Remembering 9/11

[Left Seater]

I didn't know the DC-9 80 series was also used by the military. I thought the military used only the baby 9's?

Don't know much about the 9's except how to start the APU. I worked for a two summers in college for Delta slinging bags and calculating weight and balance in Houston. However, they were short handed one summer and they put 4 of us up in Austin for a month and we worked there. The station manager in AUS let me fire up the APU's on the bird's that overnighted in AUS. Delta had two gates at the time and 5 birds overnight. Two 727s and three DC 9-80s. All 5 left within 90 minutes of each other between 5:45 and 7:15 am, and that made for a fast start to the day. It beat the hell out of the afternoon shift though cause during the summer the old 727's from western couldn't get a full load airborne from AUS on hot days. Never fun calling upstairs and telling the gate that they need to buy 25 people off and also let everyone know that no bags would be loaded.

[Atomic Punk]

LS'ter I used MD-80 as a reference for the morons here. Yes the military uses the baby 9's. You got to do the W&B? That's cool experience.

I have a former high school classmate that looks like he's aged 20 years since he flies B-727's for FedEx. Another classmate hasn't flown since 2003 and is now a Navy Captain and even though he is a Naval Academy grad he said they are forcing him out when his orders expire. I suggested trying to get transferred to VR-57 in San Diego (C-9 squadron) and he said he'll never sign for a government aircraft ever again. So I guess it got worse even after I left.

(edit for those with sand in their pussies) After leaving a P-3 squadron from NAS Moffett Field I went to San Diego and got to fly those aircraft due to friends that were instructors in two squadrons letting me have seat time when there were no PAX onboard and we were straight and level at altitude. I don't hold any type ratings.

[Cuda]

It's not like I hold a commercial multiengine license with experience on Navy C-9's or C-12's.

So you have a commercial pilots license but you choose to work at home depot while you learn to change pedpans at the old folks' home?


Just asking.

the pay is probably better. you'd be surprised

[Atomic Punk]

Cuda, my buddy with United gets fucked over on scheduling especially during holidays and he is still in the right seat. My best friend from USC has flown for American Airlines for 12 years and he too is still in the right seat and is on reserve so he makes the monthly minimum and has enough seniority to avoid the furloughs. They hate their jobs.

The best stick from my P-3 squadron flies for Southwest and I believe he said he only gets about $35k/yr but he likes the job, although he lives with his sister. One of my buddies that use to help pay for the gas on my PA-23 for multiengine hours flies corporate Citations that are owned by golf pros. He flew up here one time and gave me a tour of the thing. I could barely get into the cockpit seat as that is a small tube.

So Left Seater has it made flying G-5's.

[Left Seater]

I never had a desire really to fly for the airlines. Thought about FedEx or UPS or one of the Far East Cargo Carries, ie Cathay, but then didn't want to live there and the commute would totally suck. Packages don't complain much, but then there is still the whole union dues/limitations/crap and there went the desire to fly for them.

As some know my dad flew for an Oil and Gas company and when he was killed the owner of the company offered me a job upon graduation. I told him I wanted to fly like my dad and sure enough he gave me a job once I was done at RICE. A few years later he sold the company and there went the plane. I flew relief for a few other Oil and Gas companies for a few months and then started a company with another pilot in a similar situation. We provided relief pilots (just ourselves to start) for owner/operators when vacation, life, illness, etc happened. I still own part of the company but am in a much reduced role. I still fly monthly, but no longer max out the schedule.

So now my time is split between some flying and being the travel secretary for a minor league hockey team. It pays the mortgage, I stay current, and am around sports.

I have a hard time believing that WN pilots only make $35K to start. Everyone always talks about how much money those guys make. I also don't know how a 12 year employee is still on reserve. Did he start at Eagle and is now at AA? Did he switch types? Something doesn't sound right on that one.

Cuda is right, people would be amazed at the salary of many of today's pilots. For every Sully, there are five flying overnight cargo in metroliners just trying to build time to get a shot for an interview. And that is after working a 40 hour a week day job that really pays the bills.

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

I have a hard time believing that WN pilots only make $35K to start. Everyone always talks about how much money those guys make. I also don't know how a 12 year employee is still on reserve. Did he start at Eagle and is now at AA? Did he switch types? Something doesn't sound right on that one.

These are "friends" of AP. What's not to understand. I am sure the only motivation these dudes have is checking out the clearance bins at Victoria's Secret for deals on oversized women's panties.

[Atomic Punk]

Left Seater, I don't know anybody with Cathay Pacific but if they fly nights like FedEX and UPS it ages those guys and it's hard on their body systems. I don't know if SWA still starts out their pilots at $35k as Herb Kelleher is no longer around.

Buddy with American started air ambulance after being a C-12 station pilot at NAS North Island where I was. Later he flew for whatever the TWA commuter out of St. Louis is. I can't remember the name. Then he got picked up by American. They furloughed a LOT of pilots a few years ago and he had just enough seniority to keep his job. He said the old timers in the left seat won't retire and I don't believe there are too many new pilots other than with the commuters.

The guys that fly Delta's commuter SkyWest really like how the company is run. One time I got onboard I talked to the guys in the flight station about the company and when asked to show my FAR part 125 ID they said I shouldn't have paid for the ticket as I could "jump seat" the flight.

My buddy with American has me on his D3 buddy list so I can fly around the country cheap and get bumped to 1st class as long as I wear slacks, a collared shirt and no tennis shoes. Talk about getting hammered with free drinks on long flights.

If ucunt doesn't believe me, have him call out Y2K as he will confirm my story as I had him flown home when I moved to Jersey, and when I had him come back to help me U-Haul my dumbass back home. Go ahead ucunt... ask away. If you don't then you KYOA miserably.

[Goober McTuber]

My buddy with American has me on his D3 buddy list so I can fly around the country cheap and get bumped to 1st class as long as I wear slacks, a collared shirt and no tennis shoes.

No restrictions on the women’s underwear, though, right?

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

Talk about getting hammered with free drinks on long flights. If ucunt doesn't believe me, have him call out Y2K as he will confirm my story.

You want me to call you out for not being hammered? And I need to check with Y2K on this? :?

[Atomic Punk]

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

What does your question (that you want me to ask ) have to do with my previous post? Or the one before that? Or the one before that?

Does your stance really make sense? Think about it. Have a few more wobbly pops then post another drunk-assed response.

TIA.



"Just ask Jack. He'll tell ya. BODE me."