acl65pilot

I was glad to see it because MEH-err RJET had a 190 parked next door to our gate that was going to be doing the MKE-LAX stuff. DAL/NWA was doing that route until recently. I think it was on a 320 twice a day.

acl65pilot

I was forward this by a friend. A good read and quite true!


ONE OF THE TRUSTED

YOU ARE AT CRUISING ALTITUDE. THE WESTERING SUN IS PINK ON THE DISC. YOUR EYES FLICK THE GAUGES.
THE ENGINES ARE CONTENTED. ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DOLLAR.
YOU LOOK DOWN AT YOUR HANDS ON THE WHEEL. THEY ARE VEINED AND HARD AND BROWN.
TONIGHT YOU NOTICE THEY LOOK A LITTLE OLD. AND, BY GEORGE, THEY ARE OLD.
BUT HOW CAN THIS BE?
ONLY YESTERDAY YOU WERE IN FLYING SCHOOL. TIME IS A THIEF! YOU HAVE BEEN ROBBED, AND WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SHOW FOR IT?
A PILOT. FORTY YEARS A PILOT. A SENIOR PILOT.
BUT WHAT OF IT?
JUST A PILOT.
THE VOICE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT BREAKS IN ON YOUR REVERIE. THE FLIGHT IS RUNNING FULL.
CAN THEY BEGIN SERVING DINNER TO THE PASSENGERS?
THE PASSENGERS, OH YES, THE PASSENGERS. YOU NOTICED THE LINE OF THEM COMING ABOARD;
THE BUSINESSMEN, THE YOUNG MOTHERS WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN TOW, THE OLD COUPLES, THE TWO PRIESTS, THE FOUR DOGFACES.
A THOUSAND TIMES YOU HAVE WATCHED THEM FILE ABOARD, AND
A THOUSAND TIMES DISEMBARK.
THEY ALWAYS SEEM A LITTLE HAPPIER AFTER THE LANDING THAN BEFORE THE TAKE-OFF.
BEYOND DOUBT, THEY ARE ALWAYS SOMEWHAT APPREHENSIVE ALOFT.
BUT WHY DO THEY KEEP COMING UP HERE IN THE DARK SKY DESPITE THEIR FEARS?
YOU HAVE OFTEN WONDERED ABOUT THAT.
YOU LOOK DOWN AT YOUR HANDS AGAIN AND SUDDENLY IT COMES TO YOU.
THEY COME BECAUSE THEY TRUST YOU, YOU, THE PILOT.
THEY TURN OVER THEIR LIVES AND THEIR LOVED ONES AND THEIR HOPES AND THEIR DREAMS TO YOU FOR SAFEKEEPING.
TO BE A PILOT MEANS TO BE ONE OF THE TRUSTED.
THEY PRAY IN THE STORM THAT YOU ARE SKILLFUL AND STRONG AND WISE.
TO BE A PILOT IS TO HOLD LIFE IN YOUR HANDS, TO BE WORTHY OF FAITH.
NO, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ROBBED. YOU AREN'T JUST A PILOT.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS JUST A PILOT.
YOUR JOB IS A TRUST. THE YEARS HAVE BEEN A TRUST.
YOU HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE TRUSTED.

WHO COULD BE MORE?

Wasatch Phantom

ACL,

Very Classy!!!

Denny Crane

For any of you 757 DeltaN guys,

I picked up from waaaaay earlier posts that you have to go thru a 767 sim for the SOC training. Has the company been scheduling you for them? And if so any idea of the percentage of guys that have gone? Just curious.

Denny

KC10 FATboy

Just curious, could they combine the DC-9 and MD-88 categories?

MD-88 guys essentially have a type in the DC-9. Was curious if this could be a possibility for the company?

acl65pilot

Maybe, but it will take some money.

sailingfun

Its not very likely. Delta did not even try and combine the Md82 with the DC9 and they had a much more similiar cockpit. The FAA has taken a much harder line on difference training and common types on aircraft with much different cockpit displays and flying characteristics. The even went so far as to force SWA to fly the 737-200's out of one base only when the 700's started showing up. The 737-200 advanced is closer to the 700 then the Nine is to the 88.

Ferd149

Denny,

Yes, see your PM.

Ferd

Bucking Bar

+1

A Fed on the MD88 program said today's FAA probably would not authorize the MD88 and MD90 as they did in the past. Without igniting the whole Douglas v/ Boeing debate, the MD's are not as "user friendly" as the Boeing equipment is.

Besides, while I love the jobs the DC9 provides, it is an anachronism. Obama likes tax credits for "EnergySmart" stuff. Why not a tax credit for new airplanes? It's not like he isn't throwing 2Bn down a rat hole to promote trains. Lets hear it for "cash for JT8's" every JT8D traded for a CF34 is worth $4,000,000.

Hawaii50

Combined categories generally means less pilot jobs (reserves required). Seems like the last thing we'd want them to do.