Non-pilot author needs help with pilot slang
03-11-2010 | 03:55 PM
#1
Thread Starter
New Hire
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Non-pilot author needs help with pilot slang
First, I hope you will forgive me for joining your forum. I love to fly but am not a pilot. I am, however, an author and am writing a book in which one of my characters is a pilot. I foresee the need to know some industry slang and hope you might assist me with my occasional questions.
If I am out of line, I'll shut up and go away. But if you can help, great! I'll put your name(s) in my Acknowledgements.
Assuming we're all okay with this, my immediate question is: how would a pilot (who in my story is a captain with United, flying out of the SFO hub in the late 1960's) refer to what we non-pilots call a roundtrip flight to Hong Kong? ALSO, I am assuming such a flight would last three days (e.g. leaving on a Monday and returning on a Wednesday). Is that accurate?
Many thanks.
If I am out of line, I'll shut up and go away. But if you can help, great! I'll put your name(s) in my Acknowledgements.
Assuming we're all okay with this, my immediate question is: how would a pilot (who in my story is a captain with United, flying out of the SFO hub in the late 1960's) refer to what we non-pilots call a roundtrip flight to Hong Kong? ALSO, I am assuming such a flight would last three days (e.g. leaving on a Monday and returning on a Wednesday). Is that accurate?
Many thanks.
03-11-2010 | 05:59 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 528
Likes: 0
From: XJT CA
While AmericanEagleFO is correct, speaking for myself, when I think "turn," I think same day, i.e. I finish on Thursday with a MCO turn. I would consider the example of the OP to be an "overnight" or "trip," i.e. I've got a HKG overnight next week or I'm flying a HKG trip next week. But that just could be me. As for the time, I've never left North America so I'm not an expert, but 3 days is a safe bet. I think they usually fly the 15 +/- hours, sit for 30-36 hours, fly back the 15 +/- hours.
03-11-2010 | 06:12 PM
#5
Line Holder
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
If your story is set in the 1960s, the equipment in use would be 707s or DC8s with Pan Am (UA didn't enter the picture until they bought Pan Am's pacific routes in the 80s). They would stop twice at least, in Hawaii and Tokyo, possibly in Guam or Wake westbound due to headwinds. The trip would be probably be in excess of a week, as there would be at least 1 nightstop each way, plus a few days layover in HKG - daily long haul flights are not as common then.
Today, such a trip would be non-stop, and be around 4 days total (14 hrs each way + 24-48hr layover).
Today, such a trip would be non-stop, and be around 4 days total (14 hrs each way + 24-48hr layover).
03-11-2010 | 06:13 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 0
From: forever fo
you have the right places, i have lived aviation my entire life, a trip is right, my dad is a UAL capt now, and my papa was twa captain in the good ol days
A trip sounds better, the layovers back then where longer then now. Keep the questions going this actually sounds fun
A trip sounds better, the layovers back then where longer then now. Keep the questions going this actually sounds fun
03-11-2010 | 07:05 PM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: Fero's
Many of UAL's Asian trips are 3 Day trips. Fly to Beijing or Shanghai, (I don't do Hong Kong), layover for a day and fly back. I too think of a turn as out and back on the same day. We also have a seven day that has a Tokyo layover in the middle. That's on the 777.
In the '60's United was a domestic only airline.
In the '60's United was a domestic only airline.
03-11-2010 | 08:22 PM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 0
From: forever fo
Many of UAL's Asian trips are 3 Day trips. Fly to Beijing or Shanghai, (I don't do Hong Kong), layover for a day and fly back. I too think of a turn as out and back on the same day. We also have a seven day that has a Tokyo layover in the middle. That's on the 777.
In the '60's United was a domestic only airline.
In the '60's United was a domestic only airline.
03-11-2010 | 08:44 PM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: Fero's
United had begun to seek overseas routes in the 1960s, but the Transpacific Route Case (1969) denied them this expansion. It did not gain an overseas route until 1983, when they began flights to Tokyo from Portland and Seattle. In 1985.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
