Hoorah for the BA Pilot

[piskieinboots]

They tried to take my drink away 'cos it was in a glass rather than plastic. I hid it under the tray. I bloody needed it.

I've never been afraid of flying since. It's a magic box. You get in it. It is obviously much too heavy to get off the ground. you get out in another place - magic!!

ROFLMAO - superb Janie!

Just imagine the scene:
TD: please give me your drink ma'am
J: why?
TD: because we are going in for a crash landing and it may hurt you
J: which will hurt me the most, the broken glass or the crash landing?
TD: I don't know the outcome of the crash landing, but we can't afford to take the chance
J: b*gger off TD, but before you bu*ger off please leave that gin bottle here there's a good girl

I totally agree - it's magic, I love love love it and I love the most dangerous bits, fast take off eeeeeeeee and diving down for landing
*books flight

[Winged one]

I love flying - I didn't do any from when I was 7 months old to when I was 25 years old - but I have racked up some serious airmiles since then. I have been on everything from an 8 seater to a Boeing 777, short and long haul. Have had lots of bumps during flight (I'm like HW, I keep my belt fastened when seated although I loosen it once we have levelled out), and bumpy landings (some pilots like to give you a rodeo experience) but never a serious incident. A few "go arounds" on landing alright (one in Geneva was fun cos we had to go out through the mountains and back in again along the lake, so it takes about 20 mins to try again).

One thing that really killed me about having the toddler was that I missed a major work trip to Hong Kong (a seriously long flight!! was more upset about that than losing the work part) and it meant that I couldn't travel for a year after I came back. I was 3 days past the official "cannot fly" date when I came home from my last trip before the toddler arrived (and I burst into tears on takeoff cos I was going to miss it so much - the flying part most of all). But even though I am at a different desk, I have managed to get airbourne a few times in the past 6 months and hope that it will happen again soon.

fair play to the pilot though - yes he wanted to get down too, but it sounds like he was pretty darn close to the road and houses, so getting everyone down, in one piece (more or less) and only having a couple of minor injuries, was a darn good achievement.

[TPeers]

Makes you appreciate the years of training and regular re-testing they go through!

Planes are safer that cars - seems to me that any idiot can get a driving licence but you have to be damn good to get a pilots licence!

[Flummery]

Some of us idiots haven't even got driving licenses!

[piskieinboots]

seems to me that any idiot can get a driving licence but you have to be damn good to get a pilots licence!

yep, I was given mine at age 19!! I doubt there'd be too many 19 year old pilots.

[JennieAtkinson]

I wouldn't even like to describe some of the Shetland internal flights I've had going out in a small 8 seater to Fair Isle and Foula (the far flungs!) - for my work I might add. And there's no G&T or toilet on board!

[Two_Sheds]

OH and my brother fly twice a month, in choppers. I hate them going, they hate flying and they loathe choppers, but they have to; I am so grateful to every pilot for getting them both home safe every time.

[TPeers]

I'm sorry Flum! I wasn't trying to imply any one here was an idiot!

I have to drive to Streatham Hill and back every Friday for Hazels Cello lesson - and I swear (and boy do I mean that) than some of the drivers I have the misfortune to meet are blind and deaf they pay so little attention to what is around them!

[piskieinboots]

*claim to fame

Piskie was previously to be found at RAF Northolt for 3 years prior to Benson, the Queen's Flight is housed there (for the moment!) - so guess which lil piskie got took up in HRH's 146 AND sat in Queenie's seat OH MY - it was awesum! However, they did cover the seat, cos the lil oik had shorts on and suncream on her legs - tart

The pilot (it was Families Day, hence me in HRH's comfy chair) was having fun, as he was approaching the runway for touchdown - he said 'as the Boss isn't on board today I'm going to have a little fun' ..... and he whooooosed back up again and we saw all the faces on the ground going whoooooo

So cool

AND not only that - I got took up in a chopper (still by RAF pilots) as a 'you're a nice lady' kind of day. The pilot took me down the Thames, we flew right passed London Eye, buzzed over (chopper on side ) Wembley prior to it's opening. The chopper was the type that Night Rider used - again - soooo cooool
*lucky Piskie