What's your Worst/Scariest experience flying cargo?
- Thread starter Flysher
- Start date
You serious? I'll tell you then.
It was the time I was SO late getting into MHR (Sacramento, CA) that I thought UPS would want me to continue to fly the volume all the way to Ontario, Ca. Potentially No 9:00PM burrito for BlueLake!!!!
Of course, there might be other scary stories... but they bump up against FAR's and decisionmaking.. dont wanna post that here as easy as that!!!
ahaahaha just kidding.
I've NEVER been scared doing 135 freight.. I have been nervous and sometimes ancious.. but NEVER scared. Best job I ever had so far!
It was the time I was SO late getting into MHR (Sacramento, CA) that I thought UPS would want me to continue to fly the volume all the way to Ontario, Ca. Potentially No 9:00PM burrito for BlueLake!!!!
Of course, there might be other scary stories... but they bump up against FAR's and decisionmaking.. dont wanna post that here as easy as that!!!
ahaahaha just kidding.I've NEVER been scared doing 135 freight.. I have been nervous and sometimes ancious.. but NEVER scared. Best job I ever had so far!
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
Not until I retire, am on my deathbed, or quit flying.
Actually in a year and almost 1000 hrs. of freight flying now, I haven't scared myself too badly. Maybe I'm too stupid.
Actually in a year and almost 1000 hrs. of freight flying now, I haven't scared myself too badly. Maybe I'm too stupid.
jrh
Well-Known Member
bluelake said:
EatSleepFly said:
This actually brings up a point I've wondered about before.
Do you think most pilots (not only freight, but other types) reach a point where they simply don't get scared, no matter what? When they've been flying long enough and experienced enough that fear is "flushed out" of their system?
Or maybe it's not so much that being scared is impossible as it is that pilots equate "being scared" with "almost panicking"...and real pilots don't panic. It seems like pilots who have flown for a few years are very calm, levelheaded people. They have the type of personality that doesn't freak out for anything. For whatever reason, they don't have a sense of being straight-out scared...only nervous or anxious.
Stone Cold
Well-Known Member
It's more experience than not being scared. I haven't come close to seeing it all, but I've seen more than most pilots that go straight from CFI to jets, since I get the privilege of staying in the wx all the way (10k' and below is where we fly our props), and flying a/c that might have problems eventually.
I've had some definite pucker factor, but nothing that I'll put on an internet forum . Over adult BEvERages, I might get to telling some stories, but most of them are made up anyways.
Being a cargo pilot is like being a fisherman, the stories get bigger and bigger the more times you tell them.
I've had some definite pucker factor, but nothing that I'll put on an internet forum
. Over adult BEvERages, I might get to telling some stories, but most of them are made up anyways. Being a cargo pilot is like being a fisherman, the stories get bigger and bigger the more times you tell them.
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
No. Of course there's some pucker factor in moderate or worse turbulence flying an airplane that was born before I was with over 20,000 hours on it. Or doing an NDB approach in crappy weather that takes you down into a bowl between mountains that you can't see. Or ice... None of that scares me, but it makes me sit up and fly right. I'm scared of spiders crawling on me, scared of what Bush is doing to our country, and scared of crazy women (among other things, I'm sure). I may scare myself $hitless flying one of these days, I just haven't yet.
Texasspilot
New Member
jfleisher said:
The other day I was hungry on the way to the hanger I stopped at a racetrack and bought a burrito appropriatly labeled the "BOMB".....an hour later 40 minutes out I was starting to get pretty scared.
greaper007
Well-Known Member
So thunderstorms and icing don't scare you guys?
When I began flying freight, I thought of situations or experiences that would scare me. and of course, they are still there, like fire or wing spar failure, etc.. but in day to day flying, lot less of "scared" and more and more of "concern" when things seem difficult. There have been times I have absolutely felt like it was time to be "ON TASK", but overall not too bad.
When flying scheduled freight runs, as many of us do.. much mental work becomes routine. The routes, times, approaches, airports, equipment.. so when something DOES come along that seems scary, it can be relatively easy to deal with because most factors are known.
For example.. severe turbulence or icing on a night freight run... sure you'll be nervous but more than likely you have all the radio and navs tuned in from memory and you already know the approach, etc.. so you have 90% of your brain to allocate to managing your emotion! I remember a time
I was dealing with a headwind and icing up pretty bad, it was night over mtn terrain blah blah blah (actually it was). My main concern at the time was the lousy groundspeed and getting to the UPS Gateway late. Getting to freight hubs late.. THAT STILL SCARES ME!!
When flying scheduled freight runs, as many of us do.. much mental work becomes routine. The routes, times, approaches, airports, equipment.. so when something DOES come along that seems scary, it can be relatively easy to deal with because most factors are known.
For example.. severe turbulence or icing on a night freight run... sure you'll be nervous but more than likely you have all the radio and navs tuned in from memory and you already know the approach, etc.. so you have 90% of your brain to allocate to managing your emotion! I remember a time
I was dealing with a headwind and icing up pretty bad, it was night over mtn terrain blah blah blah (actually it was). My main concern at the time was the lousy groundspeed and getting to the UPS Gateway late. Getting to freight hubs late.. THAT STILL SCARES ME!!
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
flying without a slaved compass...scary!
Mountain Flying
New Member
txpilot said:It's more experience than not being scared. I haven't come close to seeing it all, but I've seen more than most pilots that go straight from CFI to jets, since I get the privilege of staying in the wx all the way (10k' and below is where we fly our props), and flying a/c that might have problems eventually.
I've had some definite pucker factor, but nothing that I'll put on an internet forum
You single Pilot IFR?
n57flyguy
Well-Known Member
Hootie9750 said:
Like pranks :rawk: :rawk: :rawk: I have 0 hours, but hopped right on to fly a GV simulator, and yes I was nervous but would I pass that up? Never.(bragging rights included
) Not just flying, but every day things that may be scary, sometimes turn out to be fun and a good expierience.
greaper007
Well-Known Member
N57, I'm not sure how flying a GV simulator is synonmous with flying around level 3+ thuderstorms in a plane not equipped with weather radar. Or flying through heavy icing with no where to go.
n57flyguy
Well-Known Member
greaper007 said:
I see your point, I was just stating that it takes balls to step up to the plate for a challange. Like me, as in my expierience going from 0 hours to a hand flown ILS in fog. Took some thought, but when I was doing it I didnt even think about it, just did as I was told. What you metioned, does take guts and I admire you guys for that.
averyrm
Well-Known Member
It is kind of odd how the first few times you're in some decent icing you're somewhat nervous about it, hitting the boots all the time and checking the wings every other second.
But after awhile, you're just mad because it's making you slow and annoyed that you have to "do stuff" like blow the boots.
But after awhile, you're just mad because it's making you slow and annoyed that you have to "do stuff" like blow the boots.
Stone Cold
Well-Known Member
Mountain Flying said:
Sorry, didn't see this question sooner...yes, I am.
meritflyer
Well-Known Member
n57flyguy said:
Are you for real? Hand flying an ILS in fog in a simulator? Try it for real with one engine feathered which was my worst experience going into KSNA down to mins after I had catastrophic left engine failure at 11,000 feet in IMC in a C310. No disrespect meant bro but, there is no one to tell you how and when to do what in the real world of flying.
One day I'll share the story with you.