I'm sorry I don't hold with the views of some that there is a "food chain" as such and therefore a hierachy with pilots at the top. To me, that sort of self-serving claptrap is NOT the idea that most people hold with. By my own admission I am a spannertwirler (of 12 years) in another life (think motor vehicles), and got what I could out of that industry. It took me to many different places in Australia (my home country) and gave me more than just a basic understanding of the machinery that I am now fortunate to be flying (C185-both on wheels and floats, Maule MX-7 and M5-235 etc etc).
O.K., I am not the typical airline pilot, nor do I possess the ability to diagnose any technical component of an air transport cat a/c, but I do know that one thing is for sure, and that is that without each-other (pilots and lames etc) we both do not have a future!
Why it is that people need to big note themselves in this day and age is well beyond me. About 6-8 weeks ago I was helping with a 100 hrly on a C185 amphib at BK (had the a/c chained/jacked-up and wheels off replacing wheel brgs, and about to do retract tests), when into the hangar walked a pilot (20yo tops, and with more gold braid than entire airforce) who proceeded to dress me down for leaving this heap of s... in his way and didn't we know that his a/c was in here and he just HAD to get it out NOW! I stood up to my full height (6'4") and asked him if he would like to help me finish, I'd be delighted to move it for him. His response I couldn't print here, but it was sure funny to see the look on his face about a week later when he came down to Palm Bch looking for a job, as his his boss had turfed him out!
I wonder why? Do you remember me?
Bottom line..... We both need to be as good as we can AT OUR OWN JOBS, and respect the other for his professionalism. Query and question, by all means, but berate and belittle, and take the consequences you have brought upon yourself.
Have a nice day, y'all.
[ 17 October 2001: Message edited by: 429 CJ ]