However, when you managed to keep up with her, the -9 became a real joy. Four sectors SY-CB-SY-CB-SY, resulting, often as not, in not much more than two hours to add to the log book, could be quite a workout. You knew you'd mastered the beast when both pilots managed to eat their breakfast - separately - on the same sector, with a 35 departure from CB and a straight in aproach (R/W 07) in to SY. (I only ever managed this once, and remember the captain's name to this day, and I have to admit, it involved scoffing my meal down at a very ungentlemanly rate! The captain handed the hostie his tray at about 5,000' on finals for 07 at Sydney.)
A Wiley post, back on page 9. Puts me in mind of a bloke I used to fly with, who in later years was flying round Europe. In the earlier time, Jim could not, to put it mildly, abide our C/P, Colin, a pedantic, painful person with less personality than a dial tone. Anyway, there's Jim and his F/O, also from the old firm, screaming into the circuit, somewhere like Madrid, and Jim's still got his tray on his lap, finishing his lunch. F/O, doing it all virtually single-handed, says 'Eh Jim, what would be saying to Colin if he was in the jump-seat now? ' 'Pass the pepper, Colin.' (Note - Not their real names.)
We're losing something from aviation with all the automation and regulations. It's like eating fast food at a plastic dining table. It's just not the same as the individuality expressed in a home cooked meal and a wooden table. Too late to reverse the trend, even if we wanted to, but it's nice to reminisce.
. . . from Lodown, on page 58