Sky Bar

[Fitzy]

If you do ever figure it all out let me know, cause I sure the hell don't. Almost 8000 hrs and still scratching my head, my advice is read NTSB.COM and do opposite of those unfortunate basta--s.I wish I had this computer and web site when I first started out it would have helped out tons and entertained me for hours -just like this thread. stick with engineering, fly for fun and respect women---sorry that's the booze talking

 

[TurboS7]

Archer,
Sounds to me like you are getting the picture real fast. I havn't flown since the 15th of October and then it was a line check from Keflivik, Iceland to Lviv, Ukraine and back to Keflivik. Since then I have been home. Usually I fly at least 3 times a week but things have really been slow in the charter business. Right now I am on reserve waiting for the phone to ring. For the first couple of weeks it was fun to chase the wife around the house but now it is kinda getting old. I was suppose to fly a flight from Baltimore to Keflivik this weekend which I was looking forward to. My grandfather who is 92 lives in Baltimore and my Mom and Dad were visiting him for his birthday. It would have been fun to have combined the layover with a visit . But at the last moment the checkairman took over my flight and now they are paying me to sit at home. I have a PC(proficiency check) on the 27th of the month. That means I have to have all my emergency recall items memorized to the T. Kinda a pain since management has just changed everything so they have to be rememorize. All the limitations are memorized they are easy. Next I have to bone myself up for an oral on the complete systems and FMC on the 737-800. They can ask anything and everything-and they will-our checkairman can be a real pain, I would rather have the FAA.
Then I have to study all the profiles for every concievable emergecy in the aircraft. I have no idea which ones they will give me so I have to know them all.So I have a lot to do but I still miss the flying. Unless they call me for a trip I will not have flown for six weeks prior to the check, I hate that. But right after the check I am suppose to go to Hawaii for a week over Thanksgiving. That should be a nice flight. So you have flown more than I and more that likely you'll get more hours this month than I. Enjoy.

 

[Archer]

I am sorry to hear that Turbo. Your life as a professional pilot is probably not too different than a lot of other pilots out there unfortunately.

It seems an indication on how the aviation industry is going, and the demand and supply of pilots...

It's sad, because as I said earlier, I really respect and admire pilots. I don't think it's an easy job, and even though you may argue no job is easy...

The lives of tens of thousands of people depend on pilots (as well as ATC, A&Ps and what not) every day.

But like that Northwest 747 flight emergency, no one knows when pilots save lives.

Well, I'm getting carried away here, basically...I wish pilots would be more in demand and be paid more, as pay is one of the ways to show the value and respect you give an employee...

well, I hope you do get to fly more than me this month...

fly safe,

Archer

 

[ACWild]

Hey Turbo,
Who do you fly for? What you do sounds a whole lot like where I work.
Does anyone learn EVERYTHING that an FMC does? Everyone that I fly with seems to have their own little "secrets".

 

[bobbysamd]

Salary

I wish pilots would be more in demand and be paid more, as pay is one of the ways to show the value and respect you give an employee...

(emphasis added)

You got it. Absolutely. You exhibit excellent perception.

That can be said for any industry. My wife worked her a$$ off as a law librarian and was severely underpaid. Her theory was that her law office administrators had no clue as to the extent of her job. She figured they thought she just sat around checking out books.

The Amarillo, Texas, oilman, T. Boone Pickens, once said the only way an employer can truly express his appreciation for his workers is to pay them more money.

I, too, wish pilots were more in demand. But, it isn't a matter of whether they're in demand, it's more a matter of pilots being in oversupply. Maybe with the exception of a brief period in the 1960s, there has never been a pilot shortage. Just the same, one can have a flying career. It requires great amounts of desire, motivation, hard work, patience and, most of all, luck and timing.

 

[KC-10 Driver]

Archer, do you see what has happened here?

You came into the "hangar" and said something that all the other pilots gave you sh!t for.

Then you stuck around and followed the "hangar talk" as it went where ever it went. Now, you are involved in this rambling discussion.

You can't force anyone (especially pilots, I think) to engage in some touch-feely, feel-good rap session. Most of us don't operate that way.

We are hard on each other -- out of the cockpit, and especially in the cockpit. But, if you have a thick skin and don't take things personally, you will do well. No one thinks less of you for the way you started this thread -- but of course, you will forever continue to get grief for it.

Now, you are learning about professional pilots.

By the way, there is some hilarious stuff in this thread.

 

[PilotoHalcon]

Hey Turbo. No kidding, those FP's are a pain. When were you over here and what ops did you use?
j

 

[KC-10 Driver]

TurboS7 asked what percentage of the FA's are slam/clickers, in our experience.

At my last company (US Airways), I have to say that it was probably at about 70%. Of course, maybe it was just me...

I have yet to fly a line trip with JetBlue (I'm still in training). But, from meeting the new-hire flight attendants in training, I think I can safely say that the percentage will be quite a bit better at this company -- at least I hope so!

 

[Typhoon1244]

...if you have a thick skin and don't take things personally, you will do well.

Well said. Archer, I'll give you a couple of quick examples.

I have one of those first names that can be shortened a couple of different ways. One of these ways I prefer. The other I can't stand. I made the mistake of telling one captain "you can call me _____, but I prefer not to be called _____." You can guess what happened; ever since that day, he's made it a point to introduce me to everyone we meet by that name I can't stand! And he's not trying to ruin me...he's just giving me sh_t. It's what so many of us do, for some reason.

I remember this other captain...I was having a heck of a time landing Brasilias one day. I guess everybody has their day "in the box," right? I got down to 17C in DFW and I must have bounced eleven times. So there I am, wrestling to get the thing settled down, and the clown in the left seat is chanting, "you're awesome! You are the man! I'm going to recommend you for upgrade as soon as we get inside!" Now it would be easy to let something like that ruin your whole week, but by the time we got to the gate, we were both laughing about it.

Keep a tough hide, roll with the punches, and you'll be accepted before you know it. Ever read The Caine Mutiny? Read it. (Forget about the movie.) Everything you need to know about making the journey from callow first officer to salty captain is right there.

 

[avbug]

Interesting thread. Never heard of the predatory female...is it worth a read?

What is a misogynist?

Flyhi, what kind of gun, and do you have a sister?