If you could turn back time...
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
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I'd have gone and flown VC-10s like the airforce wanted me to do. 
Famous quotes....Sasless to a helicopter pilot buddy over a beer one night in a very hot, dusty place, with nothing but camel spiders to cuddle with at night...."Fly for the airlines...nah....can you imagine how boring that would be?" After passing up an opportunity to fly for a small single class hometown airline....that later became US Air. I never claimed to be smart!
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I don't think that I would change much, other than not spending so much time flying a desk rather than flying a helicopter. The following lines, supposedly written by an 11 year old, encapsulate why I chose this profession, particularly the final sentence.......
When I grow up, I want to be a PILOT because it's a fun job and easy to do. That's why there are so many PILOTS flying around these days. PILOTS don't need much school, they just have to learn to read numbers so they can read instruments. I guess they should be able to read road maps too, so they can find their way home if they get lost.
PILOTS should be brave so they won't get scared if it's foggy and they can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off they should stay calm so they'll know what to do. PILOTS have to have good eyes to see through clouds and they can't be afraid of lightning or thunder because they are much closer to them than we are.
The salary PILOTS make is another thing I like. They make more money than they know what to do with. This is because most people thing that flying is dangerous except PILOTS don't because they know how easy it is. I hope I don't get airsick because I get car sick and if I get airsick I couldn't be a PILOT and then I would have to go to work.........
When I grow up, I want to be a PILOT because it's a fun job and easy to do. That's why there are so many PILOTS flying around these days. PILOTS don't need much school, they just have to learn to read numbers so they can read instruments. I guess they should be able to read road maps too, so they can find their way home if they get lost.
PILOTS should be brave so they won't get scared if it's foggy and they can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off they should stay calm so they'll know what to do. PILOTS have to have good eyes to see through clouds and they can't be afraid of lightning or thunder because they are much closer to them than we are.
The salary PILOTS make is another thing I like. They make more money than they know what to do with. This is because most people thing that flying is dangerous except PILOTS don't because they know how easy it is. I hope I don't get airsick because I get car sick and if I get airsick I couldn't be a PILOT and then I would have to go to work.........
Thread Starter
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Change Anything
MightyGem
JB, are you an ex RE.
You found me out must use a better disguise!
Governormalfunction
Would I still fly floppies?
Without the Army's help I would be running a market stall or driving a lorry in Essex. God bless Her Majesty for giving me the opportunity to improve myself.
Maybe I'd become friends with Bill Gates.
Would not start Smoking thank god I gave it up.
JB, are you an ex RE.
You found me out must use a better disguise!
Governormalfunction
Would I still fly floppies?
Without the Army's help I would be running a market stall or driving a lorry in Essex. God bless Her Majesty for giving me the opportunity to improve myself.
Maybe I'd become friends with Bill Gates.
Would not start Smoking thank god I gave it up.
The Veloceraptor of Lounge Lizards
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I would have followed the advice of everybody who said either don't do it, carry on with your job and fly for fun. Or I would have gone fixed wing a lot earlier. This job has given me more satisfaction than I ever believed possible as well as heartache and stress. I don't regret a moment of it and have met many fantastic people, pilots and engineers who make every day memorable
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1 would have fended the wife off with a stick
2 gone to the us cheaper training
3 denied that they were my children
4 lied that i've got a big ch***er
5 realised in the industry mostly luck,did not matter if your an ass or an angel
6 if we had proper hindsight would have won the lottery last week
7 mentally and physically traumitised through flight tests to improve your career prospects
8 may have got there a bit quicker if properly planned,yet maybe something else would have come up
9 realisation of the point of no return financially
10 one day you wake up and think how much you have achieved
in a certain amount of time,and realise people you know who did not make it.
11 realisation that i can't stop writing numerical points
2 gone to the us cheaper training
3 denied that they were my children
4 lied that i've got a big ch***er
5 realised in the industry mostly luck,did not matter if your an ass or an angel
6 if we had proper hindsight would have won the lottery last week
7 mentally and physically traumitised through flight tests to improve your career prospects
8 may have got there a bit quicker if properly planned,yet maybe something else would have come up
9 realisation of the point of no return financially
10 one day you wake up and think how much you have achieved
in a certain amount of time,and realise people you know who did not make it.
