jETblue Kid and his skateboard

[ExAF]

Don't Worry

Now I have the added burden of knowing that some people might look at me and think I am unprofessional.

Don't lose any sleep over it. I wouldn't be too concerned over anything you read at FI concerning your professional image.:laugh:

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

" I gave my love a chicken....." Classic....

Is that a pledge pin! on your uniform?

I carried an M-16!!!

CE

 

[lookin4better]

Bro! Where is my skateboard?? Awww naah Bro....its lost... oh well... my dad will buy me another, they are paying my rent, car and any other bills anyway bro.

 

[Farmer]

I got in a bit of trouble a year ago for calling the Great Lakes ramp in DEN a name. Ramp asked us to hold short of the "commuter ramp" after I'd sat at our gate watching just about every Great Lakes pilot walk under the nose of our airplane from the crewroom they have somewhere down under the concourse out to the planes they operate wherever they go. They all seemed to be carrying backpacks and I pointed this out to my captain. When asked to hold short of the "commuter ramp" by the ramp controller, I responded that we would hold short of the "backpack ramp".. but some were not as amused as my captain and I were... I still think these guys looked like goofballs but I guess that's where our profession is being taken by the new generation of LCC pilots and the commuter guys/gals who bitch about low pay but play the part of flip flop wearing college kids in semi-sort of pilot uniforms.... Thanks guys.. skate on dudes...

Reminds me of a similar story.

Years ago I was sitting in a plane, at my "Major Airline" waiting to push. Pilots would walk by the plane to get on the employee bus. I was amazed to see that most of these guys had bags with wheels on the bottom. I said to my captain. "You see that, they have wheels on the bottom of their bag." We could not get over the fact that these pilots made us look so unprofessional by not carrying their bags. Now it seems like everyone is doing it and our profession has ever since taken pay cuts and been looked down upon.

 

[Fly2Scuba]

Reminds me of a similar story.

Years ago I was sitting in a plane, at my "Major Airline" waiting to push. Pilots would walk by the plane to get on the employee bus. I was amazed to see that most of these guys had bags with wheels on the bottom. I said to my captain. "You see that, they have wheels on the bottom of their bag." We could not get over the fact that these pilots made us look so unprofessional by not carrying their bags. Now it seems like everyone is doing it and our profession has ever since taken pay cuts and been looked down upon.

That's quite a stretch to compare a roller bag to a skateboard.

 

[Redmeat]

That's quite a stretch to compare a roller bag to a skateboard.

What?...you don't take your roller bag to the half-pipe dude!?!

I think Purdy Neet Stuff is working on one that converts into a skateboard by popular demand.

Everyone knows it's the latest rage on overnights!

(I'm doing the "shaka" sign as I write this dude!)

 

[Fernando]

Skateboards are not just kids toys theyre more like a lifestyle.Uf u like it, you may end up skating all your life and not only thru your teenage years, most people dont understand this but there are a lot of people inm their 30s and even 40s still skating and just having fun....whats wrong with that?

Its like if youre 35 and like football, theres nothing weird about it.But if you like other spor, in this case skateboarding, people freak out.

Anyway i dont think it was a good idea for this pilot to carry the skateboard in view, it would have been better if he had put in inside a backpack, just to avioid this kind of critisism.

On another note, one day i was in the shuttle between the car rental area and the airport, in pilot uniform, when this older fellow tells he me likes my watch and ask what brand is it?

I told him it was NIXON, and he says he likes the watch but never heard of that brand before, i tell him its a brand that specializes in the surf/skate market, he ask me where i got the watch and i tell him that an skateshop, and hes surprised and ask me if i like skateboarding and i say yeah i do.

and he says "but youre a pilot" and i go yeah, and he says "i dont wanna ride in a plane with a pilot that skates like a 17 yr old kid" hahaha

thats why i dont think its a good idea to carry the skaboard in view to everyone.

Later

 

[waka]

I agree, it us very unprofessional to have a skateboard, guitar and/or backpack.

Come on guys/gals, how much stuff do you possibly need to carry on a trip. Is it really that important to look like a dork.

BTW, you might as well not wear your hat and just put sunglasses on top of your head like most XJT guys do.

Some pilots actually are on the road for more than a couple of weeks....in case you haven't noticed.

Man, how junior are you? There is nothing unprofessional about carrying a guitar. What is your problem with a pilot carrying a musical instrument? If it was something as nondescript as a trumpet case, would you have a problem with that? If not, what is your problem with the guitar? What IS your problem? Is it because the shape of the case gives it away? Sheesh!


As for backpacks, that's only questionable.

 

[Thurman Merman]

I am not criticizing but most of my flying was done in the US and now I am in Japan. Here, flying is what it was 20-30 years ago in the US. Passengers still hold in awe this profession. They bend down to there kids and point and say, "pilot." It is still a profession to be proud of and you know what it makes you feel good and hold your head high. The flight attendants are all done up the same, they even have make up and hair class during training and yes there is a weight requirement. Pilot's as well, your BMI has to be under 30.

I am not one of those, "ooo... look at me I'm a pilot" kind of guys but to walk down the terminal with your crew; Capt, FO coat on AND BUTTONED, hat on; flight attendants look immaculate; gate agents and ramp crew nothing but respect; it makes you feel good about your job and profession.

Also, being a Captain here is what it was 20-30 years ago as well. This applies to all the airplanes not just the big boys. I fly the Dash 8 Q400 and its the same amount of treatment and respect. Now I'm not saying the initiate of this thread has brought down the profession but I see the difference between here and there and I don't think it's helped. Their is a give and take and I think many parties are responsible. The public wanting something for nothing, management giving it to the public and Pilots too. This is a PROFESSION, not a job, where only a small percentage of the population can qualify to do it and even a smaller percentage actually do.

Sadly though, I don't think there is a way to right the ship, she's too far gone.

 

[Farmer]

That's quite a stretch to compare a roller bag to a skateboard.

I was talking about IAHERJ's lame ass story of commuter pilots carrying around BACKPACK and how funny he and his captain thought is was. Losers!! Times are changing...get with it.

I wish that they would have made backpacks that were made to carry laptops back when I was at the commuters. I had a roller bag with my flight case hooked to it and a laptop bag connected to the top. The fricking laptop bag would slip off the roller bag handle....pissed me off. Then I would get to a stairway and have to disconnect all the bags and try and carry all of them up, just to reconnect them all again. A backpack would have kicked ass. Couldn't care less what the passengers thought.

I would also carry my guitar along on some overnights. 18 hours in the middle of nowhere that was butt ass cold with nothing to do...you better believe that I was effin jamming in my hotel room.

If I still skated, I would have brought that too. Who gives a sHrt.

You guys has a complex about how people perceive you. You have to be looked up upon because you are the mighty pilot, better than all. We must not look bad, we are professional all the time. We must list every type of plane on FI just to try and impress. 767-200, 767-400, 757-?? who cares, but you. My company is great, etc... You people are anal and everyone REALLY likes to fly with you. F - no. They sit and talk about the jackass that has no fun and how they have to fly with the pompous prick for 6 days. Glad you are having so much fun at your career.