OT: Q for our resident RW Airline Pilot's

[kilo delta]

I've a question that I've meant to post,but never remembered too, aimed at the SOH real world airline pilot's.


When not flying your scheduled routes,day in and day out, do you enjoy any other form of flying (apart from virtual, obviously :))? For example, at my own local field there's a senior A330 captain for the national airline who enjoys doing a spot of aerobatics in his private SA Bulldog...another A330 captain flies the national airlines heritage DH Rapide during the summer months. I also know of a British Airways B744 pilot who used to enjoy flying his....... Cri Cri!
So, any other aviation pursuits enjoyed , or are your flying hours completely taken up by the day job? :)

[fliger747]

I started out as a supercub driver here in Alaska and still have the same cub lo these many years. It is the red one that Mike CYUL used as a template for his standard cub series. Currently on skis. Flats in the Summer! Lots of mountain cub lakes around here, best described as much higher than they are long.

Cheers: T

[rvn817j]

I've worked in the airline business (not a pilot) and been a crew person on U.S. Navy aircraft (both active and reserve). Many of my airline pilot friends and acquaintances fly in the military reserve (Navy, Air Force and, even, Army (choppers and such)) when not flying for the airlines. Many of the airlines pilots I know also have "Romeo Victor" aircraft (those aircraft designed by Richard VanGrusven).

There is also that one SwissAir pilot who straps that jet pack with stubby little wings on his back and lights the burners after falling from a helicopter skid.

Then, there are my airline pilot friends that spend their off duty hours playing golf (and in one case hockey and golf) and could care less about flying. (Maybe too much information?)

[kilo delta]

Thanks for the answers,guys...and yes,Ryan, I know of a few airline pilot's who will avoid flying outside of working hours by any means possible! Sad to see them that way, though,in all fairness,some of them only got involved in the Airline business as a means to put food on the table and haven't had a real love of flying to begin with.

[Victory103]

Not an airline guy yet, but seriously looking for a time builder now that I'm in a position to quit renting. Funny you mentioned the SA Bulldog, one "warbird" I'm looking at although most are slightly outside my budget and somewhat rare on the market. My top 2 now are the Piper Cherokee and RV-ish AA-5, but I'll settle for a C-150/152.

[Bone]

I do an occasional romp ...and it's not very often. I have a friend that has a Cherokee 140 who's asked me if I would be interested in doing some CFI work using his plane, but that doesn't really interest me. Once in a while I get a rotor lesson, and I've been thinking about getting a rotor addon rating. I've got some R-22 and Hughes 300 time. I prefer the Hughes 300.

[kilo delta]

Not an airline guy yet, but seriously looking for a time builder now that I'm in a position to quit renting. Funny you mentioned the SA Bulldog, one "warbird" I'm looking at although most are slightly outside my budget and somewhat rare on the market. My top 2 now are the Piper Cherokee and RV-ish AA-5, but I'll settle for a C-150/152.

Why not an RV? They've become extremely popular in Ireland over the last few years. Granted, a C150/152 is much cheaper to buy though.



I do an occasional romp ...and it's not very often. I have a friend that has a Cherokee 140 who's asked me if I would be interested in doing some CFI work using his plane, but that doesn't really interest me. Once in a while I get a rotor lesson, and I've been thinking about getting a rotor addon rating. I've got some R-22 and Hughes 300 time. I prefer the Hughes 300.

That was what I had always planned to do if I had gotten into the Airline's....obtaining a PPL(H). The R22 is a bit of a dog,in fairness,which is why it's bigger brother R44 is more popular for flight training over here...though €400+/hr and poor wx means the time frame to get a license is longer. Most of the helo pilot's I know did an intensive PPL(H) course Stateside,usually in Florida, completed with a month to six weeks rather than trying to get it done over the course of a year here. :)

[fliger747]

Hey, an "energy Crisis" is always a good time to buy an airplane. Bought the Super Cub for $7500 back in 1975 when gas hit something like $.75 /gallon. Though the value of the cub has gone way up, the price of 100LL has kept pace, the village of Talkeetna (PATK) wants $7.40/gallon.... Though I think thta the gas for the "Campa Van" in NZ was more than that...

Cheers: T

[Bone]

Time to deviate:


Hey Fliger, I had one of your lady dispatchers on my jumpseat yesterday. Cute blonde, late 30's.


Now back to regular programming.

[viking3]

Time to deviate:


Hey Fliger, I had one of your lady dispatchers on my jumpseat yesterday. Cute blonde, late 30's.


Now back to regular programming.

As a recently retired Avionics Tech I am reminded again of the old joke;

What is the difference between a pig and a pilot? Pigs don't hang around in bars 'til 2 AM trying to pick up pilots.:kilroy:


Regards, Rob:ernae:

[Bone]

heh heh, that is a good one. I always leave before the Maintenance Tech's wives show up.:icon29:

[Victory103]

I like the look and performance of the RV, just a price issue now. As a military aviator, ultimately want a warbird, waiting for a T-28/T-34/O-1 to fit the budget without taking out a second mortgage. Oh, and then there are those jets....

On the rotary side I would have to go turbine (all my time is), although I am looking to do some CFII training as a weekend gig in Robbies.

[fliger747]

Steve:

We never get to meet the dispatchers, they are in the "Global Control Center" up in Westchester, whereas we are who knows where. Do chat with them on the phone now and then. Remember her name??

Cheers: Tom

[Bone]

Westchester (KHPN) is where I took her. I can't remember her name now, she was about 6 or 7 jumpseaters ago, lol.