out. If I found a bundle, I'd carry them. You'd be surprised how often kids want to come up and see the cockpit. A lot more than they did at ChiEx.

Best story ever:

A captain I flew with at Chicago Express one time had a handicapped child on his flight. The kid wanted to see the cockpit, so his mom took him up. He was going on about how he was going to be a pilot someday, and it kinda broke my captain's heart, knowing that it probably was impossible with his handicap. Sooooo, he took off his metal wings and gave them to the kid. He just figured he hardly wore the dang things anyways, so why not?

I thought that was awesome.

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I carry wings wherever I go and give them out frequently. Most people just assume we don't do that anymore and are pleasantly suprised that we do. Kids still love airplanes.

For XJT folks-if you go to the "Young Travellers Club" (or similar) in EWR next to the Presidents Club they will give you a bag of wings. They're plastic with a peel-and-stick adhesive. When I got the bag I had 2 kids asking for wings! Made me feel good.

Don't know about IAH, probably somewhere in terminal C.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm totally pro-wing. However, I've hear various rumors as to why they're a rareity ranging from lawsuits because someone's little darling didn't get a set, to a lawsuit about being a choking hazard to "it was all fun and games until someone put an eye out with the pen".

Who knows!

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We can all thank the scum-sucking-bottom-dwellers......(AKA--lawyers).....for protecting ourselves from ourselves. Unfortunately, many in this country can no longer be responsible for their own actions. Hence the need for choking hazard/ poke the eyes out hazard warnings.....etc...
Ok, we all see where this is going....and it's not pretty.


Anyhow, back on track, I am ALL ABOUT plastic wings!!!!! They're great! In fact, I still have a pile of Eastern Airline wings from every trip I ever took as a kid! It was, without a doubt, the highlight of my trip to look into the cockpit and get a set of wings! And yes, these wings are complete with pins......amazingly, I can still see with both eyes and no one had to protect me from myself.
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I say, "To H... with the lawyers........give the kids wings!"
 
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I'm 22, and I'd be happy if you guys gave me some wings
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[/ QUOTE ]at that age, you have to earn your wings!
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Uh-oh!! Turn your heads kids, it might get a little raunchy in here...

Flying Nole, I'm totally digging your signature line. I love that episode.
 
i believe that it can cause a life changing experiance for kids. I was 6 years old flying on delta ATL- san diego. The capt. let me up front in the cockpit and he gave me a pair of wings, I am now 16 and about to do my solo, all because that guy. And I still have my wings, and plan on keeping them even after I get my real ones.-Steve
 
Ha, ya its a great show.

And Kristie, although I'll have my real ones in (hopefully) about a year, I still would get a kick out of getting one from the airlines. I guess cuz I'm an aviation buff, I'll collect anything.


Funny side story: The night that Midway announced it was shutting down ops (the first time, before 9/11), everyone and practically everything from Midway dissapeared within a day. My luck after picking up a friend from FLL, I noticed that Midway left their big curb-side ticket counter sign that had Midway in its neat blue signature....So I said, "I don't believe they'll be needing this anymore," and made off with it like a bandit
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Long story short, I now have it above the door to my bedroom, and its one more "neat" thing I got from the airlines, besides my wings and playing cards
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Hey Jimbo,
Good for you. I can just see you doing something like that. Send me a bag and I slap em on the boxes as we off load.
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Hah! That'd be awesome. Don't think they'd stay too long though, that sticky stuff on the back is pretty cheap.

How's the Lears? I hear there's an old saying about the lears, something about there not being one that hasn't been rolled?


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I used to carry them at Chicago Express, but I haven't found any at XJT to give out. If I found a bundle, I'd carry them. You'd be surprised how often kids want to come up and see the cockpit. A lot more than they did at ChiEx.

Best story ever:

A captain I flew with at Chicago Express one time had a handicapped child on his flight. The kid wanted to see the cockpit, so his mom took him up. He was going on about how he was going to be a pilot someday, and it kinda broke my captain's heart, knowing that it probably was impossible with his handicap. Sooooo, he took off his metal wings and gave them to the kid. He just figured he hardly wore the dang things anyways, so why not?

I thought that was awesome.

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Thats great, I'll have to get a few.
 
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