what do you think about most when you are flying?

[niceguy11]

My question is what do you think about most when you are flying? This seems a strange question to ask but I often find that I'm thinking about loads of stuff in the air, but this usually circles around films, cars and women. I would be interested to hear what you guys think about.

Thanks,

niceguy.

[Pielander]

Call me a sad b*stard, but I normally think about flying while I'm flying. Come to think of it, I usually think about flying even when I'm not flying. :)

[Professor TailSpin]

Being a low hour student PPL, I tend to think about flying an awful lot when I'm flying.

One day...perhaps...I might be able to think of something else when I'm up there.

One of my main thoughts is...."o O here comes another bumpy landing!". One day, I'll land without bouncing it...practice makes perfect they say

[Simon W]

Also a low hour PPL. Spent the last few hours of the training doing solo circuits. All I was really thinking then was "**** , lost the runway.... ahhhh, found it again .... **** , lost the runway.... ahhhh, found it again .... **** , lost the runway.... ahhhh, found it again .... and so on....". Now I've moved on and now I just think to myself "I really haven't got a clue where I am, I am dreading when the instructor makes me fly out here on my own!".

:-)

Simon

[Crash Barrier]

Good God what is this forum coming to!!
Heh, what did the cannibal do after dumping his wife?

Wiped his arse!

[Capt Wannabee]

I tend to think
'Oh my god I so want to do this for a living!!' and
'I wish like on flight simulators we could have an un-limited fuel option!!' Make that hour building a lot cheaper!!

[skysoarer]

As a glider pilot what mostly springs up is:
"Wheres the next lift gonna be?"
"Hmmm, should the controls really creak like that...?"
"Gee, are my arms really meant to be that crimson?"
"Has the vario battery really gone flat or is it just mocking me?..."
or more recently "Am I in the Redlands skydiving zone? ... oh s*it!" (not the latter bit (yet) anyway...)
Plus "How am I gonna land this thing with one dead leg?"

Regards

SS

[HighRoller]

I often think "gee, this is becoming easy".
When that happens, then Murphy and his law is about to bite me in the butt.
10 times outa 10, I have a suprise.
My point-your mind always on flying.

[Pielander]

He may be new, but he's right goddammit!

I was feeling pretty complacent this weekend until I had a couple of really ropey landings while getting checked out on one of the club's aircraft. (In fact, try 3 in a row!) Fortunately, I didn't damage anything except my ego, but it's amazing how you can forget how hard it is to do a peachy landing after a mere 6 weeks on the ground.

I must add that my landings are now once again peachy, but I'll certainly not be taking that as read the next time I fly.

And another thing [hence the edit], I've noticed that as I become more able to cope with the flying itself, I have more time to maintain an effective lookout. Of course, if your lookout is absolutely spot-on, along with your precision flying, then by all means think about women the rest of the time. You're the one paying £80 an hour for the priviledge, so think about what the hell you like. I'm sure those flying skills will improve all by themselves. I'm not having a go at anybody, but it's up to you to make the best of your time in the air.

Happy landings :)

Pie

[This message has been edited by Pielander (edited 25 June 2001).]

[Ramrise]

The next crew meal, that new flight attendant, the next landing, and after the landing, "why did they design the md80 without hydraulic elevators?" http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/redface.gif http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/redface.gif


------------------
Ramrise

[Delta Wun-Wun]

Crashing.....or rather not crashing. :) :) :)

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GET THE BLOODY NOSE DOWN!

[mad_jock]

I am quite looking forward to IFR so i have less to think about while i am up there.

MJ

[TE RANGI]

As the old adage goes:

An airline pilot is a confused soul that talks about women when he's flying and speaks about airplanes when he's with a woman.

[Luke SkyToddler]

Last week there was an attractive girl and her bloke, having vigorous sex in the bushes, directly beneath the approach path at about quarter mile final ... little things like that do tend to distract you from the old "airspeed - centreline - glideslope" mantra :!

[v1rotate]

Usually think how I can stretch this flight to put more hours in the logbook.