11 realisation that i can't stop writing numerical points
Hovering AND talking
Join Date: Feb 2003
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I wish I listened to my father twenty years ago.
Dunno what he said 'cos I weren't listening, were I?
Cheers
Whirlygig
Dunno what he said 'cos I weren't listening, were I?
Cheers
Whirlygig
Now I know better!
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Flyer 43, I hold the same sentiments..........to quote (again) :
When I grow up, I want to be a PILOT because it's a fun job and easy to do. That's why there are so many PILOTS flying around these days. PILOTS don't need much school, they just have to learn to read numbers so they can read instruments. I guess they should be able to read road maps too, so they can find their way home if they get lost.
PILOTS should be brave so they won't get scared if it's foggy and they can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off they should stay calm so they'll know what to do. PILOTS have to have good eyes to see through clouds and they can't be afraid of lightning or thunder because they are much closer to them than we are.
The salary PILOTS make is another thing I like. They make more money than they know what to do with. This is because most people thing that flying is dangerous except PILOTS don't because they know how easy it is. I hope I don't get airsick because I get car sick and if I get airsick I couldn't be a PILOT and then I would have to go to work.........
When I grow up, I want to be a PILOT because it's a fun job and easy to do. That's why there are so many PILOTS flying around these days. PILOTS don't need much school, they just have to learn to read numbers so they can read instruments. I guess they should be able to read road maps too, so they can find their way home if they get lost.
PILOTS should be brave so they won't get scared if it's foggy and they can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off they should stay calm so they'll know what to do. PILOTS have to have good eyes to see through clouds and they can't be afraid of lightning or thunder because they are much closer to them than we are.
The salary PILOTS make is another thing I like. They make more money than they know what to do with. This is because most people thing that flying is dangerous except PILOTS don't because they know how easy it is. I hope I don't get airsick because I get car sick and if I get airsick I couldn't be a PILOT and then I would have to go to work.........
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I would have told Governormalfunction to p*** o** when he turned up at the gate asking to speak to a pilot!
And while we are on the subject of GMF, not gone drinking with him and never have entered into a "I can land my helicopter in smaller spaces than you" competition.
Apart from that, I would have kept my mouth shut at BRNC and got myself trained for free by Pusser - oh, the arrogance of youth.
And while we are on the subject of GMF, not gone drinking with him and never have entered into a "I can land my helicopter in smaller spaces than you" competition.
Apart from that, I would have kept my mouth shut at BRNC and got myself trained for free by Pusser - oh, the arrogance of youth.
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Driver,
It was a shame you were the only bloke on the base posing as a pilot.......cos you can't drink,can't fight,and as for the confined area's........well, thanks for turning up!!
It was a shame you were the only bloke on the base posing as a pilot.......cos you can't drink,can't fight,and as for the confined area's........well, thanks for turning up!!
Flyer43; I'm disappointed to hear that! I agree it's not brain surgery but I'd hesitate to say it's easy! Maybe that's where I'm going wrong, perhaps I should give up my day job.
PS, would the real SASloss/less please own up, as emnem would say.
PS, would the real SASloss/less please own up, as emnem would say.
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212man
The first part of my original response is totally true, the remainder was just an exercise of the letter "R" in PPRUNE as the extract amused me when I first saw it......
The first part of my original response is totally true, the remainder was just an exercise of the letter "R" in PPRUNE as the extract amused me when I first saw it......
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212man ,,Yeah...you are right....give up your day job! That IS where you're going wrong!........ Flying heli's isn't work it's a pleasure that a handful of us enjoy but lot's pay for!!!!
Flying heli's isn't work it's a pleasure that a handful of us enjoy but lot's pay for!!!!
Don't worry HPB; I had realised that.
F43, get well soon!
F43, get well soon!
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I read somewhere recently, probably on this forum, that to be a helicopter pilot you have to be a mercenary, a missionary or a misfit.
I think that I should have decided on which one I wanted to be rather than try my hand unsuccessfully at all three.
I think that I should have decided on which one I wanted to be rather than try my hand unsuccessfully at all three.