Just have to vent a little

[wrigley23]

This by no means applies to the majority of corp. guys that I run into on a daily basis, most of you are very professional and friendly but....

After four years of flying, I've resorted to working the line again in order to pay the bills (between jobs at the moment).

A couple of days ago, an unnamed pilot, flying for an unnamed company, at my unnamed FBO, got into it with me. I had just finished fueling and was reeling up the single point, when he comes over and says, "You know, this cap is not on correct." So I go back to the aircraft with him, expecting that I hadn't locked it on tight, where he procedes to show me how to wrap the chain around the cap exactly how he wants it. I walk away with my mouth shut when he says,"you'll know now for the next time, but you did a good job otherwise."

Where does this guy get off? I don't look like some moron high school dropout, but he assumed that was the case because I'm a ramp rat. Fact is I enjoy working with airplanes and I'm just in a rough patch in my career.

No real moral here, just remember that the dumba@s line guy might actually be highly qualified and you might be sharing a cockpit with him in the future.

Thanks for letting me rant, keep em flying.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

let it go.

Some pilots are complete tools. He is a good example. Chances are his boss beats up on him and he tries to feel better by picking on line guys.

One of our crewmembers always supervises re-fueling. This is just to assure the fueling gets started properly, that the cap gets put on securely, and the door gets shut tight. Nothing aginst any line guys...but if it gets screwed up I cant say "the line guy did it"...ya know? And I HAVE had fuel doors depart the aircraft.

If it was THAT important for him to wrap the chain a certain way, he should have been there to do it himself. There ARE times (US and abroad) that a line guy will be clueless - NO PROBLEM - Its our job to be sure it gets serviced properly. I will set it up for ya. You know your truck, I'll know my plane.

The legit complaint is when you pre-arrange for a fuel truck to be there and ready, but when you show up..... no truck. Then the "night shift didnt give us the message" etc....$hit starts to flow...(but thats all another story)

anyways,


next time just park him behind 6 other aircraft, step on his catering, "forget" to pull him up for that 0700am departure and laugh- because he was an abused child.

 

[BIGSLAW]

wrigley,

I can relate to that situation, I worked the line about ten years ago and ran into stuff like that alot. It didnt always leave a warm fuzzy with me either.

I will toss my thoughts your way, that I have come to develop over the years...which is probably nothing new because of your corp. experience.

My company policy is similar to G-200's, we have a crewmember wait around while being refueled, this is primarily due to the fact that the Lear45 sp is in a crazy location, and damage to flaps can occur very easily. However, we do it for the Gulfstream too. But reguardless of why we are required to stay there with my current employer, I found that I have been doing that for a while even when I was not required to. The reason is that no matter where you go, how experienced the line folks are, or even if you are a frequent customer...little and somtimes big things are consistantly overlooked or done wrong. But even if I didnt hang around I would mention certain things to line techs. Mainly because I dont expect every line guy to know exactly how I want to wrap the chain for my cap, or to remember to wipe the dripping fuel off the plane. So as a proffesional courtesy, I will usually try to fill them in. I do try to word it right so not to sound as if I am trying to insult their intelligence, but I do make an effort to bring little and big stuff to their attention.

As a line guy I picked up some good info from other pilots that way, and it helped me do my job better, even though many were not very tactful in their presentation. The bottom line is, and as a pilot you know this, everything falls on us..so we try to pass on information to the people that we work with to potentially make our job easier. It sounded like, based on what you wrote, that the pilot was trying to be friendly about it, but it still rubbed you the wrong way.

I mean I still look at my wing tips when being guided in between aircrafts by line people. Its not because I think they are an idiot, and I surely do not know their background just by looking at them, however, since everyone makes mistakes...I look, because its my rear on the line.

I would just blow stuff like that off when it happens, and not take offense. Just like I do when the Chairmans wife tells me that she saw the weather channel that morning and that the weather will be fine in Chicago by the time we get there, so we can go now. I just smile, say thank you, and move on.

You will be back in the air soon, and when you are you will be one of those guys that know how to make things happen and work smoothly because of your experience. But I guarantee, without meaning to, you will offend someone in the process. Its just the line of work we are in no matter what side of the plane you are on.

Anyway, you know what they say about opinions.

 

[smellthejeta]

stupid pilot tricks

That was pretty funny. But would anybody like to add to this list?

I've seen aircraft taxi into off of the pavement into the grass, taxi with a flat tire (both happened to pistons, the rest apply to jets...)

I've seen numerous aircraft depart without reconnecting torque links. At my facility, I can guarantee you that this was due to failure to preflight. I've seen aircraft taxi out without pitot covers on (even had the flag that said REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT -- try blaming THAT on the line guys). Then there are those in a G5/GLEX that can't fit on our regular ramp and COMPLETELY disregard parking instructions when so advised on the initial call.

And drumroll please... One C750 even departed WITHOUT HIS PAX! We had to call the tower to get the plane to come back.

 

[h25b]

"That was pretty funny. But would anybody like to add to this list?"

I witnessed a King Air about to start to taxi with the towbar still attached to the nosegear...

This is a REALLY dangerous thread, keep in mind we ALL have our days of the Darwin Award and days that we all have said, "I'll never do that again..." I've seen some of the sharpest guys I've ever flown with do some of the dumbest things I've ever seen.

None of us are infallable... Lets stop this thread before one of us gets cursed.

 

[mobie]

Some Advice

Some help needed on tipping line crews. I have been flying 121 for years, but now back to 91 and 135. What tip is correct and for what service. I do not mind the tip even if it comes out of my own back pocket.

Mobie

 

[labbats]

I worked the line for 6 months and never recieved nor expected a tip. None of the other guys did either.

Just give us your leftover doughnuts!

 

[Heavy Set]

Wrigley,

Love that Avatar....

 

[wrigley23]

Heavy Set - thanks, pretty hot huh?

Tips are never expected but surely appreciated after say dumping a lav or carrying the luggage from a family of six across the ramp.

Labbats is right, usually we'll take some left over catering if you can't spare a few bucks.

 

[aeronautic1]

I respect

... and appreciate EVERYTHING the guys and gals do. I have no problem getting my own ice and coffee if they are busy (can you say PBI?) And I show it with a cheerful disposition; engage them in conversation even letting them sit up front and answer any Hawker questions that they might have. Most of these folks are in-between or future pilots and they really enjoy being "part of the team." Kudos to all you line folks!!!