No kidding! Whenever I'm out there during my pre-flight walkarounds, my head is on a swivel at all times. It's crazy out there. I swear, sometimes I feel like I'm standing in the middle of a busy urban four way intersection, with vehicles coming at me from all sides.
:eek:

You know it's bad when you see a tug with pilot silhouettes stenciled on the hood. :rolleyes:

Safety vests do not make you more visible, if anything you blend in even more with all the sea of neon yellow out there. You are just as likely to get hit wearing one. Just another way for us to continue being micromanaged. Ever wonder why we're the only airline with this silly rule?

Exactly. And why does every pilot have to be issued one? At US, they're simply hanging up in the cockpit....for international ops or if you CHOOSE to wear one.

I can't believe people get paid to decide that pilots need to carry their own checklist and QRH vs. two per airplane. I was telling this to guys while on United jumpseat, they looked at me like I had ten heads.

Well....it was good enough for the L-188.....

Personally, I can't believe you guys whine about such piddly nonsense. Is it really such a hardship to carry a checklist around, or wear a vest? Personally, I could not care less. Give me one, DON'T give me one. I flown airplanes that have the checklists in them and I've flown airplanes that don't. I walk around with a vest because the company that I work for has decided that not only will every other employee on the ramp wear one, so will the pilots; and it makes sense. If I'm more visible out there on that crazy ramp, then why not? Yes, I rolled my eyes and fought it when the company decided to make us wear them, but I've gotten over it.

Anyhooo...

How did a thread about airplanes at LAX turn into a discussion about vests, and now checklists?

Your airline isn't the only one. UPS, FEDEX, Atlas. . . some ramps overseas require it (Sydney Hong Kong, etc.)

They are what they are but I do know if I'm not wearing one and get hit there goes my insurance policy.

And to get the thread back on track . . . LAX has a lot of airplanes and tugs and catering vehicles that could run over you. :-)

Well, at least at AA when you get plowed over by a kamikaze tug driver while wearing the vest, your attorney has something to work with in bending over the company. Without it, they'd just blame you leaving your attorney without a fighting chance. ;)

Dunno, but I'm thinking of installing "Midol for Men" vending machines outside every pilot ops in the US and retiring rich in 5 years. :D

Does anyone know how junior (what %) does the FO widebody go in LAX?