Sim Sweat
Like I care ...
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2005
- Posts
- 58
Glad this thread lives on.
Two stories:
When I worked for a certain regional in the northeast, we had 1900C's in addition to the 121 fleet. One such aircraft inbound to PVD called in range and advised they would need "urgent cabin attention" upon arrival. We all watched as they taxied in and the pax deplaned. Then the crew came down the stairs and they were not pleased. Seems a certain male pax walked up to the flight deck during the trip demanding that they land ... that he was in the throes of labor. The crew politely refused, saying they were only 20 or 30 out, whereupon the distressed passenger, in front of 18 others, folded his butt into the small storage area aft of the flight deck and let fly there, just about killing all on board with the toxic stench. The crew's flight bags, hats and jackets were in there too. It was pretty easy to tell which passenger it was just by watching the glares and death rays from the others.
Another time a good friend and I took a B-100 from HVN to DCA (when you still could). We dropped our sole passenger there, and he threw us a few larger bills and suggested we grab a meal before returning. We unwisely patronized a Chinese restaurant in downtown DC, chowed, and returned to the aircraft for the return trip. About 30 minutes into the flight, we are both unable to hear over the gurgles and clenching for all we are worth ... we had no lav in this airplane. We toughed it out and landed at New Haven, and there was one big-eyed ramp guy as the airplane rolled to a hard stop, the engines were spooling down, and we were side by side in a dead run for the head in the FBO. We laughed about it later, but the fear of not knowing whether you're going to make it is intense.
All right, three:
I was once driving a PA31 to Manassas with a young new guy in the right seat and four pax, two couples. I'm about 30 minutes out and trying to convince my bladder that I am boss, when I realize I'm not gonna win this one. I'm looking around desperately when I remember there's a P-tube behind the last row. I tell a surprised co-pilot I'll be back in my best Schwartzenegger voice, and hustle aft to the aforementioned area, trying to act like I'm supposed to be doing this for the startled passengers. When I get there I find the tube is gone ... just a small stainless steel hole in the deck, no way I can use that. Now I'm really hurting, and all I can find is a dang fuel strainer! How much does this thing hold ... maybe two ounces? So yeah, two, then two more, then two more and so on. Wet carpet, passengers who know what's going on but are trying not to let on, but the relief is so great, I don't care. Smiles and nods and back up front to approach and land. Not a lot of goodbyes and small talk, but that's aviation for ya.
Two stories:
When I worked for a certain regional in the northeast, we had 1900C's in addition to the 121 fleet. One such aircraft inbound to PVD called in range and advised they would need "urgent cabin attention" upon arrival. We all watched as they taxied in and the pax deplaned. Then the crew came down the stairs and they were not pleased. Seems a certain male pax walked up to the flight deck during the trip demanding that they land ... that he was in the throes of labor. The crew politely refused, saying they were only 20 or 30 out, whereupon the distressed passenger, in front of 18 others, folded his butt into the small storage area aft of the flight deck and let fly there, just about killing all on board with the toxic stench. The crew's flight bags, hats and jackets were in there too. It was pretty easy to tell which passenger it was just by watching the glares and death rays from the others.
Another time a good friend and I took a B-100 from HVN to DCA (when you still could). We dropped our sole passenger there, and he threw us a few larger bills and suggested we grab a meal before returning. We unwisely patronized a Chinese restaurant in downtown DC, chowed, and returned to the aircraft for the return trip. About 30 minutes into the flight, we are both unable to hear over the gurgles and clenching for all we are worth ... we had no lav in this airplane. We toughed it out and landed at New Haven, and there was one big-eyed ramp guy as the airplane rolled to a hard stop, the engines were spooling down, and we were side by side in a dead run for the head in the FBO. We laughed about it later, but the fear of not knowing whether you're going to make it is intense.
All right, three:
I was once driving a PA31 to Manassas with a young new guy in the right seat and four pax, two couples. I'm about 30 minutes out and trying to convince my bladder that I am boss, when I realize I'm not gonna win this one. I'm looking around desperately when I remember there's a P-tube behind the last row. I tell a surprised co-pilot I'll be back in my best Schwartzenegger voice, and hustle aft to the aforementioned area, trying to act like I'm supposed to be doing this for the startled passengers. When I get there I find the tube is gone ... just a small stainless steel hole in the deck, no way I can use that. Now I'm really hurting, and all I can find is a dang fuel strainer! How much does this thing hold ... maybe two ounces? So yeah, two, then two more, then two more and so on. Wet carpet, passengers who know what's going on but are trying not to let on, but the relief is so great, I don't care. Smiles and nods and back up front to approach and land. Not a lot of goodbyes and small talk, but that's aviation for ya.