What's the dumbest question you've been asked as a pilot?

[Mr Wu]

While getting a coffee at the buffet this morning, some old fart thanked me for bringing his suitcase to the hotel during the night.

 

[Turtlesfly]

I was jumpseating (in uniform) in the back of the plane from ORD - PDX, and after about 3 hours into the flight everybody is getting excited to get off the plane . . .

well after just waking up from a nap, I had to use the lav, and when I came out of the lav (in the rear of the plane, mind you) a man asks where we are and when are we going to land. With a straight face I told him, "I have no idea." and returned to my seat . . . I didn't feel bad leaving him panicked becasue the man who asked me was sitting next to me the whole flight.

Hello?

 

[C172gal05]

"That's your car? I thought pilots made a lot of money?"

Thats the best one!! lol

 

[C172gal05]

Some people might not get this much but I have before....

Wait....women fly?

 

[smellthejeta]

Some people might not get this much but I have before....

Wait....women fly?

I was once upon a time dealing with an inbound challenger. This drop dead gorgeous brunette walks up to me in a sleeveless red top and black pants. She hands me a list of galley items as well as a pair of chocks (wtf for, i donno). When I returned to the a/c with the items, there was a gentleman standing in the galley. I asked him where the FA was, 'cause I had some question about dishes or whatever. He insisted that he was the FA. After a little back and forth, I asked him, "Do you mean to tell me that the drop dead gorgeous woman I spoke to a few minutes ago is the pilot?" Sure 'nuff. She poked her head out of the cockpit and we both had a good laugh.

I've worked for some very busy FBO's, and there still are very, very few female pilots.

 

[cfi76]

Standing in the hotel lobby in MSP I was asked by a man how to get to the airport from the hotel. The van driver was standing a few feet from me asking who was going to the airport on the shuttle.

 

[Powda5]

Elderly woman deplaning an ATR onto a jetbridge, "I'm so glad you got rid of those propeller airplanes. I hated going outside."

Dive and drive to a mountain airport in snow and icing down to mins...upon deplaning and with a fully disgusted look a passenger says, "I don't know what you thought you were doing with the engines--all we heard was up and down with the engine!" (Um, yeah steep stepdowns 2-3000 fpm..the only flight to get in in the last hour and rolled it on--but thanks, I'll call the training dept right away)

FO standing in line at grocery store (food-stop on van to hotel) and an elderly woman behind him says, "OH! YOU work at McDONALDS!" and smiles, proud that she recognized the uniform. "uh HUH," the FO replies dejectedly.

"When I saw you I thought for sure we were going to crash," From a passenger as he deplaned. Why would you board a plane thinking you were going to crash? Is that a smart thing to say?

"Do you like being a flight attendant?" love it.

F/A calls up enroute to tell me a passenger insisted that she tell us we were going the wrong way. um....o....K.

A passenger comes up after a flight where we had held for an hour in the penalty box for a gate at ORD. He has an airport diagram and points to the penalty box, asking how we taxxied (which is ok, I guess), but then he said, "Oh, so what did you guys do to get put in the penalty box?" He really thought it was like a hockey-style penalty box!

People are funny...I am sure we have asked our own share of 'dumb' questions, too!

 

[smellthejeta]

A passenger comes up after a flight where we had held for an hour in the penalty box for a gate at ORD. He has an airport diagram and points to the penalty box, asking how we taxxied (which is ok, I guess), but then he said, "Oh, so what did you guys do to get put in the penalty box?" He really thought it was like a hockey-style penalty box!

People are funny...I am sure we have asked our own share of 'dumb' questions, too!

Sht, that was more funny than stupid. Thanks for the laugh!

 

[HighNightFlyer]

While standing at the bottom of the Metroliner stairs I was asked if I was really a pilot. I replied, "No, but I play one on TeeVee," in my best theatric voice. That passenger didn't get it but the guy after him laughed.

A few years before, at the gas station in uniform, was asked to fill 'er up by a little old man.

Now I fly freight so only my neighbors ask me when I'll get a real job flying people.

HNF

 

[nonstop]

"How do I become a pilot?"