Flying why we love it!! (Actual good news)
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Join Date: Jul 2002
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Flying why we love it!! (Actual good news)
Just thought I would post a good news topic. Considering the mass of bad news both overseas and at home recently, maybe its time for some good news posts. I had the pleasure of flying with a gentlemen recently who was in his last weeks as a professional pilot having reached the mandatory retirement age. On a long sector in the middle of the night I happened to ask him what he loved about flying. He said it was seeing a sunrise whilst in the air. He had a tear in his eye and his voice faltered as he told how he would miss it. I would have to agree. Despite our current situations, we are the lucky ones.
What is your favourite part of flying?
What is your favourite part of flying?
Nunc est bibendum
Getting home to my family is the favourite part of flying for me.
Don't get me wrong, I love the flying I do. I enjoy getting home to the family more though!
Don't get me wrong, I love the flying I do. I enjoy getting home to the family more though!
Join Date: Jul 2002
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It's the feeling of a group of people (controllers, mechanics, pilots) all doing fairly complex tasks to achieve an amazing thing and then carrying on their day like it's nothing special. Thats what I buzz about on the inside, on the outside I do my best James Dean.
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Well douglas although I hate early mornings with a passion, popping out of the soup to see the sun just rising is something to be remembered...but just like Keg I also love coming home to the the loved one and the kids.
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What is your favourite part of flying?
* That unique smell of the DH-82s fabric during a dawn preflight
* Falling leaf onto final and rolling out at 100 feet AGL
* Dog-fighting a Pitts!
Now that brings a tear to my eye that no dawn in some bloodey jet can ever hope to capture!
Last edited by Slasher; 11th Sep 2002 at 06:50.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
These days - PAYDAY !!
And as Keg said, "Getting home to my family" - and wishing that scheduling could get their act together so that I could be PRODUCTIVE when I went to work, rather than spending useless (for me and the company) time away, sitting on the ground or in some hotel room!
Talking about sunrises, I had to laugh at the wit of one of the co-pilots a couple of weeks ago - this guy is Japanese, and so sometimes the mords get wixed. Taking off at sunSET out of Nagoya and heading West, the dying orange orb again became visible as we climbed higher, he looked across at me and said "Nice sunrise isn't it captain!"
I looked back at him and said, "I think you mean sunSET."
And then I realised he WAS correct!
And as Keg said, "Getting home to my family" - and wishing that scheduling could get their act together so that I could be PRODUCTIVE when I went to work, rather than spending useless (for me and the company) time away, sitting on the ground or in some hotel room!
Talking about sunrises, I had to laugh at the wit of one of the co-pilots a couple of weeks ago - this guy is Japanese, and so sometimes the mords get wixed. Taking off at sunSET out of Nagoya and heading West, the dying orange orb again became visible as we climbed higher, he looked across at me and said "Nice sunrise isn't it captain!"
I looked back at him and said, "I think you mean sunSET."
And then I realised he WAS correct!
Join Date: May 2002
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The view...
Flying around inside the old volcano crater at Long Island in PNG. looking up at the sheer cliffs rising from the lake all around and smelling the sulphur steam rising off the rock in the middle...
Watching the Whales and their calves at the base of the cliffs at Head of Bight...(careful - sounds like I am getting a cliff fixation)...
Looking down on a DC8 from the cockpit of a Sopwith Pup replica - now that is confusing...
Flying up Milford Sound with the (more) cliffs on either side, water below and a low cloud base above placing us in a square tunnel...
Flying down the Ski slopes at Thredbo... across the Simpson Desert...the Great Barrier Reef...The Lost City... The Bungle Bungles... Lord Howe Island...yes the Trobriands...over the fireworks at Lake Albert...any beach...
Hearing the crackle of a Mustang formating on my wingtip...
Popping out of the fog to see a balloon in front of us...(yikes)...
Skimming low amongst the cloud tops...
Landing at Mataranka for a swim in the hot springs...
In fact I love doing anything in an aeroplane, and still love coming home to my family too!
Watching the Whales and their calves at the base of the cliffs at Head of Bight...(careful - sounds like I am getting a cliff fixation)...
Looking down on a DC8 from the cockpit of a Sopwith Pup replica - now that is confusing...
Flying up Milford Sound with the (more) cliffs on either side, water below and a low cloud base above placing us in a square tunnel...
Flying down the Ski slopes at Thredbo... across the Simpson Desert...the Great Barrier Reef...The Lost City... The Bungle Bungles... Lord Howe Island...yes the Trobriands...over the fireworks at Lake Albert...any beach...
Hearing the crackle of a Mustang formating on my wingtip...
Popping out of the fog to see a balloon in front of us...(yikes)...
Skimming low amongst the cloud tops...
