My night at ABX

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Well my Thanksgiving got off to an amazing start. I have a good friend who is an intern at Airborne Express in flight operations. He invited me down for the night to check out all the operations. All I have to say is WOW. For those of you who are not familiar with ABX they run the largest privately owned airport in the country (KILN), it's in Wilmington, OH which is about 40 miles southeast of Dayton. They have a fleet of around 100 aircraft: DC-8, DC-9, and 767's.

Night started off with me arriving at flight ops and meeting a couple of the chief pilots on duty (network, network, network). After that we made our way up to the tower and checked out everything up there. Very nice guys who pretty much explained anything and everything we would ever want to know about their side of the operation.

Next we went over to the training center and checked out the sims, they weren't fired up but it was still very cool to just see how massive those damn things are! Best part about it though is that they invited me back for a day of flying in the 76 sim!!
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After that offer I couldn't wipe the grin off my face, even though I was sick as • the entire night.

As if that wasn't enough we then went out to the flight line. We pulled up to a 767 that was getting ready to depart for Portland. The FO was out doing the walk around. We asked if we could join him and he said that was fine so he took us around on plane and explained everything that they were looking for during the walk-around. After that hopped in the cockpit and watched them go through all of their preflight checklist right up till about engine start when we had to get off.

By this time it was getting close to 5 am and I was freakin exhausted our last stop was flight control where they track every aircraft to it's destination and record any kind of maintance problems that have occured over the past two weeks with the aircraft. Very nice people in there as well, who were more than willing to show us the ropes. I ended up not getting home untill 7am. It was all worth it though, it's not everyday that a lil ol' private pilot with big dreams gets to go play with the big boys for a night! It was an amazing night that I will not soon forget. Thanks to all at Airborne for giving me this opportunity!!
 
That's very cool.....reminds me of a couple of years ago while I used to live in San francisco. I had a friend who use to work for US Airways. She one day took me to work with her. The entire 6 hours or so I got to hang out with the mechanics, taxi from the gate in a A321 to the parking area, watch a Hawaiian DC-10 come in with a medical emergency, sit in the cockpit of a DC-10, meet a 757 captain and F/O who decided to change planes at the last minute due to some problem with a door or something on the fuselage, and I got to meet my dad at the gate after he had just flown in on a 737-200...... It's one lucky night that I will never forget....
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That's awesome! Especially the fact that you got to do this post 9/11.

In 2000, I got an awesome tour of Washington Dulles International airport. My flight instructor was a baggage handler at ACA. And a smooth talker. He got me in and we drove all over the airport and walked inside and under 777s and all types of planes.

That is a great experience you had!

Mahesh
 
Wow, that is awesome!

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For those of you who are not familiar with ABX they run the largest privately owned airport in the country (KILN), it's in Wilmington, OH which is about 40 miles southeast of Dayton.

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You know, I've flown over that place several times and always wondered what the deal was with it. Now I know!
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That's very cool.....reminds me of a couple of years ago while I used to live in San francisco. I had a friend who use to work for US Airways. She one day took me to work with her. The entire 6 hours or so I got to hang out with the mechanics, taxi from the gate in a A321 to the parking area, watch a Hawaiian DC-10 come in with a medical emergency, sit in the cockpit of a DC-10, meet a 757 captain and F/O who decided to change planes at the last minute due to some problem with a door or something on the fuselage, and I got to meet my dad at the gate after he had just flown in on a 737-200...... It's one lucky night that I will never forget....
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Sounds like normal day at CVG to me. I love drivin around the airport walking on planes and talking to FA's and pilots alike. Or going down and seein my boi and braggin that I work ina climate controlled terminal while he is outside in either the sweltering heat or extreme winter cold
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I have been to Wilmington Mtts422 a good friend of mine lives there. Unfortunately it was during the day and the airport was dead. But his neighbor is a 767 pilot for Airborne so we went over to his house. Unfortunately he was away ona trip. But his wife was well versed on all things Airborne.

Definately a cool place to be at night tho I have heard it can be loud. Not that the people of Wilmington complain much the town would die without Airborne it's the cities largest employer.



Everett
 
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