Can you answer a non-technical question for a non-pilot?
 

I am just a lurker who enjoys the technical and not so technical discussions I find on this forum.

How is it that you military folks, who regularly engage in life threatening activities, seem to be able to discuss your work and life with good humor and outrageous comments while still engaging the technical aspects of your situation.

For example: "Caption Competition" "Big Blu"

While – the commercial pilots on their three “Flight Deck Forums” display nothing but bad temper, ill concealed contempt for others, and deadly seriousness that demonstrate disgust with their chosen careers.

You military types all seem to enjoy your careers and really enjoy talking and joking about them. The commercial guys seem to always have a black cloud over their head.

What is so different between the two groups?

Having transitioned from mil to civil I think you have it about right.

That's why they failed military selection... ;)

:E

You have read some of Cazatou's posts then. :hmm:

To be honest fella most of the threads started on here are deathly dull and should really be in history and nostalgia. Very few are current rumours that would interest serving personnel.

Because if you couldn't take the joke... you should never have joined :ok:

As has been rightly observed "Because if you couldn't take the joke... you should never have joined" http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ies/thumbs.gif

Ain't that the truth, brother?! :)

Not many people in civilian life do this:

ban·ter/ˈbantər/Noun:The playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.

To be fair, AA, the feds and front-line NHS folk have a pretty similar approach to life/banter, which makes working on their behalf after leaving the Forces a pretty pleasant experience. Have to agree about a lot of the other 'characters' in and around civ aviation, though.

TnB - 100% right, but outside those the level of banter is poor at best and many are looking for ways to stick the knife in and twist it, not work as a team.

Tacoma,

It really doesn't feel like life or death. It's a calling, a way of life, a great deal of fun - a lot of the time. I'm not a thrill seaker, but the element of risk does sharpen the mind. I would say that flying jets outside of ops is no more dangerous than things a lot of people do - the consequences when it goes wrong can be really bad, obviously. But the safety record, whatever peeps may think, is bloody good. On ops, it's just getting on with the job. That's why they pay us the big bucks and why they would never even think of messing with our pensions, quality of life, support, etc. Hang on!!!

Anyway, in my experience, as the risk level and hardship (occasinal) goes up, the banter and sick humour follows. Gallows humour? We're not really as flippent as we may seem. But, as the others have said, if you can't take a joke...

And flying does tend to attract people like M2!!!