A small apology from one of the passengers
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: No. Cal, USA
Age: 72
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A small apology from one of the passengers
Like most people, I've flown in the back for years. I've also played with Microsoft Flight Simulator for years. All that time I pretty much thought of the guys in front flying the plane as glorified bus drivers. Well, after 30 hours of flight instruction in a real plane, I have to admit that I was wrong. You guys are good, damn good.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Arizona USA
Posts: 8,571
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Many SLF I expect feel the same about the 'bus' drivers, but once they are at the pointy end for real, they learn darn quick it ain't so easy, after all...
Surprise, surprise...
Surprise, surprise...
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Monrovia / Liberia
Age: 63
Posts: 757
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
and all the World's a stage...
It's like a play at the theatre,... i.e. when the actors do not know their lines it's not nice to watch, but when they do know their lines it looks easy... and therein well trained / capable pilots can likewise make it look easy, when in reality it's not!
Keep at it.
Keep at it.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Hampshire physically; Perthshire and Pembrokeshire mentally.
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Echoed. A master in any profession makes it look easy. The words of my first instructor are still with me over 30 years on: "Flying is an art. It may be based on science and engineering but it is an art. It's like learning to play the piano. When you can play all the tunes you throw the music away".
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: fairly close to the colonial capitol
Age: 55
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
While we are on the subject of bus drivers.....
I once had the humbling experience of driving and 
parking a Bluebird motor coach as a favour to a fellow campground member of 'limited motoring means.' 
Everyone had 'mucha fe' in me. Many knew of my ATP qualifications (and current job) and almost everyone on scene was aware of my perfectionist nature. It was a sunny day and I had a good 'ground' crew. Piece of cake.
While the damage was limited to (and I kid you not) 2 plastic pink flamingos and some serious scratches on the rear wheel opening of the rig, I can tell you that my big-rig driving ego has yet to fully recover since then. Friends, witnesses and my very own Mrs VAP are no help.
I now have more respect for any old-timer behind the wheel of a large conveyance when observed to be sans dents or dangling plastic birds.
parking a Bluebird motor coach as a favour to a fellow campground member of 'limited motoring means.' Everyone had 'mucha fe' in me. Many knew of my ATP qualifications (and current job) and almost everyone on scene was aware of my perfectionist nature. It was a sunny day and I had a good 'ground' crew. Piece of cake.
While the damage was limited to (and I kid you not) 2 plastic pink flamingos and some serious scratches on the rear wheel opening of the rig, I can tell you that my big-rig driving ego has yet to fully recover since then. Friends, witnesses and my very own Mrs VAP are no help.
I now have more respect for any old-timer behind the wheel of a large conveyance when observed to be sans dents or dangling plastic birds.
Last edited by vapilot2004; 3rd Mar 2007 at 11:25.
well, I have never thought of the guys up front as glorified bus drivers. I have only the utmost respect for them. But if current day pax are ignorant of the realities of the job I can only say that's down to management attitudes and the media. I'm reminded of a cartoon I saw many years ago in the ops office of Capitol Airlines at JFK which said, "working for this airline is like working in a brothel; the better you perform the more you get fu##ed"!
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Abroad
Posts: 1,172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I drive buses on my spare time and in a way, yes, we could make that comparison. Except that while on the ground one does not have the benefit of ATC.
And I do not know what 80% of the switches on my bus do either.
And I do not know what 80% of the switches on my bus do either.
Well, I'm having my first go "up front" tomorrow. How many minutes do I have to do before I can claim to non-flying friends and relations that I'm an expert, and start regaling them with exaggerated stories of heroic landings in typhoon conditions?
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: washington,dc
Posts: 486
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
wingswinger
I agree that flying is like the art of music. and yes , a master at anything makes it look easy...but only after much practice!
and I have driven a bus ( usarmy) and flown airliners. except for the movie, "THE BIG BUS" you don't get a copilot on the bus!
I agree that flying is like the art of music. and yes , a master at anything makes it look easy...but only after much practice!
and I have driven a bus ( usarmy) and flown airliners. except for the movie, "THE BIG BUS" you don't get a copilot on the bus!
The One Your Mother Warned You About
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Wherever they pay me
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I always maintain that I earn all of my salary on one day of the year, and that is the day I scare myself s
less. The rest of the year is as routine as this job ever allows.
FF
less. The rest of the year is as routine as this job ever allows.FF
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ernest K Gann said it best with something to the effect "most pilots will admit to being overpaid, but once every five years, would gladly give back everything to be somewhere else".
This is true, in my experience, especially in the early stages of one's career. Not so sure about the overpaid part anymore, though.
This is true, in my experience, especially in the early stages of one's career. Not so sure about the overpaid part anymore, though.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As another bit of SLF, I had also wondered how busy the guys at the sharp end can get. Recently, watching a DVD that filmed the flightdeck pretty much the entire flight of a Concorde with Capt. David Rowland from LHR to JFK, I was astounded at the constant flow of work for the whole flight. They were constantly checking, adjusting, monitoring, and watching each other. A highly impressive display.
Mistrust in Management
studyolic
Concorde was a bit 'different' to the aircraft most of us fly and perhaps required a bit more TLC. The F/E was generally fairly busy even in normal ops - and all the crew were busy when the QRH was pulled out, which I believe was a fairly regular event.
I'm very reliably told that had the aircraft been designed today it is unlikely it would have met the certification standards.
I went to JFK and back once on the Flight Deck and it was a pleasure to watch three professionals work so well together.
Those two sectors went without a hitch I might add.
Regards
Exeng (747 F/E not Conc)
I'm very reliably told that had the aircraft been designed today it is unlikely it would have met the certification standards.
I went to JFK and back once on the Flight Deck and it was a pleasure to watch three professionals work so well together.
Those two sectors went without a hitch I might add.
Regards
Exeng (747 F/E not Conc)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ask OPS!
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As someone was once heard to quote:
'It's better to be down here wishing you were up there then up there wishing you were down here!'
Sometimes the challenge of sorting the c**p out can be quite fun.
'It's better to be down here wishing you were up there then up there wishing you were down here!'
Sometimes the challenge of sorting the c**p out can be quite fun.
No no. Flying is easy. Look, if you can't drive a car and talk on the mobile at the same time but it's okay to fly, navigate and talk to ATC all the same time....
Actually flying is easy otherwise the ground crew would do it. But, when the wind is blowing a gale, the rain is lashing down and the equipment doesn't work, well a bit of skill is required
Actually flying is easy otherwise the ground crew would do it. But, when the wind is blowing a gale, the rain is lashing down and the equipment doesn't work, well a bit of skill is required