------------------
"Jerry, just remember, it's NOT a LIE if YOU believe it." - George Costanza

[sam_flying]

Well what I sometimes find myself thinking when I am flying or driving the car...is "I wish flying could be to me as easy and as automatic as driving a car is". I long for the day when I can be like that, rather than sitting there panicing about everything, wondering what the hell I am doing and concentrating sooooooooooo hard that I forget to breath ;)

Sam

[expedite_climb]

Are we nearly there yet ? And could we maybe stay down route just this time ?

[saggy]

"Now how do I tune this thing to Virgin Radio??" :) :)

------------------
Quod Me Nutrit
Me Destruit.

[dingducky]

i used to sing when solo :)
anyone else do that?

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A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

[schooner]

Congratulate myself in a stupid welsh accent every time I pulled off a decent landing in circuits :)

cheers

[Rusty Cessna]

Ding,

You're not alone my friend, I usually think about flying when I am flying, when I land I think about....wait for it....flying!

Call me a saddo thats my life! :) :) :)

Rusty

[Sick]

If you could grade her attractiveness at 1/4 of a mile, Luke, then the glideslpoe really did go to pot.

After six years in the game, I think 'F**k I'm bored' while I'm at work, and 'hmm I wouldn't mind going flying now' during a good stretch of days off;...can't win.

[BluffOldSeaDog]

CabinCrew

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I want to die with the respect and dignity of my father, not screaming like his passengers !

[BigJETS]

Hmm I wonder if any shingles are lodged in the gear, Im going to jail.

[Engineer]

Wishing the sector would be over and what the hotel will be like or glad to be home

[IceViper]

What the F**ks it doing now!!!

[PaulDeGearup]

I've got the best job in the world.

View from the office changes all the time, get fed all the time for free, women you can flirt with. Can't see anything wrong in that.

What do I think about ? Depends on the weather.

[Golden Monkey]

Finding nice fields in case of engine failure?

[itchy kitchin]

Did I leave the iron on?

[Miles High]

Attitude, altitude, speed, balance, heading. No only joking, women mostly. Aren't they great?

[stator vane]

on a regular basis i am almost overwhelmed with the marvel or what we are doing!

FL330, GS of 500 knots or so, outside temp around -45C. coffee in hand, 148 pax and their bags on their way to see family or a holiday.

and though we are required to know answers to questions about the navigation aids we use, it still strikes me as quite amazing that this airplane can know where it is, where we want it to go, and coupled to the autopilot actually get there.

on a walk around, even though sometimes on a bad day, i feel like i am trapped in a piece of S..T airplane when the APU doesn't work and it is hot weather, most of the times i can look at the B737 and see the wonder it really is. run my hands on some parts of her when no one is looking. knowing that if it were up to me, couldn't even make the coffee cup holder out of raw materials.

as i look out the window i am amazed at how complicated LIGHT is. and how it can come through that thick piece of stuff we call glass. i read a book by Richard Feynman about the strange properties of light and still could only walk away knowing that i really don't understand WHY light is that way.

the actual performing of the radio transmissions amaze me.

and to think of how brave those first people were who flew in the early years. and how many gave their lifes for the pursuit of aviation.

and to think that most of it was motivated by war and defense and offense. those beautiful war planes are really just killing machines.

and that on one day we can travel farther than many many people ever could years ago.

i sometimes think what someone like Plato would have thought of a B737-400.

and how with altitude everything gets a blue color to it due to the filtering of all the lower frequency light waves.

i still get a kick out of crashing into the clouds when descending on an approach, as long as they are the friendly types.

and popping out of an overcast layer while climbing out and seeing the bright morning sunlight.

too many things to mention!

and then each of the good things seems to be balanced with discrepancies in passenger counts, slots, derated engines and full pax and possible fuel stops.

enough for now. :)

[kennedy]

On the last sector,

"God, I need a beer!"

[scanscanscan]

I wonder if I will pass my DLR test and still have a job as a pilot tomorrow.

I wonder how I will feed my family if tomorrow they DLR terminate me.

I really love the management for introducing DLR testing mid career.

I wish I worked for a company that had a final salery pension scheme.

I really wish I could get 3 or 4 days off in a row, and more than 6 in a month.

I wonder if my wife and kids remember me.

I really care about my job, I think?

I really care about my passengers, I think?

I really hate the ops manager on £200,000.00 a year tax free who wants me to fly on my rest day for £80.00 for 12hours and then extend my duty.

