Do people believe you are a pilot ?
High Flying Bird
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Whenever someone finds out I have a licence, I usually get told:
"Really? That makes you Captain ******" Ha ha ha ha
(I share the surname of a famous captain)
No-one ever had problems believing me though.
A few months ago I went to the cinema with a friend. As we handed our tickets over to be checked, the girl said "Ooh, are you the one that flies microlights?". I explained that although the aircraft I fly are small, they're classed as aeroplanes. She seemed even more impressed with this. I still have no idea how she knew!
"Really? That makes you Captain ******" Ha ha ha ha
(I share the surname of a famous captain)
No-one ever had problems believing me though.
A few months ago I went to the cinema with a friend. As we handed our tickets over to be checked, the girl said "Ooh, are you the one that flies microlights?". I explained that although the aircraft I fly are small, they're classed as aeroplanes. She seemed even more impressed with this. I still have no idea how she knew!
Join Date: Apr 2001
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A few years back whilst working in London, I had had a day a random day off work mid-week. When I came back, it just so happened that I was in our local watering hole after work, when this lovely 20 year old temp just so happened to be standing at the bar. We had spoken before, and were talking trivialities.
She asked what I had been doing on my day off. I explained how I'd been to see the eclipse. A puzzled look came across her face, as she and my fellow workers had all been at the office that day, watching the partial eclipse from the roof. She asked why I had taken the whole day off to see the eclipse......... I sheepishly explained that I had been to Alderney to watch the full eclipse. I noticed her eyes lighting up. She asked how I had got there? "Well my dads got a plane" I replied (I didn't have my PPL at the time.......but her exitement at hearing the words plane/pilot made this irrelevant.) Unfortunately reality suddenly kicked in........I could take the matter no further.......I was attached at the time.
She asked what I had been doing on my day off. I explained how I'd been to see the eclipse. A puzzled look came across her face, as she and my fellow workers had all been at the office that day, watching the partial eclipse from the roof. She asked why I had taken the whole day off to see the eclipse......... I sheepishly explained that I had been to Alderney to watch the full eclipse. I noticed her eyes lighting up. She asked how I had got there? "Well my dads got a plane" I replied (I didn't have my PPL at the time.......but her exitement at hearing the words plane/pilot made this irrelevant.) Unfortunately reality suddenly kicked in........I could take the matter no further.......I was attached at the time.
The Original Whirly
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Wingover,
Trying to impress when you really don't even have the goods, can get carried to ridiculous extremes. Some years ago, when I was still trying to get my PPL(A), but coming close, I was staying with a female friend, who warned me that the male acquaintance who would be visiting always tried to impress women. Well, when he heard that I nearly had a pilot's licence, his chat-up line seemed to consist of all sorts of anecdotes from a good friend of his, who "was really experienced" because he had...ten flying hours! In vain did I try to stop him digging himself a hole, by explaining that you needed at least 40 hours for a licence, and I had around 50 anyway...he was so convinced of this guy's expertise that nothing would shut him up!!! Living on reflected glory...when there was no glory in the first place!!! Oh well....
Then there was the one I heard about a C152 pilot who tried to impress an attractive young woman in a pub by telling her he was a pilot...eventually someone let him know that she was an airline captain!
Trying to impress when you really don't even have the goods, can get carried to ridiculous extremes. Some years ago, when I was still trying to get my PPL(A), but coming close, I was staying with a female friend, who warned me that the male acquaintance who would be visiting always tried to impress women. Well, when he heard that I nearly had a pilot's licence, his chat-up line seemed to consist of all sorts of anecdotes from a good friend of his, who "was really experienced" because he had...ten flying hours! In vain did I try to stop him digging himself a hole, by explaining that you needed at least 40 hours for a licence, and I had around 50 anyway...he was so convinced of this guy's expertise that nothing would shut him up!!! Living on reflected glory...when there was no glory in the first place!!! Oh well....
Then there was the one I heard about a C152 pilot who tried to impress an attractive young woman in a pub by telling her he was a pilot...eventually someone let him know that she was an airline captain!
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Men always seem to start going on about uniform whenever flying gets mentioned.
I had the most depressing response from a woman the other day, just an incredibly fake '_Really_? Woow' (lapse to silence and subject change). It annoyed me, because person in question had absolutely nothing interesting to say about herself whatsoever - she hadn't done anything, not even work, for the last two years. Some people design their whole social personas around aloof boredom.
Sorry, don't know where that rant came from!
I had the most depressing response from a woman the other day, just an incredibly fake '_Really_? Woow' (lapse to silence and subject change). It annoyed me, because person in question had absolutely nothing interesting to say about herself whatsoever - she hadn't done anything, not even work, for the last two years. Some people design their whole social personas around aloof boredom.
