Passing the time on long transits
 

Gents.....and ladies.

This may be a dumb question, but how did you used to pass the time during long flights/patrols etc? Were there times when you could relax a little.....maybe enjoy a bit of banter? I'm sure back in the '80's, I saw a documentary that showed a tornado crew inserting an audio cassette and listening to dire straits on the way to Akrotiri.....did I dream this or was it the norm?

MD:ok:

Quite the norm on the GR1. The F3 boys trialled it in Akrotiri to stave off the boredom between coming off the flag and crashing on the main runway, I believe.

Who needs a tape when you can go live!!


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P G-W,
Fleetwood Mac wasn't it? One of the most entertaining accident reports I've ever read.....

In the days of the Shackleton, time was spent looking out of observation ports. In excess of 30% of sightings were made in transit.
Mo

Playing "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" on Trails.

"Chris Tarrant" on the Tanker (along with "phone-a-friends")

"Contestants" in the FJ

"The Audience" on the SAR Nimrod.



"Your next question for 8000lbs (of F34)..."

I have to admit the Audience used to have a quick conference and often chose the wrong answer on purpose.:ok:

BBC world service on the HF, a snooze in ordnance or on top of the liferafts and lots of food.

"For practice, for practice. There is smoke coming from......"

Synchronising the engines by ear. Listening to the Light Programme on the radio compass (as long as the GH wasn't on). Counting Consol if over the ocean out of Gee cover.

Wensleydale, I noticed that the rest of the crew kept their ear defenders on, but surely that sort of thing is banned under the Geneva Convention? :E

Down the back of a 'bou: Musical chairs - 'cept few could tell when the music stopped.

Directional Consultants had plenty to keep them occupied during off airways transits in certain places on the lonely planet

I was the 1997 S. Atlantic Scrabble champion (air).

Didn't have much serviceable nav. kit to keep me occupied, so just set course for S. Georgia and glanced up at the E290 after a couple of hours.

Pretty much the same technique from Bellingshausen Is. back to MPA, c'ept I didn't need to look at the radar for over 3 hours.

On the hourly position reports to Greek ATC, we used to make them with alternating words from the pilot and nav, in perfect cadence. Especially fun when the crew had different regional accents. Confused ATC no end!

For F-4, Hawk and F-3 I made patch chords that allowed me record from the I/c to a pocket cassette player and playback from it. A pocket full of tapes made for some in-flight entertainment. Not all back sweaters like Pink Floyd, though.

Needed to be in mono for correct playback, IIRC.

re The Guitarist above.

I didnt know TOFO was on E3's ;)

Three and a half hours Northern Cal - flying the bl@@dy aeroplane - no autopilot on the Canberra!

Kit accuracy 3nm/hr, radar fix once per hr, 55 min kip/hr.

As TTN said elsewhere, the R88 camera head rest was brilliant as you could appear to be working.

On the Shack AEW, Charlie position was good for a snooze and lovely seats.

I can remember having a four for bridge on the Belfast flightdeck on several occasions.