Sleepy- - Fell asleep in the cockpit at the drop of a hat. Cruise, top of descent, at the hold short line...whenever. Dozens of pics out there. Personally referred him to FDAC, whitewashed back to the line.
Thumper - - As we flew over the Grand Canyon, he told me (with a straight face) “you know, there are scientists who say it’s possible the Colorado river could have cut the Canyon in as few as 600 years...” Air Force ring knocker with 26 years of service and retired as an O-4?
Kaiser - - Teutonic go-getter that I watched completely disassemble, repair, and reassemble a defective cabin seat. To be fair, he was an A&P. He also insisted water was only for “washing your teeth.”
The Tick - - Former pilot of one of NJ’s earliest and biggest “fractionalized” customers. Thought his stuff smelled sweeter than most and had a unique knack for pi$$ing off FA’s, co-pilots, waitresses and hotel clerks beyond anyone I’ve ever seen before.
The Mercenary - - Viet Nam helicopter pilot that volunteered for THREE combat tours in country despite being shot down multiple times and then flew as a merc in the Belgian Congo war. Loves showing his bullet wound scars on his arms. Still flogging it in his 70’s and almost universally despised by co-pilots.
Just a few of the more “colorful” characters I’ve experienced sprinkled among some of the coolest and best pilots I’ve ever worked with.