Sorry, don't know where that rant came from!
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Tim Inder,
Hello, and welcome. Your response is exactly why I am embarrassed about the whole thing - it's the blind jealousy.
I'll bet you earn more money than me, you've got a nice house, a wife perhaps? oh and a nice car too...
Me? I'm 35, work myself to death in a harsh environment, run a struggling company always just about to go bust, have a nine grand credit card balance, live in a slum and I'm single.
I really, really, really Love aviation and have given up a lot in order to fly.. Its all been my choice and I'd do it all again - it's my passion, but don't take the piss out of me for throwing myself into it.
You are obviously interested in flying, so I cordially offer you a flight in one of the planes as my guest. Those who know me know I'm nice like that
Kingy
Hello, and welcome. Your response is exactly why I am embarrassed about the whole thing - it's the blind jealousy.
I'll bet you earn more money than me, you've got a nice house, a wife perhaps? oh and a nice car too...
Me? I'm 35, work myself to death in a harsh environment, run a struggling company always just about to go bust, have a nine grand credit card balance, live in a slum and I'm single.
I really, really, really Love aviation and have given up a lot in order to fly.. Its all been my choice and I'd do it all again - it's my passion, but don't take the piss out of me for throwing myself into it.
You are obviously interested in flying, so I cordially offer you a flight in one of the planes as my guest. Those who know me know I'm nice like that
Kingy
Last edited by Kingy; 24th Jul 2003 at 07:40.
Bringer of Wx
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What goes on on tour, stays on tour...
FFF
Are you ever going to let that go?
You could get people in trouble with indiscreet tittle-tattle like that, you know 
If you're going to tell the tale, tell it right. Actually, I was supposed to call them, but didn't bother, having figured that my gf at the time might've been a little less than impressed with my beer goggles-induced adventures
On the other hand, I believe Bond had a different story to relate.. (whatever happened to him anyway)?
WxJx
(Superb afternoon, though!)
PS - on the subject at hand, I've only ever mentioned it whilst in a similar state and situation to that described by FFF at the bash - unfortunately, certain friends tend to bring it up for me, which can occasionally prove embarassing.
Does anyone else experience that 'I'm a Pilot'-by-proxy routine ? Is it some kind of reflected glory thing?
Are you ever going to let that go?
You could get people in trouble with indiscreet tittle-tattle like that, you know If you're going to tell the tale, tell it right. Actually, I was supposed to call them, but didn't bother, having figured that my gf at the time might've been a little less than impressed with my beer goggles-induced adventures
On the other hand, I believe Bond had a different story to relate.. (whatever happened to him anyway)?
WxJx
(Superb afternoon, though!)
PS - on the subject at hand, I've only ever mentioned it whilst in a similar state and situation to that described by FFF at the bash - unfortunately, certain friends tend to bring it up for me, which can occasionally prove embarassing.
Does anyone else experience that 'I'm a Pilot'-by-proxy routine ? Is it some kind of reflected glory thing?
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Ahhh... WO79 see if the bloke in Kwik Fit had only pretended to be a Bunny breeder there'd have been no stopping you...
See I'm surprised WO didn't tell the story of the new (older bloke) ad blagger who basically refused to believe 'a girly could be a pilot' I'm sure he's still not completely convinced.
Actually folks, going back to the bunny and totally off subject there is some debate here at Rimmer News over what WO should call her new bunny pehaps it's time for a Pprune poll....See I think in this centenary year it ought to be Wilbur or Orville...ahhh well off to start a poll now
Adds edit ...err well I would have if I could figure out how to do it ...start a poll that is
See I'm surprised WO didn't tell the story of the new (older bloke) ad blagger who basically refused to believe 'a girly could be a pilot' I'm sure he's still not completely convinced.
Actually folks, going back to the bunny and totally off subject there is some debate here at Rimmer News over what WO should call her new bunny pehaps it's time for a Pprune poll....See I think in this centenary year it ought to be Wilbur or Orville...ahhh well off to start a poll now
Adds edit ...err well I would have if I could figure out how to do it ...start a poll that is
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I don't know about that Ace Rimmer, maybe if said bloke had adorned himself with floppy ears, a cute little nose and a fluffy tail - then it might have been a whole different story...
Anyway, as you know Rimmer I am very excited about the impending fluffy arrival, which should happen sometime in August. Anymore name suggestions would be gratefully received.
WO79
Anyway, as you know Rimmer I am very excited about the impending fluffy arrival, which should happen sometime in August. Anymore name suggestions would be gratefully received.
WO79
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Kingy,
Didn't mean to upset you!
There should be a smiley for 'tongue in cheek' I think.
I'm 27, yes, I do have a house (of sorts), no wife, but Girlfriend.