Landing at Mataranka for a swim in the hot springs...
In fact I love doing anything in an aeroplane, and still love coming home to my family too!
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey....
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Head to head, 1500kts closure, inside 3 miles and knowing he hasn't got you visual............. questions? 
Clear night, full moon, 50ft over a slightly choppy ocean....... flipping up the NVGs and doing it visually ( thinking about the Lancaster/Mosquito pilots in WW2.... wild!)
Clear night, full moon, 50ft over a slightly choppy ocean....... flipping up the NVGs and doing it visually ( thinking about the Lancaster/Mosquito pilots in WW2.... wild!)
Last edited by tone-uncage-fire; 11th Sep 2002 at 09:46.
Join Date: Jun 2001
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24,000' with a full moon at night and manoeuvering around some small CU topped overcast a few hundred feet below.
Breaking out of overcast and climbing at 2,500fpm.
Afternoon light on the side of CB's when they go bright orange and you're whizzing past at 250kts and 20 miles away.
Where else do you see the stuff we do and get paid for the privilege.
Breaking out of overcast and climbing at 2,500fpm.
Afternoon light on the side of CB's when they go bright orange and you're whizzing past at 250kts and 20 miles away.
Where else do you see the stuff we do and get paid for the privilege.
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For me its :-
1. The take-off - because I'm going somewhere.
2. The landing - because I've arrived somewhere.
Now, if the "somewhere" happens to be exactly where my pax wanted to go, that's even better!
Then there's always the view out the windscreen when you get visual of an approach that's down to minimums! If the runway is straight ahead, I hope that I haven't just completed a circling approach!
I love it all - the sense of accomplishment that comes from giving the pax a good ride, after an on-time departure, and getting them safely to the intended destination, on time - and "greasing it on"
Enroute, if I get to see something of the places I'm flying over, I start feeling like a paid tourist. Life don't get any better than that!
Yep, I'm a romantic at heart - I think it's a necessary trait!
1. The take-off - because I'm going somewhere.
2. The landing - because I've arrived somewhere.
Now, if the "somewhere" happens to be exactly where my pax wanted to go, that's even better!
Then there's always the view out the windscreen when you get visual of an approach that's down to minimums! If the runway is straight ahead, I hope that I haven't just completed a circling approach!
I love it all - the sense of accomplishment that comes from giving the pax a good ride, after an on-time departure, and getting them safely to the intended destination, on time - and "greasing it on"
Enroute, if I get to see something of the places I'm flying over, I start feeling like a paid tourist. Life don't get any better than that!
Yep, I'm a romantic at heart - I think it's a necessary trait!
Join Date: Jun 2000
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A few of the reasons I love flying can be seen here.
It may take a minute or so to load but hopefully you'll think it's worth it!
Toodogs - you must have been on the otherside of the clouds in the last photo!
It may take a minute or so to load but hopefully you'll think it's worth it!
Toodogs - you must have been on the otherside of the clouds in the last photo!
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Couldnt agree more Slasher
The only thing I enjoyed about airline flying were the reserve blocks.
O...watching the sunrise through my bathroom window while taking a leak.
The only thing I enjoyed about airline flying were the reserve blocks.
O...watching the sunrise through my bathroom window while taking a leak.
Last edited by Capt Vegemite; 16th Sep 2002 at 00:38.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Once upon a time a lot. Nowadays the list of what I don't like would be rather long, top one being flying in Europe ( apart from Greece ). Endless ATC delays, s....y weather, abusive pax, ridiculously high cost of living. That's a definite Yuk !
Pay day is kind'o nice.
Pay day is kind'o nice.
Escaping the two-dimensional earth and adding the extra dimension of height from which to savour the uniqueness of this anomalous blue-green planet.
The magnificent tapestry of colours showing tilled fields, forests, lakes and beaches. The added depth which the earth assumes as the shadows lengthen towards the end of day.
The privilege of temporary admittance to the sky with its majesty of clouds, variations in temperature and humidity, unseen areas of smooth and somewhat more troubled air.
The sheer delight of knowing that I and I alone can bring this craft I am travelling in safely back to earth, that I have the requisite skill to do so and the challenge of flying precisely, smoothly and economically.
And I only fly a microlight!
The magnificent tapestry of colours showing tilled fields, forests, lakes and beaches. The added depth which the earth assumes as the shadows lengthen towards the end of day.
The privilege of temporary admittance to the sky with its majesty of clouds, variations in temperature and humidity, unseen areas of smooth and somewhat more troubled air.
The sheer delight of knowing that I and I alone can bring this craft I am travelling in safely back to earth, that I have the requisite skill to do so and the challenge of flying precisely, smoothly and economically.
And I only fly a microlight!
