prspad

FT'rs could write volumes about their traveling experiences. I was in F on an Alitalia MD80 LHR - FCO, late night flight, when I saw the Captain come out of the cockpit and join with the male purser in kicking a soccer ball up and down the aisle of the plane for 10 minutes. I wonder if he would have passed a breathalyzer test?

fcrit

Connecting through Charlotte on my way back to school in Athens, GA, Halloween night about 15-20 years ago on US Air/Piedmont - there are storms everywhere, so the young lady I'm flying with is not pleased about being on a Beechcraft 1900.

Sitting at the gate we're watching lightning everywhere, and the wind is up, too. During a break in the weather they let us go, so we walk out onto the tarmac toward the plane. Just as we get to the foot of the steps, the captain jumps into the door opening with a huge Halloween mask on, with a loud movie horror laugh - you know what I mean, I just can't figure out how to type it. Most of us thought it was funny, but my flying partner was not pleased at all. The landing in Athens was an E-ticket ride!

[This message has been edited by fcrit (edited 10-13-2003).]

mtacchi

Throw up in the fuel tanks he was checking cause the smell of the fuel mixed with the hang-over from the night before was too much!

I have more too, but I wouldn't want to scare you. FYI, try not to fly Caribean based carriers

NorthwestCRJ

Not that cool- but...

Flying on Southwest Airlines MCI-PHX when the pilot says there was turbulance just to make 15 people who needed the lavs sit down so they could it!

lol...

Patrick in Chi-Town

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"Hey Lois- At Least One Of Us Is In The Mile-High Club!"
Peter-Family Guy

Scoop

last week, flying OA from JTR-RHO, seeing the captain light up a smoke in the cockpit while we were boarding.

ual744777sta

does turning off channel 9 count?

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36" in Coach! American doesn't have that, but the FRIENDLY SKIES OF UNITED do.
A Member of the largest alliance in the world, with more destinations and more countries than any other alliance, STAR ALLIANCE.

synd

Hey,

has any of you guys ever been to the Islands of Les Saintes in the Carrabean? It's two small islands (really small) off the Island of Guadeloupe. The most interesting landing I have ever seen. Let's just say that only small propellers planes go there, taking 4-5 passengers per trip. I'll always remember the runway going from one side of the island to the other side really, starting on one beach and ending on the other one. Two mountains (big hills) on the sidess, and now for the twist cows on the runway, so that the pilot, would actually honk to get them out of the runway when we were landing! No that's what I call FUN!
Haven't been there in a couple years though so I hope that it hasn't changed! Yeah call me crazy!

Goldfishhh

I guess I will add my $0.02.

I flew into virgin Gorda from St. Thomas. This was back in about 87. Back then, the airport at Virgin Gorda consisted of a dirt road.

So as we are about to land (in the 4 seater), the captain turns his baseball hat around, puts on some batting gloves and says, 'HANG ON!'.

The landing starts out by going over the mountain, pitching the plane virtually on its nose, pulling up at the last second, killing the engine, slamming on the brakes and hoping that the plane stops.

If you dont stop, you are in the water.

We stopped.

And we kept going back there for the next 7 years. Same pilot, same deal.

Wow. That was fun!

MikeFly

Don't remember the airline but it was long before 9/11, the Pilot came on the PA and knowing it was a new FA in the aisle asked her to duck down so he could see out of his rearview mirror during taxi towards the runway. She did - most people got a good laugh out of it. She was ten shades of red.

p1cunnin

In August of 1995, I flew from ORD to MCI on AA. It was a nasty experience all the way around (middle seat, coffee dumped in my lap, no jetway at MCI, no A/C on the return). The "capper" was observing the pilot donning a railroad engineer's hat and gloves as I was boarding (http://www.railwayshop.com/engineer_hats.shtml)

DallasAudiGuy

Had a guy try to land at ORF in the middle of a Nor'easter, abort the landing at 250 feet, and THEN decide to divert to RDU becuase we were low on fuel. Later found out that he was a former Navy "aviator" who was confident he could land the plane because of all the times he landed in bad weather at NAS Oceana down the road....

I guess he needed a tailhook to feel confident

HKG_Flyer1

One time taxiing out to the runway at GSP, I noticed our plane (I think it was a 727) make a strange turn and start down an extremely narrow taxiway towards a general aviation parking area. Being somewhat familiar with the airport, I knew there was no way the pilot would be able to navigate through all the Cessnas, Pipers, etc. All of a sudden, we lurched to a stop. After about a minute, the pilot kicked on reverse thrust, and we backed back down the taxiway until we got back to the apron, at which point he led us back on course towards the runway.

MatthewClement

Not at all unusual. There's no regulation that prevents pilots from smoking in the cockpit, nor does it present any specific danger. More common, however, with non-US carriers.

Fraser

My Dad told me some great stories of a BA / BEA pilot, Jack Welford. Looked just like the guy of the Players Cut or Navy Cut cigarettes apparently.

This pilot spent some time working on the BA Highlands fleet and after he had done all his preflight checks and a few minutes before the passengers boarded he would sit in the front row with a long overcoat on and read a paper. All the passengers would then board and the flight attendant would apologise for the captain being late, although unbeknown to the passengers he was in the front row. After a few minutes he'd stand up and mutter, 'Sod this for a laugh' and walk into the cockpit

Another favourite was to wait for all the passengers to be on board and as before the flight attendant would inform the passengers of the late arrival of the pilot. Then the pilot would emerge from the terminal building area inhis uniform and walk across the tarmac towards the aircraft carrying a long white stick and tapping the ground and board the plane.

My personal favourite though is:

This captain was on a flight back from Europe and a famous actor was on board this flight, for our benefit we'll say its Richard Burton. The flight was delayed by about a quarter of hour or so, and at this point the Mr Burton calls over the flight attendant and complains that the flight is late and that he wants the pilot to know his feelings. The flight attendant goes into the cockpit and forwards the message onto the captain. A minute or so later this captain comes over on the PA system...

'Good evening ladies and gentleman and welcome to this BEA flight from Dusseldorf to London. We are very honoured to have in our presence today Richard Burton. Unfortunately because we are late he thinks my performance today is poor, however when I go to the cinema and I see one of his poor performances I have the opportunity to walk out. We hope you enjoy your flight with us today on British European Airways....'




[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited Nov 14, 2003).]

B747-437B

This thread seems to have developed into a wonderfully entertaining collection of anecdotes about pilot antics. However, I can't help but think that it might appeal to a larger audience and get better responses in the TravelBuzz forum.

Accordingly I am relocating it there not because it is neccessarily out of place here, but because the way it has developed is more conducive to TravelBuzz.

Thanks
Sean (B747-437B)

Moderator
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