Wouldn't this be a fabulous job...NOT

[aero99]

My First Mate is now my Ex-wife.

I think that is tanker or cruise ship lingo. Didn't have any first mates, wooden legs or Parrots in the Navy.

We did have a Gecco in the engine room for about 3 months after a Pearl Harbor trip. When he died, we did a full dress sea burial, with a coffin, and made a slide to push him over.

You get bored after a few months ok.....

 

[skywav8r]

"Jimmy doesn't have a Citation, but he has an Albatross, Lear, Falcon, and a Caravan on floats. His co-pilot is his dog on the Albatross"


He used to have one, back in the mid 90's I fueled up his citation when he flew in for a concert. I believe it was a 550, not sure though. I wasn't all that airplane savvy back then. It had a parrot painted on the tail. He was in and out for a couple of days while playing at the gorge at george in washington state. His pilot had the best uniform, khaki shorts, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap. Corona was sponsering the tour so there was plenty to go around the hangar.

 

[skyboat]

Bushpilot asked:

Question 1:

Is there such a thing as a First Mate (I believe he was asking about the cruise liner world)

Question 2:

Where is the First Mate in the food chain?


In the Merchant service, the first mate is generally called the Chief Mate (or Chief Officer). The Chief Mate is in charge of the deck department. There is also the Chief Engineer which is the head of the engine department and the Chief Steward which is in charge of the stewards department. Each of these three Chiefs report to the Captain, or Master. The Captain always comes from the deck department so that kind of shafts the Engineers and Stewards because they will never be a Captain. That being said, I would hate to work on a ship where the Captain went down to the engine room and started telling people what to do. Even though he is in command of the ship, it is just not done. Even though the Chief Mate is in charge of the deck department, the Captain will probably have more day to day contact with him and the operation of the department where he leaves the engine room and machinary to the whims of the Chief Engineer. So that being said, the Chief Engineer probably has a little more pull than the Cheif Mate. If the Captain were to ever become incapacitated (hey there is no age 60 rule, I've seen 80 year old Captains before) than the Chief Mate would take command.

Clear as mud?

 

[aero99]

Ah, the diferences between the Navy and the Mechants!

That type of commanding is why the Valdez hit dirt. It is possible to command respect without demanding respect. All my captains went into every space and used this time to train the crew. Communication is key to safety just as in an aircraft. I hope that you don't use this same mentallity in the cockpit if and when you are PIC. Captians of any vessel hold the same responsibility as a PIC. Responsibility to the safety of your crew and passengers. If the Captain doesn't go into the engine room, I don't want to be onboard.

I think you would agree with that as a pilot.