If you earn less than me, I'd be surprised (and worried!)
My cc balance isn't quite as bad as yours, but me loans are Waaay more than that, and all I've got to show for it is a Crappy Reliant Scimitar and Dolomite Sprint - neither of which I can afford to MoT at the moment and therefore have to cycle to work.
You're right about the jealousy thing though!
But the truth is, I couldn't even stretch to flying a radio controlled 'plane right now!
I actually admire you for being so committed to aviation and in some ways wish I'd gone for it before 'other stuff' pushed its way to the front of the queue...
I do get a bit of flying and gliding in on the cheap through my involvement with the ATC (Air Training Corps, not the other ATC), but not nearly enough to satisfy my appetite for it!
Thank you for the offer of a flight, maybe next time you're over this neck of the woods you could get in touch - and those who know me will testify that my offer of a beer still holds good!
Cheers and thanks and er.. sorry.. ta.. er, I'll get me coat then.
Didn't mean to upset you!
There should be a smiley for 'tongue in cheek' I think.
I'm 27, yes, I do have a house (of sorts), no wife, but Girlfriend.
If you earn less than me, I'd be surprised (and worried!)
My cc balance isn't quite as bad as yours, but me loans are Waaay more than that, and all I've got to show for it is a Crappy Reliant Scimitar and Dolomite Sprint - neither of which I can afford to MoT at the moment and therefore have to cycle to work.
You're right about the jealousy thing though!
But the truth is, I couldn't even stretch to flying a radio controlled 'plane right now!
I actually admire you for being so committed to aviation and in some ways wish I'd gone for it before 'other stuff' pushed its way to the front of the queue...
I do get a bit of flying and gliding in on the cheap through my involvement with the ATC (Air Training Corps, not the other ATC), but not nearly enough to satisfy my appetite for it!
Thank you for the offer of a flight, maybe next time you're over this neck of the woods you could get in touch - and those who know me will testify that my offer of a beer still holds good!
Cheers and thanks and er.. sorry.. ta.. er, I'll get me coat then.
I say there boy
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I had a weird conversation at a party once. I got chatting to a woman, and after a short friendly chat about unrelated things conversation somehow got onto flying, one of my friends mentioned to her that I am a pilot.
She replied that she was an airline pilot.
'Great' I responded thinking I'd found a kindred spirit to talk to about flying and get a bit of inside info on jobs - 'which airline, which fleet and base'.
She paled slightly, paused and mumbled 'Britannia, Boeings at Heathrow'.
'Oh that's interesting' I responded, 'I didn't know that Britannia had a Heathrow base. Which Boeing by the way?'
To which she looked slightly startled, then responded 'You male chauvanist bastard you don't for a second think I could be a pilot because I'm female', stomped off and studiously avoided me for the rest of the party. All in all a really weird experience. I don't think for a second that she was a pilot, but it had nothing to do with her gender.
She replied that she was an airline pilot.
'Great' I responded thinking I'd found a kindred spirit to talk to about flying and get a bit of inside info on jobs - 'which airline, which fleet and base'.
She paled slightly, paused and mumbled 'Britannia, Boeings at Heathrow'.
'Oh that's interesting' I responded, 'I didn't know that Britannia had a Heathrow base. Which Boeing by the way?'
To which she looked slightly startled, then responded 'You male chauvanist bastard you don't for a second think I could be a pilot because I'm female', stomped off and studiously avoided me for the rest of the party. All in all a really weird experience. I don't think for a second that she was a pilot, but it had nothing to do with her gender.
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Foghorn
Mindboggling. She obviously had just seen Catch Me if You Can, and was trying it on.
I love that film, but still find it difficult that anyone could blag their way in as a pilot.
Mindboggling. She obviously had just seen Catch Me if You Can, and was trying it on.
I love that film, but still find it difficult that anyone could blag their way in as a pilot.
Grim Sleeper
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i don't know how anyone could possibly think that using the "pilot routine" could possibly be a good chat up line.
1) People don't believe it
2) People don't care anyway
3) The minute you say it, people know you're just hoping for a positive reaction (sharp intake of breath, starry eyed admiration, invitation to climb inside their pants etc) which is why they NEVER respond like that.
4) Besides, everyone knows pilots are boring, self-centred geeks (try people watching in the London Transair shop on Saturday morning for a demonstration)
1) People don't believe it
2) People don't care anyway
3) The minute you say it, people know you're just hoping for a positive reaction (sharp intake of breath, starry eyed admiration, invitation to climb inside their pants etc) which is why they NEVER respond like that.
4) Besides, everyone knows pilots are boring, self-centred geeks (try people watching in the London Transair shop on Saturday morning for a demonstration)