But..., would us -openly showing disdain- for our (fattest, oldest, feline imparired, etc.) F/A's be considered 'having balls' ?

Or would that be, just being rude?

Sorry, I'm not that rude. As a kid I was taught to respect my...Elders.

But I would like to know why a F/A is on Airline PILOT Central board in the first place?? Isn't there an Airline F/A Central board somewhere, where you can bash fat, old, ex-wife impaired pilots?

We need a place to vent, you are NOT in the Cockpit club, so why are you here? What goes on inside the cockpit is not in your domain, but that's why we are here, to vent, about the -tools- we have to deal with up there.

I've been married to a (now former) F/A for 25 years, we have 4 kids, 3 of them girls ages 16-23, so I've 'paid my dues' in the estrogen dept. And I was 'raised' by a couple (Young, HOT!) F/A's who actually baby sat for my working Mom, when my younger brother and sisters were 1-3-4, I was about 10-12. They were funny and smoking hot. I think they are one of the big reasons I wanted to be an Airline Pilot in the first place, to fly with young, hot F/A's, like THEM!

I'm 52 today, and both of those F/A's are STILL working! Both were hired in 1968. Both are married, empty nesters, grand mothers now, and don't really "Need" the job, so I have to wonder; WHY?? Why are they still flying?? Neither one even owns a CAT! So there is No Excuse! Maybe they don't like their husbands and just want to get out of the house?

Why would anyone still want to be working at age 62-65 if they didn't have to? When I was hired, I set an "End Date" of 25 years. That would get me enough to retire on. But a lot can happen in 25 years. I lost my retirement in the bankrutpcy. If DL would just replace the $1.4M they took from my DB plan, I'd be gone tomorrow, and sailing in the Keys right now.

A couple days ago I flew with DL's number 1 F/A, Bob. I think he said he's 88, he said he was hired in 1951....but wouldn't that make him about 17 at hire? So maybe he's about to turn 89 and was 18 at hire?

Working for 62 years?!

Wow, just wow.

OK...sorry to drag this so far off topic, put me in for the Tool today. :o

I'll take the hit.

The bomber leather jacket isn't the issue here, wearing the epaulettes though definitely exhibits tool-like tendencies.

Just after DFW base closed for ASA, found myself on reserve. I had one day off in between reserve block and was trying to catch the last flight home before the off day to see the wife and newborn daughter. Was jump-seating on a company RJ and the FO was having trouble getting the whiz wheel to allow the weight. The captain, in true Captain form, trying to get me on, takes the whiz wheel, does his magic and shows the FO that we are just on the line, good to go. He looks back at me and says strap in, but not soon enough, the FO grabs the whiz wheel with his fat pudgy fingers, starts running the numbers again. The Captain, looks at him and tells him he just ran it, and we are good. The FO doesnt take the hint well, and starts verbalizing ever step of running the numbers with the whiz wheel. For those that remember those things, give it to 10 different pilots and you would get 10 different answers, they weren't exactly the most exact science. Long story short, the FO keeps reiterating that he cant make it work, the Captain takes a long sigh, and tells me better luck next time. I never forgot the frog lipped FO, and was hoping that one day he would try to get onto one of my flights, but alas, I was never blessed with the opportunity.

What he shoulda done was; kick that Fat Fingered Tool of an F/O off the fligiht, and let you have his seat, and the leg.

What the hell...

Or maybe the company requires us (like mine) to wear epaulets on the leather (bomber) jacket....

Should've been more specific, I meant sporting the epaulettes out to the bar or dinner on the overnight, not while working.

Climbing out of ORD:

Center: American XYZ at 12000 resume normal speed?

AAXYZ: AH, do you need two fifty?

Center: No sir, you can resume normal speed at 12000.

AAXYZ: Define normal speed?

5 second pause

Center: Well, there is the two fifty restriction in all directions on the departure until told otherwise...you can resume your normal speed at twelve.

AAXYZ: Ok, copy

5 minutes later

Center: AAXYZ contact center at ***.**

AAXYZ: ***.**, do we need to fill out any paperwork or do you need us to call anyone?

Center: For what AAXYZ?

AAXYX: For the speed?

Center: NO!

wind check?

When I was brand new at DL, I commuted from DTW-LGA.

I had a 0800 or so report the next morning, and was grabbing a 1800ish flight to LGA on NW to make sure I gave myself 2 flights for commuting.

As luck would have it, I was in line for the jumpseat in front of an AA guy. I was 26 at the time, so pretty dang young looking for a DL pilot. I notice the AA guy in line behind me, turn around, smile and greet him.

His response to me saying hi: "What regional do you work for? I have to go to LGW tonight. I really need to get to NYC."

I look down at his badge, look back up at him... "I work for the regional that flies to more places in europe than your carrier does" and turned back around.

He pleads a couple more times with london and asking me where I'm going...(full flight and a 757, so one jumpseat), needless to say he was going to need to jump on the next flight after showing that attitude.

Ironically, I'm pretty sure he was the AA guy I had fudged the numbers to get on the jumpseat in the CRJ about a year earlier.