Who is actual aircrew?

[+Bongodriver 20]

As I have browsed this forum I got the feeling some of us are former, current or aspiring aicrew, I haven't found a topic along this line so I thought I would start one.

 

So who flies for real? I know it can be viewed as boastfull or whatever but We pilots/aircrew don't need to hide , I thought it would be nice to share some stories, I learned more listening to old timers or just from talking in the bar than I did at flight school.

 

Don't be shy if you are a PPL, some of the most brilliant pilots I met were PPL's, even ones I trained

 

My story in brief:

 

Commercial pilot for the last 15 years, 10 years as a flight instructor, 2400 Hours all piston engine, 500 multi-engine, 500 tail-dragger, currently a pilot for HM COASTGUARD (see my Islander thread)

[DWCAce 19]

I'm a civvy pilot (though military at heart! :) ) Nothing too much to boast about, just under 300 hrs in C-152, C-172, G-109B's, Cap-10B's, PA-28R's, PA-44's. I'm in the process of completing my Commercial Multi-Engine (land) Instrument rating. After that I hope to get into the right seat of a King Air (200 I think) that my company flies.

[+drdoyo 2]

I left the military after 17 years as an aircraft structural mechanic in March 2003 to get my wings. Currently my TT is roughly 3000 hrs. I'm flying the EMB-120 Brasilia as a First Officer, and I logged 2000 of my hours in the BE-1900D as a First Officer.

[+DoctorQuest 120]

I am a wannabe.

 

If I had it to do over again I would have seriously considered commercial aviation. (Eyes would keep me out of military flying.)

 

I ended up going with IT (25+ years) and have done OK but since I was very young I have always had a passion for aircraft. I always looked up when an airplane flew over.

 

I have gotten some stick time in C172s and had the pleasure of doing an hour in a T-6 Texan. I have also crewed for and flown in a hot air balloon.

 

I still have aspirations of getting a private pilots license. But as they say, "If God had meant Man to fly, He would have given him more money."

[TX3RN0BILL 3]

I can second that, Kirbykern - although I'm still young, my eyes would already require an operation, since my short-sightedness already made me a no-choice for the armed forces - simply too many dioptries...

 

About my flight time, about 15 mins in a Cessna 152 trainer... Though who knows, might grasp the sky yet...

[Syrinx 13]

The nearest I've got is row 11, seat A on Boeing 737-800

[+Fates 63]

I have 50 hours in a PA-28-161, 25 of which are solo hours.

I've also logged time in King Air 90's, 100's, 200's. I've also flown Lear 24, 25, 35 and Hawker 800's.

I'm a US Licensed A&P Technician with my Inspection Authorization and I oversee the maintenance of several corporate jets.

[+Bongodriver 20]

I should have opened the scope in the opening post, it's interesting to read all the other involvements with aviation there are, I guess we shouldn't forget the spanner monkeys after all , I know I like to keep on the right side of our engineers.

 

Nicky I figured you to be a real stick and rudder type being such a fan of the Spad, get yerself off to the local flying club and do a trial lesson, you'd be doing the poor instructor a favour, they get paid s**t and are struggling to build hours to get a job so they can afford to feed themselves (speaking from experience) £50ish for a 20 minute flight.

[Syrinx 13]

Can't afford it yet Craig, not on my wages ! I'm just scraping by nicely even holding down two jobs...one day, ah one day. Need to find me a rich idio...I mean guy !

[Canadair 16]

Fascintated by aviation since childhood, guess you all know the story and the feelings. I used to spent summers on italian beach nearby two military bases and in forest area. Therefore low pass of jetfighters and waterbombers were daily.

 

Wanted to join AF, got refused for poor eyesight, (I only woree glasses since I was 9 after all.. sigh), so went to aerospace engineering; just before graduation I went for ppl, and I discovered the world of commercial; got a degree (with a flight-test thesis) and studied ATPL while working part time and full time. Hired on ATR (at 29)in the same company where I worked as quality control started flyng carrer. ATR on italy islands, then ATR on behalf of lufthansa troguh the whole continental europe.

Now I fly Canadair Waterbombers for a company on contract with italian and turkish forest ministry. It is a strange feeling to fly the very same plane I probably spotpted as a child.

Needless to say is much more fun than airline. Tomorrow I start training on the Md-80, on behalf of the same company's passenger fleet, as winter job opposed to the summer waterbombig activty. I have about 2000 hours, and 1500 of airline. I hope soon to continue acrobatic flying I started a few years ago.

 

Nicky I figured you to be a real stick and rudder type being such a fan of the Spad, get yerself off to the local flying club and do a trial lesson, you'd be doing the poor instructor a favour, they get paid s**t and are struggling to build hours to get a job so they can afford to feed themselves (speaking from experience) £50ish for a 20 minute flight.

 

Defintely stick and rudder, probably Nicky would love the Piston version of the Canadair waterbombers. I quote everything about the instructor's situation.

