I ramped a while ago for a company that did Alaska, Aloha, and Frontier out of John Wayne

I looked good back then...bag loading is one hell of a workout...

The best sight was always 7 AM...When SNA starts operations...there are about 15 aircraft taking up every taxiway and the secondary runway trying to depart...and right at 7, the first plane to roll was the 640 Alaska to Oakland

 

You must have been Atlantic? I worked there summer '07 as a lineman. I was stuck on the GA ramp pushing luggage carts, taking trash, fueling, dumping lavs, marshalling, potable water, towing. Never got over to fueling the airlines, my last day however, one of the guys took me over to see what it was like. I obviously would've much rather been doing that. It's okay though, I met a lot of different people and made a few contacts. I loved every bit of it!

I agree about John Wayne at 7:00AM. Taxiways being clogged and the smaller runway serving as a taxiway. It has to be a little harder with the construction of the new terminal. I always liked when about 6:59.45 came around the first aircraft would be rolling and 7:00AM they would rotate and disappear into the marine layer.

 

ATS (Airport Terminal Services)...Did everything but the fueling

I liked the acronym I learned about later...A Temporary Solution

Anyhow, it was fun, except for the blue juice. That stuff doesnt come out easy...AND NO, IT WAS CLEAN JUICE, NOT USED. Its pretty much the same type of stuff in pools except...ya know...blue-er

It was always a race to push back the Alaska before the American 75. We won I think all but three times that summer.

That and I miss Alohas cookies...if you know what Im talking about, you understand...

 

Working the line was one of the greatest things I ever did. Eventually was in charge of most everything for a small FBO/flight school. Sold hanger space to tenants, took care of the rental fleet, etc. I learned more there - not just about planes and flying, but about business, sales and customer service - than any job or school I have yet experienced. It was great.

 

All but 7 and 8. But it was as a pilot working for tiny companies. To this day I hate asking someone else to service the lav.

The ramp folks are every bit as important as we who drive the bus. Just remember: Please and Thank you go a VERY long way.

 

Yea the other day, I working here in BNA. I hop up the ladder after loading something like 86 bags in the back of our CRJ7... It was flight 4494 to ORD. SO, there mister FO, if you read this I am calling you out. I washed the windscreen as a courtesy. IT is not policy, and is NOT required of me to do so.

After doing this I wander off to get the lav service completed.

I get a call over the radio to go back and redo the windows the FO says I missed a spot. I go back redo and leave.... Again, this time I am hoooking up the tow bar and intercom. Go back and redo the windows. Got it, I climb back up the ladder and re wash them.

Once again as I am trying to drive the push to the plane, I need to rewash the windows.

Get my point?

You will never have your windows/lav/Pca ever hooked up again.

Moral of the story, be nice to your rampers.

 

I did. We were called "line boys" then. Now, I think the term is "Line Service Technician", or something to that affect. This world is becoming too P.C. for me.
fbh

 

I worked at Harbour Air in TVC, which wasn't bad except for the people I worked for, but I fueled, parked, washed, towed, broke, and even rode along with some pilots. best part of the job was meeting the celebs that flew into TC, Robin Williams, Tim Allen, New York Rangers, Red Wings, just to name a few, i was only 19 and the August Busch tipped me a case of beer as he got on his falcon 900 and flew away..... man the lawsuit i could've had

 

we called ourselves "ramp rats"

 

I fueled Cessnas and Pipers at W22 (Woodbridge, VA now clsd), then cleaned and loaded 747's (including dumping the s^&*tters), then did ramp work at IAD for an airline before getting into ATC. I loved working outside, despite the snow and cold. If I could make the bucks I do now (and I still had a good back), I'd go back to slingin' bags and pushing 737's...Fond memories.