One day I will be a real pilot...

I don't let it bother me when someone asks if I'm going to be a real pilot some day. It only bothers me when the same person asks me that every time I talk to them... MOM!
 
Do you hope to one day get to fly that big GoodYear Blimp like they have at baseball games????

:D


Haha, surprisingly I haven't heard that one yet. A lot of people can't seem to grasp the notion that we actually fly these things from one location to another. I can't tell you how many times people have asked me how we deflate, pack away, and transport the airship to its next destination.

A lot of people also seem to believe that if a hole or leak develops in the envelope, that the airship will "pop" like a party balloon when you poke it with a needle. Ridiculous.

I'm not exactly sure why ignorance is so prevalent with respect to aviation. I suppose aviation is a somewhat esoteric profession, but is a little rudimentary knowledge too much to ask??
 
A week after I passed my checkride on the -400:

"So, cargo planes...how much harder is it to fly the airliners with people in them?"

"Oh, *ingenuous laugh* quite a bit harder. You know those dumb boxes don't complain about anything."

"Don't worry. Work hard and you'll fly people one day. Heck, maybe you'll fly us into Chicago."
...
Nothing beats hauling checks in a Baron, based out of TEB, and being approached by an Options Captain who insisted on getting fuel and deice before all those little props get theirs.

Right. Type 4.
 
I typically get this

"What do you do?

"I am a flight instructor"

"Oh so do you know how to fly an airplane?"

"Haven't a clue, I just teach it."

Well, in fairness, since getting my CFI and actually getting paid to fly, I've rarely touched the controls... I'm starting to wonder if I actually do still know how to fly an airplane?!?! :ooh:
 
My favorite happened in BWI.

A couple gets on and instantly complains about how the E-145 is the smallest airliner they've ever been on. Directly behind them, 2 Cape Air 402s were boarding. It was difficult not to tell them to respect the jungle jet, or I'd find a way to get them on the 402!

Say what you want, but those 402 pilots are at home in bed right now!

And I do recall a fair amount of XJT "big jet" snootiness when I was at Cape flying out of BWI. Funny you mention that. :)
 
LOL I thought it was just me!

When I was based in Grand Rapids:

Co-workers: you know we have a base in Milwaukee...
Me: yeah I know. Weekends off...
Them: but you have to COMMUTE for that (pee dribbling down their legs)
Me: it's 20 extra minutes! Who f'in cares! It's the same routine either way, with a 20 minute plane ride added on and in return I had a LINE with WEEKENDS off. How many 1850 out of 1900 FOs can say THAT?? Some people really don't have a clue how to be content, lol...
 
LOL I thought it was just me!

When I was based in Grand Rapids:

Co-workers: you know we have a base in Milwaukee...
Me: yeah I know. Weekends off...
Them: but you have to COMMUTE for that (pee dribbling down their legs)
Me: it's 20 extra minutes! Who f'in cares! It's the same routine either way, with a 20 minute plane ride added on and in return I had a LINE with WEEKENDS off. How many 1850 out of 1900 FOs can say THAT?? Some people really don't have a clue how to be content, lol...

Oh yeah.

Whenever I ride in the cockpit, especially the redeye to JFK it's always "I just can't fly all night like that."

Then I'd start the "Well, actually by the time I'm landing in Europe it's a little after 0100 body clock time in PHX and.... oh... never mind"
 
I'm not exactly sure why ignorance is so prevalent with respect to aviation. I suppose aviation is a somewhat esoteric profession, but is a little rudimentary knowledge too much to ask??

It's the same way in every field. My mother was a CPA and they'd complain all the time that people had no idea what they are do and would get PO'd when people called them book keepers or "payroll". Same with nurses I've known "I've got 5 years of medical training and can save your life but people think I just wipe butts". I work in IT Security and people think I fix laptops. The thing is, most people just dont give a crap about your profession... they just dont. When they act semi-interested, it's not because they really want to learn, it's because they are bored. People dont care about the difference between a freight dog or a commuter or a mainline... they just dont care.
 
I grew up listening to a lot of Blues and Jazz. My Dad was big on Blues. I like both though.

Holy thread creep but my pops was big into Bluegrass. Basically a hillbilly from deep rural Northport, Alabama! Mom was serious Blues -- Bobby Blue Bland, BB (of course), Bill Broonzy, stuff you normally wouldn't hear.

I still like Bluegrass. One of my really good friends/co-workers jams with Bela Fleck and Steve Martin and plays banjo for "Full Steam Ahead". Saw him jam-out in Madrid one night and met a lot of interesting musicians and heard lots of stories. Drank beer with the guy who did the banjo work for The Eagles the Yellowbirds (Yardbirds?) and he was pissy because Jackson Brown was supposed to drop by for a beer but was having girl problems.
 
and "oh I wanna go fly with you!s" that I have gotten. Gets old after a while.
If they're cool, take em flying! Why not? Good way to keep in touch with people and introduce them to something unique.

I get this all the time. All the time. I'm used to it, I just roll my eyes.
 
Back
Top