Preflight in the rain
03-18-2008 | 10:17 AM
#53
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: CL-65 FO
I worked as a fueler in MSN for nearly a year and I'll be darned if a little rain worries me as I perform my preflight on the -200. I've stood in some of the most torrential rains imaginable...albeit with rain gear on....but, rain gear doesn't make it any more comfortable. The rain just bounces off and into your face and as soon as you get in the truck in pours down your shirt and all over your paperwork....it's just a mess.
That said, 2 minutes out in the rain ain't going to ruin my day in comparison to the 12 hours I used to be out in that crap. I have a lot of sympathy for those guys out on the ramp...been there, done that.
You don't need an umbrella...just walk at a brisk rate. Get some water proof shoes or water proof them yourself. If it's raining so bad that you gotta worry about carrying an umbrella, you're probably delayed anyways.
That said, 2 minutes out in the rain ain't going to ruin my day in comparison to the 12 hours I used to be out in that crap. I have a lot of sympathy for those guys out on the ramp...been there, done that.
You don't need an umbrella...just walk at a brisk rate. Get some water proof shoes or water proof them yourself. If it's raining so bad that you gotta worry about carrying an umbrella, you're probably delayed anyways.
I spent 2+ years on the ramp at ORD for ZW. A little rain on my preflight now does not bother me.
The worst was when rain runs down the neck of your rain gear getting you all wet anyway. And god I hated wearing the rain pants. Took me over a year and a half to find a trench coat to wear from the uniform people!
03-18-2008 | 11:24 PM
#54
alchemist
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,089
Likes: 0
nothing beats the walk a around while looking up and walking into a puddle around the plane and have the water get inside your shoes! (im pretty sure that's a runon)
Last edited by meeko031; 03-19-2008 at 09:39 AM.
03-20-2008 | 10:37 PM
#58
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
From: B777 FO
Some airplanes take longer than others. All I ever do is grab a stack of paper towels from the lav and leave them up front. When you get back in get the big drops off your arms, hands, and head. Once you climb up you dry off pretty fast. It takes me a lot longer to pre-flight but luckily I can somewhat hide under the airplane for most of it. Give me rain over cold wind any day.
