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What It's Really Like Piloting Private Jets For The Rich And Famous
Flying privately owned aircraft gives pilots a unique lifestyle within the spectrum of aviation jobs. The set of challenges they face can be very different from those of flying airliners. Among the greatest challenges is passenger behavior. In a short period of time, pilots are all but guaranteed to experience some of the wildest interactions and witness some of the craziest behavior of their lives. (www.thedrive.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I did that with a friend when we we’re about 19 yrs old. We hitchhiked one way from Puerto Rico with this old pilot who was going to St Thomas (we were “hippies” or wanted to be). We met some guys over there and stayed a whole weekend not thinking about how we would return. I remember us crying with no money at the airport thinking how we were going to get back home, when I saw a plane unloading the only english speaking newspaper from Puerto Rico (The San Juan Star) and I realized that after he unloaded he must return back to P. R. Oh my God he was so nice with us and behave like a gentleman, thank you. That was our only and last hitchhike trip by plane. ;)
Nicely written. When I was a kid in the 1960's and 70's my dad was a pilot and I saw the passengers give the pilots $100 and $200 dollar tips. Pilots seldom get tips anymore and quite often the passengers don't say thank you or even look your way. It's just like being the shuttle driver at a major airline hub. You also have to do all the luggage loading, restocking the airplane and sometimes cleaning up a mess in the lavatory. IT's grunt work most days. Oh, sometimes they change the schedule four to eight hour delays and so you are super tired, hungry and dehydrated by the time they finally show up drunk at the airplane.
I can remember years ago we used to fly a NBA team to their various games. All million dollar players. They would get on the plane most wearing suits and carrying a gym bag. It was usually a quiet flight...all gentlemen.
After the game they boarded the aircraft with buckets of KFC and six packs of beer. They became rowdy and started to play grab ass with the stewardesses. She would go to the rear of the plane and call the captain to let him know what's going on with the pax. He would tell her to put on her oxygen mask. He would then alter the pressure and oxygen in the cabin...knock them all out then wake them five minutes before landing. Happened many times, win or lose. They never caught on.
After the game they boarded the aircraft with buckets of KFC and six packs of beer. They became rowdy and started to play grab ass with the stewardesses. She would go to the rear of the plane and call the captain to let him know what's going on with the pax. He would tell her to put on her oxygen mask. He would then alter the pressure and oxygen in the cabin...knock them all out then wake them five minutes before landing. Happened many times, win or lose. They never caught on.
After a long airline career I started flying for a family owned business on a small corporate jet, I guess I was lucky to find the right family because it’s been a lot of fun. At 78 years of age I am still doing it and don’t know when it will end. Am in good health and haven’t started drooling yett. I really do believe it’s been good for me to stay active.
Before every flight I say the pilot’s prayer.
Dear Lord, please let me die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather and not screaming and yelling like his passengers!
Dear Lord, please let me die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather and not screaming and yelling like his passengers!
Best trip was to IND in a Lear. I was with my little brother, both of us aviation nuts, and the pilots said they'd show us what the plane could do. Felt like vertical up to FL45.
Another time at JFK, hanging out on the PanAm ramp, two pilots were flying an empty 707 to LHR, some kind of replacement. They said we could go along, and we would've done it until they asked about our passports ... Oh well. I guess they didn't want to explain why they were bringing two minors into the UK.