Position: Thirty miles northwest of TatooshAltitude: 36,000 feet
Groundspeed: 500 mph (435 kts)
Destination: PANC (Anchorage)
The engines are running nice and cool, fuel flows are reasonable, air mass is smooth, and the wind is on our left wing. It is actually slowing us down a bit because of the need to swing the nose toward the wind to stay on our course line. Still, we will be arriving five minutes early, that is, if we can find the airport on the first attempt (pilot humor).
My co-pilot is the same age as I, which is very, make that extremely, unusual. He is, of course, a re-tread. In pilot lingo, that means he has been at several major airlines which are no longer in existence. Picking an airline for a career is, at best, a crap shoot. Most re-treads have bad attitudes, but this guy is cool. I am thankful for that...
There is a lot of "what, huh, say again" in our communications with each other; the jet engine will, eventually, take your high frequency hearing away. Both of us wear geezer glasses to read with, but still have good distance vision. We have the same historical perspective, watched Sky King as kids, can name the original Mercury Seven, able to recognize Robin Olds in a restaurant, know what engine powered the DC-7, and on it goes. Its not that I mind flying with young co-pilots, but after the first hour, there is not much to talk about.
Underneath our 319, a black veil covers all of the earth. There is no visual ground contact. Above our flight deck, the heavens are indescribably beautiful... Clear and bright. Orion the Hunter is standing on the black veil in the west. There is something Biblical about this, I think.
BZZZZZZZZZZZ! Whoa... Back to reality. The number one flight attendant is calling. She is 22 years old, been on the line for two (2) months, first job out of college. She told me she wanted to get the "flight attendant thing" out of her system right away. I did not tell her that I know a lot of girls who told me the same thing years ago and are still here. It's addictive... Have to be very careful.
She asked, "Hows my two old guys up there? You need to go to the bathroom again?"
14 comments:
That was a good one. You couldn't have come up with better timing. Makes you wonder if the supreme maker has a sense of humor.
Made me laugh, too. I take it she'll help...? ;-)
Always fun to read your stories. What stands out is that you constantly mention how important it is to get along well with your co-pilots. No wonder that nasty attitudes in the cockpit is where many (most?) disasters originate. Maybe true for most jobs, but especially in the small and stressful place that a cockpit is.
I laughed at that one too. Shows you're both easy to get along with if she dares tease you like that.
But I'm baffled as to why less in common makes less to talk about. The young co-pilots don't want to know how the heater worked on a DC-7?
If I ever get to a jet transport cockpit I'll be old enough to be a retread, but it will be my first time around.
aviatrix- well, actually, most young co-pilots don't know anything about a DC-7.
ROTFL...the bathroom comment reminds me of a quote from our Sr. Pastor: "At my age, pulling an all nighter means not having to get out of bed to use the bathroom" :-)
No geezer glasses for me yet Dave...but my optometrist says I'll be able to enjoy some nice progressive lenses soon. So long as I can pass the required medical exams, I'm perfectly fine with that.
Reminds me of way back, in the days when I was an anxious passenger, I would have an attack of internal hysteria whenever I saw the pilot leave the cockpit to visit the loo! My mind's eye would run away with me as I could see him trapped, banging on a jammed door...while the plane flew on...
Ignorance was NOT bliss! Nor was living with my overactive imagination!
P.S. How was Anchorage this time around, Dave?
Dave, I just wanted to tell you thanks for the blog. I'm not a pilot, but lifes not over yet...I love planes, and the whole miracle that is flight. I found your site by complete accident. I was surfing for an address of an electrical contractor, and for some reason came upon this blog. I've read backwards from present through '06 so far, and it's incredibly interesting reading. Keep it up! Thanks.
TK
noella- back in the bad ole' days, a crew got locked out of the cockpit and had to break the door down, which was not hard back then. They were both out, one in the bathroom, one in the forward galley flirting with 22 yr. old FA, and the door locked behind them. It was a 737. I can imagine the looks on the faces of the passengers.
noella- weather is starting to thaw in ANC. It was light rain showers and 8 degrees C.
tk- thanks for the compliments.
Dave - YIKES!!! (LOL)
Hi. I'm a pastor, a church history adjunct professor, and a GA pilot. I enjoy your site. Most of my blogging deals with internal Southern Baptist Convention goings-on. Yours is a nice break—totally different, but on a topic that always brings a smile to my face (flying).
Why do old airline captains have such deep gravelly voices? Is there a physiological explanation (altitude related maybe?).
Hmmm...that's like the 'dumb blonde' concept; urban legend. I've heard very few older men that didn't have gravelly voices, and more than a few captains with not-so-gravelly ones.
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