I really wonder what would happen if I closed thoes two Fuel control shut off switches, and lowered the nose 15 degrees.

I wonder if BA has got all the good rooms and allowances here in heaven.

Hey!!! I passed my DLR and its a 12hour two crew night, call time 22.45 for 23.45 pickup and its 40degrees C outside, no APU, no problem, I have a job for 6 months. Arrived 07.30 to day after min day rest London. Great job.
Sh.t I am looking tired old and worn out,these trousers have shrunk again, I must utilise my rest time better,eat a balanced diet, ( I do balance the tray on my lap) lead a regular lifestyle and take vigerous exercise daily (nightly as I sleep days)

No crew party as must study for my bsae check in 5.75 months time, otherwise another DLR test.

Glad I never get exposed to stress I hear its dangerous.

Sh.t!! I cannot even spell base check, I am so relaxed and cool.

------------------
We will do the drill according to the amendments to the amendments I er think?

[This message has been edited by scanscanscan (edited 04 July 2001).]

[englishal]

bernoulli's principle, and how strong the wings are :-)

[stator vane]

just like there are day flights and night flights, there are days of brightness and days of deep darkness in our thoughts while flying.

thunderstorms are sometimes along our route and sometimes between our ears.

CAT! (cerebral)

rapid decompression has a checklist.
rapid depression doesn't.

is this pain in my chest from the crew meal or too much coffee or are we about to have an incapaciatated crew member-ME!

i reminded the first officer that we should start down early into FCO to prevent getting stuck too high. we've both been here hundreds of times. now after my requesting and receiving descent clearance, why the hell is he using V/S and and trying to stay on the FMC descent path?

why does she ask me which doors to arm? i don't ask her which flaps to use!

why can no one except IBERIA put chocks on the aircraft in BCN and why can't they bring the jetty to the aircraft when i have both engines off and my brakes are set?

why in BRU do they clear you from 6000 to 7000? no help at all!!!!

why do they divide the BRU airspace into such small segments in the same little country which apparently are not able to communicate which each other? job opportunities?

why is FCO so cheap when it comes to their ATIS equipment for inbound flights?

does the Greek ATC use their radar screens to keep their pizza warm?

why could our jumpseater from Euro control make a mobile phone call and make the hour slot disappear in in ONE MINUTE!!!!????

why can't other ATC's give track miles to go like UK ATC can???

give me LHR flights any day and night!!!!
i've been to enough airports whose names i cannot pronounce and don't need to go to anymore!!!

[Luftwaffle]

I think something like ...

If the engine failed now and I tried to glide to that field would I clip the trees on the way in? Where did that helicopter go? Is that jet close enough to bump me with his wake? Is the controller ignoring me or is my radio not working? If I had to do an emergency landing on the beach, who would I call first after landing: ATC, my boss, or my friend who lives nearby? What does Transport Canada use a C206 on amphibs for, and what would I have to do to get a ride? Where is that Katana going? Why are R22s so hard to see? Look buddy we don't care about your life story, other people want to use this frequency, too. Droool, someday I'm going to fly one of those. Am I 2000' horizontally from that building? How the heck can he be VFR at 1500' when the clouds are based at 1300'? Do the controllers get sick of me asking for the same clearances over and over again? Why is the altimeter setting here always 4/100ths lower than everywhere else. Maybe they have a buggy barometer. Another hour and fifteen minutes. Wheee, I get paid to sit here and fly this airplane.

[Jetdriver]

7 Down.... Another word for Purgatory ?

Only 5 hours to go !

[kickstart]

I just look down at the desert below and wonder how long my passengers and I could last on the 5 to 10 litres of water we have on board, that is if the ELT doesn't work.

where is some shade when you need it?

[kabz]

(In a glider)
I think about where the field is, and what the wind is doing, whether there is traffic nearby, where a thermal might be, and once down below 1500, I like to have plenty of airspeed with nice steep turns to minimise the risk of an inadvertent spin.

Once in the pattern, it is all airspeed.

then...
bomp, bomp. Another successful landing. :)

[Smoozesailing]

Can I actually be doing something else and getting paid more?????? :)

[darryld]

Well, if I'm inverted and I extend the landing gear does the gear go up or does it go down?

