Originally Posted by Sink r8

If you didn't like the follow-on post about the middle break, we might be reaching the limits of my cockpit introduction stories.

I did show up at the aircraft way early, one time, to find the Captain strapped in to his seat, shoulder harness on, and he had completed the interior/exterior preflight. He was loading the box. I said "Hi, I'm Sink r8", and held out my hand. He could shake my hand, because of the spacesuit, but he removed his helmet, took a ling breath, and went into his anaerobic routine: "Zoomie"/everything by the book"/(a bunch of stuff that might have been in his diary, but not Delta's book)/"let's have a lot of fun"/!(to show enthusiasm). It wasn't too long, maybe four minutes, but it sure felt like a long time for me to keep a straight face.

It's true that I'm sitting on a treasure-trove of uber-tool material, but they all belong to one guy, and are so weird and specific that I will out myself and make an enemy for a long time.

All kidding aside, we're not dogs. When I meet the Captain, I don't want to smell his bunghole, and I don't want him to smell mine, for a couple of minutes. The initial briefing is therefore not an interview, nor an opportunity to showcase your greatness, relative to the rest of the Captains in category. It's simply an opportunity to shake hands, try to get the other guy's name right, break the ice, and move right into the standardized environment that we trained professionals should all know.

The greatest Captains are the most average, in a sense. The coexist with you in Delta World, and don't try to force you into their particular universe. You then can get to know them as individuals in a relaxed conversation, because your brain power isn't committed to trying to reconcile their reality with the world that you and the other 95% of Captains live in.

I guess I have one last one that you don't really want to hear in the first two sentences: "Viper Community".

Best Regards,

Sink r8