I think RollingThunder has best summed up why this forum should NOT be limited strictly to pilots, and pilots only; aviation IS being treated as little more than a bus ride these days, and if we in the aviation profession can deliver that feeling then, perversely, we have succeded. I'm not saying I like that, or that I think it should be like that, but that is how I feel it actually IS.
The fact that the feeling comes whilst being strapped into an aluminium tube at 600mph with a differential pressure of around 8psi maintaining a reasonable cabin altitude whilst dodging CB's, in maximum crosswinds, on Cat 1 limits is lost on the majority of our pax, and that is a good thing. As long as they have nothing more to complain about than "The food is always spicy on these flights; some of us don't like spicy food" as I had someone say on disembarkation the other day, then we are actually doing the job correctly.
And for those who complain that this forum is not professional enough, well, this is all done in off-duty time. Ever been for a beer with a bunch of doctors? Or lawyers? I have, and the banter is exactly the same, with the same irreverance thrown in. Only problem is we pilots have had a website grow up over the years into this many-headed hydra-thingy, and this standard irreverance and banter is, in our case, now public knowledge.
It doesn't change the way we do the day-to-day job for the worse; if anything I personally have learned many humbling lessons from the experiences posted on this very website. So to a certain extent our dirty linen is washed in public; well fine, but there are many, many other good points to balance that.
Finally, I always say to people who are interested in this site that it is excellent, but it does have a very high noise-to-signal ratio. I'd rather it was like it is today and open to all, than be a closed, elite forum. Let it be I say, let it be.
Right ,that's that then. All of the above is bullsh*t.
On Alive, Off Alive; anything else is a bonus! That's this pilots definition of customer service for ya! Sick Squid's Mantra!
£6
(The last paragraph was a joke, by the way! Just to make sure.... )
[This message has been edited by Sick Squid (edited 06 April 2001).]