[basil fawlty]

As the F/E, doing my job properly. What else is there to think about?

[Crackle]

How many times have I seen that field/house/building etc?
When will I actually earn a living out of this?
What if I did a demo of a spin right now?
How many trial lessons can you do in a day?
I know you've never flown before but is it really that hard?!!
and many other such thoughts - sad but true.

I love flying and I like instructing, I even really enjoy showing people the joys of flying in a light aircraft - I just get a little wistful in those quiet moments.

[Mr Benn]

WoW! I must be the only charter pilot here. Just recently, going to work as the sun sets, seeing it rise again and still with 2 hours to go until I'm back at base...
I think about my duvet, my pillow, my bed, just how long is it until sleeping time, how quickly can I get from the crew room to my bed, how long can I spend in bed before I have to get up and fly yet another night flight....
Other than that? Food. You know that craving you get at around 3-4am, for curry, cheese sandwiches and chocolate?
Perhaps its just me....

[alosaurus]

What is next
What would I do if x happened now
What can I learn from today
I wish I could say that this was my train of thought all the time;when I'm on min rest in a 50 hour week this tends to go out of the window. :rolleyes:

[Ignition Override]

I sure wish that all US air traffic controllers knew how difficult they are to understand with very many blurted-out, clipped calls, and how many radio calls get blocked. Many calls are important clearances.

Why does our company completely trust DC-9 fuel gauges, unless at least one is on MEL (and for days at a time-this also means that the fuel totalizer is not reliable). Do our Chief Dispatchers answer only to accountants (if yes, put them on our jumpseats for some familiarization)? And, we might have a two-hour flight with only one reliable fuel gauge, when the center tank is not used. Former DC-8 pilots tell me that they were required to LAND with no less than 20,000 lbs onboard.

[HomerSimpson]

Luke Skytoddler,

You must have been really low on the glide path if you were able to see that she was attractive! :D

[Pilot Barbie]

I think about the next two things I should be doing/saying/checking. Then I think about the next eight things after that. I think about when I will be able to get out of the seat to get to the loo.

I think about what would happen if the FMC failed. I think about what I would do if the chap on my left died right now.

I think about when I will be able to pay my bills off. Playing in the back of my mind is a song I heard on radio one at the check in that morning, maybe "Teenage dirtbag".

I think about how happy/lucky I am to be here.

[flyboy_33]

I only thinm of what the weekend will bring and if she is finally gonna give it up. Otherwise it's a cheerful song on those boring solo flights or chatting mindlessly to my instructor to pass the time before the next checkpoint... Damn she was hot. Is it legal to drink all day saturday and fly sunday? Is she single!! damn she looks to good to be alone. Wonder if she likes a pilot...

FB :p ;)

[bigbeerbelly]

How much farther to the next fix? Are the passengers too cold? Was that call for us? Am I close enough to get the ATIS yet? I wonder what runway they are using when we get there? I wonder if this controller will give us a short cut? How much fuel will we have to mess around with if we have to go around? God, I am so tired. What time were we supposed to arrive? How late are we? What can we do to catch up? I am so underpaid. That was way too much work for the money. I bet as soon as I program this approach into the FMS they will change the runway. Damn controllers! When should I start slowing down? I'll keep the speed up to the OM? Ignitors on? Ice protection req'd? Did we get our gate assignment yet? I hope I grease this landing and make the first high speed. Is this airplane a piece of sh*t or what? I wish this were my last leg for today. Why the f**k didn't they call the hotel van? What time do we have to report tomorrow? Is it a long day again? What's the block? I should have dropped this trip :confused:

[GoodVibes]

A good topic !

I think about:

- will I stay awake for the next 12 hrs?
- am I going to be able to decypher the
XXX ATC today ?
- those two hosties throwing a party I'm
supposed to provide the tequila for next
week (Yippiiee!!)
- who's hiring and who's not
- does Virgin Classics connect today?
- why the k**bhead next seat really is a k**bhead
- being a lucky sod after all ;) ;)
- enroute alternates
- does that AHRS 1 hold up today?

Thank You !

Knowledge is powerrrr...

[ 19 July 2001: Message edited by: GoodVibes ]