Pilot Pete
14th Jul 2001, 03:56
Can't think why, but some of you pilot types asked for an update to the 'trilogy' that has become the (I'm 'pished' now)'Pilot Pete' myth!
We exchanged contracts yesterday and move on Wednesday next week to Congleton and about time to. The drive from 'Mad Jock' land (and I mean that most sincerely folks) to Manch every few days has been taking it's toll, and even the thought of a 757 at the end of it is wearing a bit thin,(well ok, not that thin just yet!)
Line training is yet another progression up the ladder; You feel you're almost there, but you know deep down you're not yet, and you're only a couple of 'bad rides' away from re-assessment and possible 'chopping'. The one thing you know is in your favour is that the company have invested a lot of time and money in you by now so they don't want you to fail, but, if you don't make the grade.............you don't make the grade.
Drawn out as it may have been due to a lack of trainer availability the line training is excellent. The reality of line flying is there as opposed to the sim..........you're in the cruise for up to four hours and the last couple of minutes dictates how good or bad your overall assessment is. I'm up to sectors 15-16 and have only had a couple of bad landings so far, but having said that one 'punter' asked for a word with the captain, who obliged, and upon which was told that "I've flown all over the world and I can tell you that that was the worst landing I have ever experienced!". I was in earshot, still in the RHS chuckling to myself thinking 'yeah, it wasn't pretty was it!'. The captain was a gentleman and listened to the irate passenger and continually repeated 'It was a safe landing'. Needless to say, his debrief points continued onto the oppsite side of the form! We all have a bad one now and again and the important thing is to remember to listen and apply what you are debriefed on.
So, I'm back off down to Manchester (from Scotland) for the last time tomorrow(oh, oh, later today), dropping off the boys at their grand-parents, flying to Tunisia on Sunday afternoon, and Tenerife on Tuesday, leaving my poor wife Bovey to pack up and move on Tuesday and arrive on Wednesday, when hopefully life will start to slow down a little and give us back something for all the hard work that has gone in over the last few years.
As soon as we have sorted BT out in Cheshire I shall post an invite to all Wannabes and beyond to come round and christen the new gaff while there's still some summer left.
Good luck to you all, keep up the hard work.
PP
We exchanged contracts yesterday and move on Wednesday next week to Congleton and about time to. The drive from 'Mad Jock' land (and I mean that most sincerely folks) to Manch every few days has been taking it's toll, and even the thought of a 757 at the end of it is wearing a bit thin,(well ok, not that thin just yet!)
Line training is yet another progression up the ladder; You feel you're almost there, but you know deep down you're not yet, and you're only a couple of 'bad rides' away from re-assessment and possible 'chopping'. The one thing you know is in your favour is that the company have invested a lot of time and money in you by now so they don't want you to fail, but, if you don't make the grade.............you don't make the grade.
Drawn out as it may have been due to a lack of trainer availability the line training is excellent. The reality of line flying is there as opposed to the sim..........you're in the cruise for up to four hours and the last couple of minutes dictates how good or bad your overall assessment is. I'm up to sectors 15-16 and have only had a couple of bad landings so far, but having said that one 'punter' asked for a word with the captain, who obliged, and upon which was told that "I've flown all over the world and I can tell you that that was the worst landing I have ever experienced!". I was in earshot, still in the RHS chuckling to myself thinking 'yeah, it wasn't pretty was it!'. The captain was a gentleman and listened to the irate passenger and continually repeated 'It was a safe landing'. Needless to say, his debrief points continued onto the oppsite side of the form! We all have a bad one now and again and the important thing is to remember to listen and apply what you are debriefed on.
So, I'm back off down to Manchester (from Scotland) for the last time tomorrow(oh, oh, later today), dropping off the boys at their grand-parents, flying to Tunisia on Sunday afternoon, and Tenerife on Tuesday, leaving my poor wife Bovey to pack up and move on Tuesday and arrive on Wednesday, when hopefully life will start to slow down a little and give us back something for all the hard work that has gone in over the last few years.
As soon as we have sorted BT out in Cheshire I shall post an invite to all Wannabes and beyond to come round and christen the new gaff while there's still some summer left.
Good luck to you all, keep up the hard work.
PP