Captain Gene Hackman

[laker inbound]

Here's some other famous people with pilot certificates:

Mario Andretti
F. Lee Bailey (scum!)
Jimmy Buffett
Dan Dierdorf
Senator Tom Daschle (jerk!)
Sarah Ferguson ("Fergie")
Bruce Jenner
Joe Montana
Dennis Quaid
William Shatner
Marty Schottenheimer

 

[BradG]

Joe Montana learned to fly at the place i work in KC. Then his wife bought him a Mirage for his birthday. Go figure

 

[Typhoon1244]

Famous people with pilot certificates

When J.F.K. Jr. went in, Larry King had a panel of aviation "experts" on his show discussing the accident. The first was a former N.T.S.B. investigator whose name escapes me. The rest were Bruce Jenner, F. Lee Bailey, John Denver, and Scott O'Grady.

"Experts?"

My favorite part was when F. Lee and O'Grady started talking about how "naturally superior" military pilots are. Yeah, Scott O'Grady's really superior...a guy who got shot down over a thrid-world country by 1960's technology and--allegedly--couldn't make it through 727 F/E training.

Easy guys, I'm not bashing military pilots, I think they do a great job...I almost was one! But they don't walk on water any more than the rest of us do.

But that's a topic for another thread...

Evidently some of you aren't familiar with my Crimson Tide reference. Gene Hackman, Captain of the SSBN Alabama, believes he has orders to launch nuclear missiles into Russia. When his weapons officer refuses to open the safe containing the missile firing trigger, Hackman holds a .45 to the officer's head and claims he'll shoot if the man doesn't comply. Hackman finally curses:

"S_it! It does me no good to shoot you, you're the only one who knows the combination. However..." [grabs another crewman, puts pistol to his head] "Petty Officer...Pilar here...doesn't know the combination! I'll fire on the count of three!"

I know a couple of captains who I believe might subscribe to this technique...

 

[flywithastick]

Re: Famous people with pilot certificates

guy who got shot down over a thrid-world country by 1960's technology

I'm not debating anything about O'Grady, but these folks aren't third world. There very sharp folks. If memory serves correctly, didn't they hit a stealth fighter a few years back? Using their older systems, a little "out of the box" thinking and our repetitive schedules (duh!) to find and hit the plane.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Re: Re: Famous people with pilot certificates

...these folks aren't third world.

You're right, of course, I'm over-simplifying. I just don't like O'Grady.

Or Ben Affleck.