Community Stories

The Aviators Thread

ketchj
Posts
47
Likes
101
Mad Dog Mad Dog
That patch did not fair well on deployment when we were detached to and flying off cruisers, destroyers, and frigates. We typically only had 4 to 6 [brown shoe] pilots compared to about 30 [black shoe] SWOs…and of course the Captain of the ship was a [black shoe] SWO who wrote our fitreps…but…yeah…we gave it the old college try with that patch a few times to test the waters but it never ended well for us.

Anyway, you must be happy you went P-3s and didn’t have to deal with black shoes, right? 😁

Not too much exposure with the black shoes until I left Active Duty and hit the Reserves. It is fun giving each other the business still. Funny thing I get from the TACAIR folks is that they call us P-3 Bubbas the SWOs of the sky. I cant argue with them too much, I just ask them how their per-diem was on deployment.
 
Mad Dog
Posts
6,526
Likes
77,174
Fantasy of mine…law enforcement helo pilot. As a former Navy SH-60B helo pilot and former Cincinnati Police Officer, I really wanted to do it…unfortunately, the law enforcement helo pilot slots are pretty hard to get (I tried). Anyway, one of my fellow Delta pilot buddies felt sorry for me and kindly gifted me this LEGO kit yesterday…good times! 👍

NOTE: Also pictured below is my Cincinnati Police badge as well as my duty firearm (S&W 5946 9mm)…both of which I purchased when I resigned from the Cincinnati Police to return to Delta Air Lines following pilot furlough.

4A5EC8DB-BF34-4A7C-86E7-C6B0550FE4AF.jpeg 7AD87E14-53DD-4BEB-8D56-4271C7A39549.jpeg C0FD77AB-6810-48E2-A770-A21B6C6858C7.jpeg
Edited:
 
Pvt-Public
Posts
2,519
Likes
3,557
Mad Dog Mad Dog
Fantasy of mine…law enforcement helo pilot. As a former Navy SH-60B helo pilot and former Cincinnati Police Officer, I really wanted to do it…unfortunately, the law enforcement helo pilot slots are pretty hard to get (I tried). Anyway, one of my fellow Delta pilot buddies felt sorry for me and kindly gifted me this LEGO kit yesterday…good times! 👍

NOTE: Also pictured below is my Cincinnati Police badge as well as my duty firearm (S&W 5946 9mm)…both of which I purchased when I resigned from the Cincinnati Police to return to Delta Air Lines following pilot furlough.

4A5EC8DB-BF34-4A7C-86E7-C6B0550FE4AF.jpeg 7AD87E14-53DD-4BEB-8D56-4271C7A39549.jpeg C0FD77AB-6810-48E2-A770-A21B6C6858C7.jpeg
Would be “extra cool” if you flew a 727. 😝
 
Mad Dog
Posts
6,526
Likes
77,174
Pvt-Public Pvt-Public
Would be “extra cool” if you flew a 727. 😝
Well…I did fly the B727-200 as a new hire pilot [flight engineer] at Delta in early 2001. 👍
 
DoctorEvil
Posts
1,506
Likes
2,892
64Wing 64Wing
Imagine that: another broken Beechjet...cuz that never happens
PXL_20220810_133020973~2.jpg PXL_20220810_180308322.jpg
Geez, what would have caused the tape to melt like that?
 
DoctorEvil
Posts
1,506
Likes
2,892
Mad Dog Mad Dog
Fantasy of mine…law enforcement helo pilot. As a former Navy SH-60B helo pilot and former Cincinnati Police Officer, I really wanted to do it…unfortunately, the law enforcement helo pilot slots are pretty hard to get (I tried). Anyway, one of my fellow Delta pilot buddies felt sorry for me and kindly gifted me this LEGO kit yesterday…good times! 👍

NOTE: Also pictured below is my Cincinnati Police badge as well as my duty firearm (S&W 5946 9mm)…both of which I purchased when I resigned from the Cincinnati Police to return to Delta Air Lines following pilot furlough.

4A5EC8DB-BF34-4A7C-86E7-C6B0550FE4AF.jpeg 7AD87E14-53DD-4BEB-8D56-4271C7A39549.jpeg C0FD77AB-6810-48E2-A770-A21B6C6858C7.jpeg
Just curious but why is the pistol stored with the slide pulled back and the magazine half out? I'm guessing it's a safety thing. And may I ask what those two silver sticks below the pistol are for? Thanks in advance.
 
DoctorEvil
Posts
1,506
Likes
2,892
J JasonF
Loving your photos! I’m getting reacquainted with flying and currently starting my PPL again. I didn’t have the patience or finances available years ago but I’m very excited to get back in the air. Keep sharing your pictures, this thread is becoming a favourite!
Good on you for getting back into flying. I'm wishing I had the time and the finances right now to reactivate my PPL. All the best with your endeavour and keep us posted on your progress 😀
 
64Wing
Posts
1,316
Likes
2,461
DoctorEvil DoctorEvil
Geez, what would have caused the tape to melt like that?
The goop is just cured RTV. The missing duct is, I believe, what failed the switch to which that wire harness is running. So we replaced the switch and now we're waiting for the replacement duct and clamps.