Plus the lucky one will enjoy Nicky's company which is indeed, a plus.

Give it a try Nicky

Nothing is sweeter like a Woman's voice over the radio.

[+Bongodriver 20]

Nothing is sweeter like a Woman's voice over the radio.

 

Well I would agree in part, indeed women sound great on the radio, but many a time when I have got to meet that sexy sounding air traffic controller, inevitably she turned out to be a Riverhorse , totally spoiling the fantasy

[super61 0]

Well I would agree in part, indeed women sound great on the radio, but many a time when I have got to meet that sexy sounding air traffic controller, inevitably she turned out to be a Riverhorse , totally spoiling the fantasy

 

Riverhrose? Is that akin to a street urchin?

[+Zurawski 33]

Well...

 

I've never actually "flown" an aircraft but I once jumped from from height while flapping my arms real hard...

 

...My glide path sucked, my AoA was horrible and the landing was very rough. All together I think I have logged 3 seconds of flight-time.

 

Edited February 18, 2008 by Zurawski

[Canadair 16]

Well I would agree in part, indeed women sound great on the radio, but many a time when I have got to meet that sexy sounding air traffic controller, inevitably she turned out to be a Riverhorse , totally spoiling the fantasy

 

True; althoguh I can say a couple of stories proving otherwise, as in some Munich sweet lovely german Ladies, or a delicious tower operator in Pantelleria, south of sicily. A lot of non-standard comms over that area,, things you can do in less-than-busy airports.

Anyway we are talking of Women pilots.

And obviously not of Nicky's case.

[+Bongodriver 20]

Riverhrose? Is that akin to a street urchin?

 

 

it's a phrase Iv'e used for years, but I believe it is basically what Hippopotamus translates to.

[Gr.Viper 131]

Since the thread was mercilessly beaten into offtopic already... Does anyone else can't help reading the title with "airscrew" instead? Or I play Red Baron too much?

[+Zurawski 33]

Since the thread was mercilessly beaten into offtopic already... Does anyone else can't help reading the title with "airscrew" instead? Or I play Red Baron too much?

 

Either playing Red Baron too much, or that sir is a Freudian slip. If it's that latter... I'm not flying with you no matter how many drinks you ply me with!

[Guest Bounder]

Carry additional duties as Door Gunner on helo's ,but I ride in um alot (as Cargo lol).

[Thog10 0]

it's a phrase Iv'e used for years, but I believe it is basically what Hippopotamus translates to.

 

 

Well, I have less flight time than Icarus, but I have spent a fair amount of time with Ancient Greek of various sorts.

 

Hippos: horse - think hippodrome

potamos: river

[Syrinx 13]

Nothing is sweeter like a Woman's voice over the radio.

 

Speak for yourself Canadair !

 

I know that my Yorkshire accent has never been described as sweet...you know that feeling when you hear yourself recorded...like, OMG do I really sound like that !

 

I must admit though, after hearing female aircrew on an airband scanner they do sound quite unruffled and "in control" !

Not that the guys aren't of course...

[Canadair 16]

Speak for yourself Canadair !

 

I am partial and biased, of course.

[Rampstrike 0]

Interesting topic!

 

I am still just a wannabe... but I have come 'close' over the years. In the Marines I was an AO/Gunner on CH-53D's for about 6 months, but only got on to a few flights. I went through the training to get a backseat ride in an F/A-18, but never got to take the ride (though I did get to fly the simulator for an hour, and landed it on a virtual carrier). I spent about 8 hours in the CH-53 simulator. Just a few months ago, I got to fly a Cessna 402 over the Outer Banks for a few hours, and the pilot even let me land it at Elizbeth City USCGB. That was pretty cool. I still get to go up from time to time with our pilots (I'm an avionics tech for a small air freight company), and some of them give me some stick time, but mostly I'm under the panel hooking up wires and swapping instruments, which isn't nearly as fun. Perhaps I'll get my pilot license as a mid-life crisis present to myself (it's coming up fast), so I hope I have the money by then... :)

 

Cheers!

Ramp

[TX3RN0BILL 3]

Speak for yourself Canadair !

 

I know that my Yorkshire accent has never been described as sweet...you know that feeling when you hear yourself recorded...like, OMG do I really sound like that !

 

I must admit though, after hearing female aircrew on an airband scanner they do sound quite unruffled and "in control" !

Not that the guys aren't of course...

 

As a communication scientist I can tell you that it's absolutely normal - no one sounds like one thinks one sounds when recorded - and when recorded one hears the voice the others hear which is different from what you think it is...

[PIGHUNTA69 0]

I have to join the ranks of the wannabes. Right now though i am researching my options on flight school, mostly the financial part. I hope that someday i can get all my certifications and get my career going.

[JediMaster 451]

I'm too cheap to get a license, so I'll just stick with being a passenger...however the airports have taken all the joy out of that. As have the airlines. So I don't fly much!