Bit late I know but only just caught the thread.
Here's the original text of Full Circle, EGHH (post 44) if you want it.
I kept it just to remind me what the job's all about.
Sorry it's a bit long but it's worth considering.
Full Circle.
One fine hot Summer’s afternoon saw a Tiger Moth flying circuits at a quiet country airfield. The Instructor was becoming quite concerned with the student’s inability to hold circuit height in the thermals and was getting a bit impatient at sometimes having to take over control.
Just then he saw a twin-engined Cessna, 5000 feet above him, and thought - “Another 1000 hours of this and I’ll qualify for that twin charter job. Aaahh to be a real pilot, - ---- going somewhere!”
The 421 was already late and the boss had told him that this charter was for one of the Company’s major clients. He’d already set MCT and the cylinders didn’t like it in the heat of the summer’s day. He was at 6000 ft. and the wind was now 20kt. head.
Today was his sixth day on, and an 0500 start, so he was feeling pretty knackered. Maybe, if he could get 10,000 feet out of them, he might find a wind advantage – sod these CHTs !
He glanced out momentarily and spotted an A321 leaving a contrail, way up in the serene blue sky. “Oh, man,” he thought, “My interview’s next month. Let’s hope I don’t blow it ! Out of GA, nice jet job, above the weather…no snotty pax. to hang around for ! P-F-M !!
The Airbus bucked and weaved in heavy CAT at FL330 and ATC had advised that lower levels were not available due traffic. The Captain, who was only recently advised that the destination was below RVR minimums, had slowed to LRC to try and hold off a possible diversion and to arrange an ETA that might ensure the fog had lifted to CAT lll.
Company negotiations had broken down yesterday and it looked like everyone was in for a bloody pay cut. The F/Os.would be particularly hard hit as their pay wasn’t much to speak of, anyway.
Finally, having just decided on a speed compromise between LRC and
Vb., the Captain caught sight of a Concorde at Mach 2+ . Tapping his F/O on the shoulder as the 321 took another thumping, he said “ Now that’s what we should be on….huge salary….super fast…..not too many routes…. a couple of sectors a week……above the CAT… Yeah, what a life !
FL590 was not what he wanted anyway – maybe FL570 ? Already the TAT was creeping up again so either they would have to descend or slow down. That damned rear fuel transfer pump was becoming unreliable and the F/E had said moments ago that the radiation meter was not reading numbers that he’d like to see.
Concorde descended to FL570 but the radiation was still quite high even though the Notam had shown OK below FL610. Fuel flow was up too and the transfer pump had become intermittent.
Evening turned into night as they passed over the Atlantic. Looking up, the F/O could see a tiny white dot moving against the backdrop of a myriad of stars. “Hey, Skip,” he called as he pointed. “ Must be the Shuttle.” The Captain looked for a moment and agreed.
Quietly he thought how a Shuttle mission, whilst complicated, must be the “be all and end all” in aviation. Above the crap – no radiation problem – no damn fuel transfer problem – aaahh. Must be a great way to earn a quid.
Discovery was into its 27th. orbit and perigee was 200ft. out from the nominated rendezvous altitude with the commsat. The robot arm was virtually u/s and a walk may become necessary. The 200ft. predicted error would necessitate a corrective burn and Discovery needed that fuel if a walk was required. Houston persistently asked what the Commander wanted to do but proffered very little useful advice. The Commander had already been 12 hours on station sorting out the problem and just wanted 10 bloody minutes to himself to take a leak.
Just then the mission specialist, who had tilted the telescope down to the surface for a minute or two, called the Commander over. “Hey,have a look at this, Sir. Isn’t this the kind of flying you said you wanted after you finish with NASA ?” The Commander peered through the telescope and cried "Ooohh,yeah ! Now that is flying ! Man, that’s what it’s all about. Geez, I’d give my left nut just to be doing that right now.”
What the Commander was looking at was a tiny Tiger Moth bashing the circuit at a quiet country grass airfield in Berkshire on a nice bright sunny afternoon.
There's always something to look forward to.
Rgds,
Sleeve