I'm a bit hesitant...

[Mudge]

OK...so we're standing in line for dinner on Saturday night at Geneseo. From behind us comes some of the most "prima dona" whining I've ever heard. From a guy who, I can only assume, was an airplane driver. I'm pretty sure I know which airplane but I won't name it in case I'm wrong.
Anyway..."Why do WE have to stand in line to eat?" "I hate flying in the hottest part of the day. Sweat was just pouring down my face." "I can't wait to finish tomorrow 'cause I'm getting out of here right after my session."
Bless his little heart.

Mudge the disgusted

[The Inspector]

Then my first question to this self important yahoo would be 'do you need to be held, burped, or changed?' And I wouldn't care who he was-if he didn't want to stand in line then he should bring his own friggin' liverwurst sammich and sodas

[bluehawk15]

I'm sure I'd trade flying in the hottest part of the day there for flying in the hottest part of the day here in central Texas! My face isn't the only part of me that sweat pours down!

[Jerry O'Neill]

I would trade any hot day for the chance to pilot some of those wonderful birds. It's the price you pay if you want to fly these things at shows.
We can't have them in the winter, no one would come!
Jerry

[Warbird Kid]

We can't have them in the winter, no one would come!

I would!

[Dan K]

We can't have them in the winter, no one would come!
Jerry

I think it would depend on what showed up!






I can see it all now...

[Taylor Stevenson]

Mudge, not to ruffle any feathers, but I can understand a couple of the pilots complaints. Obviously not the first. The fact that you're able to enjoy an airshow is that there are pilots who do fly these notoriously hot aircraft. Just remember in 1944 my grandfather was an engineer on B-24s flying out of Liberal Kansas all over Texas and Oklahoma. The coldest thing on the base was the bowl of ice cream after the 10-18 hours of flying with students. On Saturday night he got to WALK into town for cold beer. We honor them, so dripping wet and flying these aircraft is a sometimes uncomfortable honor.

[JimH]

I call BS...its an honor to fly these aircraft, and I can proudly say we do it everyday, hot or cold. Its not about us.

jimh

[Bill Greenwood]

One of the things that there is often too little of at shows is shade, not just for the pilots but for all. If you can, having some tents or such really helps, of course along with cold water. A few hoses spraying cool off mist is a Godsend. If I was building a airfield just for shows, I have a big swimming pool also; I have seen this in Calif and it was a great. EAA has volunteers that drive among the planes and workers with water or Gatorade, so that is appreciated. I've never been able to get a Pina Colada however.
When I am a pilot and have credentials, I try to be respectful of the public. But there are a few times when it is helpful to have some special facility. Like at Osh,we might have briefing from 12 to 2, and have to get fuel and oil also. It is nice to be able to pick up a drink or meal without standing in line for a half hour. And one needs, or at least I do best, some time alone in a cool place for mental review before takeoff, Without Rushing. Most times this is pretty routine, sometimes complex. But always there is the potential for danger and error if someone makes a mistake and catches you unaware,and more often than not flights do not go all according to briefing.
If you have not flown a warbird, in a Nomex flight suit in a cockpit in 100* degree weather, you may not appreciate how long 30 minutes feels, especially in something really hot like a Mustang or big radial fighter. Fortunately the Spitfire coolant tubes and radiators are outside the cockpit, so it is better.
It's nice to have some perks, like a free lunch or some such for pilots. But I really don't feel as comfortable when the public is too cut off from the planes and pilots like some military shows or some in England. I hate to see the all too often thoughtless or careless parents who have hats and sunglasses for themselves but their kids often are baking in the sun with neither. Sometimes the kids are infants, scared of the noise and crying the heat,and the Dad doesn't seem to notice or care, or maybe won't pay for a baby sitter.

[JDK]

... Just remember in 1944 my grandfather was an engineer on B-24s flying out of Liberal Kansas all over Texas and Oklahoma. The coldest thing on the base was the bowl of ice cream after the 10-18 hours of flying with students. On Saturday night he got to WALK into town for cold beer.

Oh, I know this one. BEER? ICE CREAM?

THIRD YORKSHIREMAN:
Well, of course, we had it tough. We used to 'ave to get up out of shoebox at twelve o'clock at night and lick road clean wit' tongue. We had two bits of cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at mill for sixpence every four years, and when we got home our Dad would slice us in two wit' bread knife.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Yorkshiremen_sketch

http://www.phespirit.info/montypython/f ... iremen.htm

FIRST YORKSHIREMAN:
And you try and tell the young people of today that ..... they won't believe you.

For our American readers, Yorkshire is the UK's version of Texas.

Ice cream? Pah.

[Taylor Stevenson]

Bill- Well said, and I couldn't agree more.

JDK- Don't follow? Maybe it's your accent

T

Last edited by Taylor Stevenson on Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JDK]

JDK- Don't follow? Maybe it's your accent

Doubt it would be my accent, given the accents in question are Yorkshire. If you don't follow me, follow the (provided) links, while the Four Yorkshiremen sketch is a quite famous example of the 'one-downmanship' in your post.

Just a bit of fun...

[Taylor Stevenson]

hah gotcha

[JimH]

ah...I was typing a response...its not worth it. Mudge, start carrying Midol with you...next time you hear that toss a couple at them.

jim, who has been flying the B-24 for the last week in 100 degree heat with a bunch of guys that love what we do and don't complain about it.

[marine air]

There's a Geico commercial where R. Lee Armey plays a therapist with a whiny male figure on the couch whining about why he's sad. Really Funny.