Been a busy year for this particular type of airplane...leta just say, I'll have a very comfortable down payment ready for my new truck lol
 
JimInOz
Posts
16,605
Likes
34,901
DoctorEvil DoctorEvil
Just curious but why is the pistol stored with the slide pulled back and the magazine half out? I'm guessing it's a safety thing. And may I ask what those two silver sticks below the pistol are for? Thanks in advance.

The silver sticks are called bullet boxes but some pedants call them magazines.

😉
 
Mad Dog
Posts
6,526
Likes
77,174
DoctorEvil DoctorEvil
Just curious but why is the pistol stored with the slide pulled back and the magazine half out? I'm guessing it's a safety thing. And may I ask what those two silver sticks below the pistol are for? Thanks in advance.
Slide is pulled back so the chamber (on the bottom side) can be viewed empty when removing the firearm from the case. The magazine is partially out to disengage the firing mechanism. The two silver sticks are the two additional 15 round 9mm magazines. Also, I keep ammo in a separate location.
 
JimInOz
Posts
16,605
Likes
34,901
Mad Dog Mad Dog
Slide is pulled back so the chamber (on the bottom side) can be viewed empty when removing the firearm from the case. The magazine is partially out to disengage the firing mechanism. The two silver sticks are the two additional 15 round 9mm magazines. Also, I keep ammo in a separate location.
What's the blue thing in front of the barrel?
A transit lock?
 
Mad Dog
Posts
6,526
Likes
77,174
JimInOz JimInOz
What's the blue thing in front of the barrel?
A transit lock?
That’s the original trigger lock that came with the firearm…I switched it out for the combination trigger lock so I wouldn’t have to keep track of keys.
 
JimInOz
Posts
16,605
Likes
34,901
Mad Dog Mad Dog
That’s the original trigger lock that came with the firearm…I switched it out for the combination trigger lock so I wouldn’t have to keep track of keys.

At your age I would have thought remembering the combination would be more problematic than losing keys.

😁
 
Mad Dog
Posts
6,526
Likes
77,174
JimInOz JimInOz
At your age I would have thought remembering the combination would be more problematic than losing keys.

😁
Well…you’re not wrong…honestly, just now I had to think for a moment (or two) regarding what the combination is. It doesn’t help that I have all sorts of other numbers (and letters) running around in my head…pictured below are the B737-800/900 numbers (and letters) that I have to know from memory. I’m headed down to Delta HQ today to do annual recurrent B737 simulator training.

I will say that over the decades the amount of numbers (and letters) that are required to be known from memory have decreased…back in the 1980s and 1990s while on mil active duty, we literally had to build (from memory) the T-34C, TH-57B/C, and SH-60B…as well as the B727-200 when I was a new hire at Delta in 2001.

I’m not sure if present day mil pilots ( @ketchj ) still have to build the aircraft but at the airlines (at least at Delta) we don’t have to build the aircraft anymore…which is good for dudes like me since I’m almost 60.

C7329209-4329-4CB1-8490-E65AEF460891.jpeg
Edited:
 
Mad Dog
Posts
6,526
Likes
77,174
OF members and former Nasal Radiator rotorheads @ChuckMK23 and @Mad Dog at the CVG RCO site (serves Cinci TRACON and Indy Center) on motorbike adventure today...and our Moonwatches say it's time to *not* trespass…

C7905630-3A17-4CDA-B24C-76D97FC85C62.jpeg
 
64Wing
Posts
1,316
Likes
2,461
Mad Dog Mad Dog
OF members and former Nasal Radiator rotorheads @ChuckMK23 and @Mad Dog at the CVG RCO site (serves Cinci TRACON and Indy Center) on motorbike adventure today...and our Moonwatches say it's time to *not* trespass…

C7905630-3A17-4CDA-B24C-76D97FC85C62.jpeg
Trouble on wheels right there
 
Mad Dog
Posts
6,526
Likes
77,174
64Wing 64Wing
Trouble on wheels right there
Probably.

And probably trouble at the Dunkin’ Donuts too…

A15D7765-1F16-4C7F-AD3C-0EEDDF3EDE7C.jpeg
 
1260 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

Scarecrow Boat

1961 Croton Nivada Grenchen "Chronograph" Aviator Sea Diver

Scarecrow Boat Private Watch Sales
Scarecrow Boat
Scarecrow Boat
Posts
2
Views
4K
SC1

Help me find a thread?

SC1 Open Discussion
p4ul
p4ul
Posts
47
Views
4K
FedFod

Just something I bought through the Recommended Ebay Thread

FedFod Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
boogedyboo
boogedyboo
Posts
9
Views
903
Dr.Sascha

The Comprehensive Singer Dial thread

Dr.Sascha Open Discussion
Zenon
Zenon
Posts
9
Views
3K
samweldspoorly

Samweldspoorly's first Omega - an introduction thread

samweldspoorly Open Discussion
samweldspoorly
samweldspoorly
Posts
10
Views
2K
Mark020

Snail dial 5699 (or 23086) just sold (-edit- The 5699/23086 thread)

Mark020 Longines Watches
Mark020
Mark020
Posts
14
Views
3K