Reminds me of a military hop I flew on once. Pilot…“Attention passengers…..we underestimated this head wind we have been flying into…..we are now very low on fuel and may NOT make the nearest airbase. The crew will assist you with the necessary gear for ditching in the water.”We did make it to land..barely..we lost two engines on approach.Another was watching as a big lift chopper fell out of the sky during a lifting operation….as we watched a mechanic ran out of the hanger yelling “What the hell are they doing……I haven’t finished working on it!!!”Found laying on the floor where the chopper was parked a sign saying “Not Flight Ready”
As an ex-Air Force pilot, I can tell you a few stories. Of course I can tell them better if it’s Happy Hour at the O’Club. In fact the longer it gets into Happy Hour, the better the stories get. :)
I’ve only had once close call while flying and that was when I was learning how to fly and coming back from a solo cross country. I should have died that day. That was back in 1969. I consider eery day since – a bonus.
That is why Claymores had “Front Towards Enemy” in large embossed letters on them to indicate which way to aim it.Looked out one morning in the Nam. Two were facing our direction. Like reading the writing on the wall. Explanation was “What if the enemy gets behind the claymore positions? Don’t you want to use them to stop them?” The Sergeant was more than happy to endorse the Sapper to attempt to use them facing the way they were AND he was encouraged to stand up to make sure they went off. The Sapper looked puzzled rubbing his head then the light bulb began a slow burn. We covered him while he went out into the wire to put them in correctly.
Back in the summer of 2001 I was slated to fly from Texas to Utah in order to attend a wedding.[]We had just boarded the plane at Dallas-Fort Worth International when the captain informed us that there would be a delay in taking off.[]A little while later, we received another announcement. Apparently, the defroster for one of the windows in the cockpit was malfunctioning, and it needed to be replaced; as it was, said window had to be replaced to pull it out.[]Then we received another announcement indicating that they did not have the necessary component in the parts yard at the airport… and so they were sending someone to a nearby auto parts store.[]Oh, and we could go ahead and eat the bagged breakfasts we’d each picked up from the cart on our way to the plane.
Simon_Jester almost 10 years ago
I TOLD you not to fly Alaska Airlines
Steve Bartholomew almost 10 years ago
El Cheapo Airlines.
hsawlrae almost 10 years ago
If you think I’m going to board that thing, a couple of YOUR rivets have popped loose.
hometownk Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Duct tape fixes all.
watmiwori almost 10 years ago
Not to worrry — we here at Pearly Gates Airlines have everything under control….
unnormal almost 10 years ago
Ten minutes to re-skin an entire airliner . . . ?
William Reynolds almost 10 years ago
I know the feeling. Try Air Jamacia if you’ve got the nerve!
hankvan almost 10 years ago
Umm…I’ll take the bus, thank you.
Nighthawks Premium Member almost 10 years ago
ah yes, fly the friendly skies of Kamakazi Airlines. Our air fares are the lowest on the market.of course, we only sell one-way tickets
Vet Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Reminds me of a military hop I flew on once. Pilot…“Attention passengers…..we underestimated this head wind we have been flying into…..we are now very low on fuel and may NOT make the nearest airbase. The crew will assist you with the necessary gear for ditching in the water.”We did make it to land..barely..we lost two engines on approach.Another was watching as a big lift chopper fell out of the sky during a lifting operation….as we watched a mechanic ran out of the hanger yelling “What the hell are they doing……I haven’t finished working on it!!!”Found laying on the floor where the chopper was parked a sign saying “Not Flight Ready”
RalphZIggy almost 10 years ago
oh no, this is an AIRCRAFT. clearly baling wire should be used
dflak almost 10 years ago
As an ex-Air Force pilot, I can tell you a few stories. Of course I can tell them better if it’s Happy Hour at the O’Club. In fact the longer it gets into Happy Hour, the better the stories get. :)
I’ve only had once close call while flying and that was when I was learning how to fly and coming back from a solo cross country. I should have died that day. That was back in 1969. I consider eery day since – a bonus.
Vet Premium Member almost 10 years ago
That is why Claymores had “Front Towards Enemy” in large embossed letters on them to indicate which way to aim it.Looked out one morning in the Nam. Two were facing our direction. Like reading the writing on the wall. Explanation was “What if the enemy gets behind the claymore positions? Don’t you want to use them to stop them?” The Sergeant was more than happy to endorse the Sapper to attempt to use them facing the way they were AND he was encouraged to stand up to make sure they went off. The Sapper looked puzzled rubbing his head then the light bulb began a slow burn. We covered him while he went out into the wire to put them in correctly.
Ironhold almost 10 years ago
Back in the summer of 2001 I was slated to fly from Texas to Utah in order to attend a wedding.[]We had just boarded the plane at Dallas-Fort Worth International when the captain informed us that there would be a delay in taking off.[]A little while later, we received another announcement. Apparently, the defroster for one of the windows in the cockpit was malfunctioning, and it needed to be replaced; as it was, said window had to be replaced to pull it out.[]Then we received another announcement indicating that they did not have the necessary component in the parts yard at the airport… and so they were sending someone to a nearby auto parts store.[]Oh, and we could go ahead and eat the bagged breakfasts we’d each picked up from the cart on our way to the plane.