Quote:
Originally Posted by 450knotOffice
Good reading. Off the top of my head, I really don't have any "war stories" to add. 13,000 hours and it all starts to blend together. Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of those "damn, I don't want to be here" moments over the years, but they don't quite have that "so there I was, out over the Pacific at night wondering if I was going to get my feet wet" stories like some of you have (although there was last week when I came over our mountain range East of LAX with the blowing 108 knots across the ridge-line at about 10,000 feet and felt like I was as close as I've ever been to having an airplane come apart on me in flight - the poor saps in back who had to ride along with us in that - OY!) 
Ryan and Joe, I always enjoy reading your stories about those 20-series Lears. The jet I fly is a fuel saving, EFIS and dual FMS equipped, RVSM capable pussycat compared to what you've flown. I've had flights Westbound in the winter in that thing that have required a planned full fuel load, but have always been able to make destination with plenty of reserve left (1700 pounds /45 minutes is our planned reserve).
Ryan, if that kid's 6'3", I'm guessing you are too. It looks like you two are eye-to-eye. |
my flight times are actually half of yours, scott. but i've taken a leave from flying twice for a cpl years each time to purse other things, otherwise i suppose i'd be in 5-figures myself by now..all my contemporaries are. hate to admit how many times we landed a 20-series lear with less than 500 lbs fuel when i was a co-pilot. low fuel light comes on? just transfer from one side to the other, create an imbalance where most of the fuel is on one side during letdown, so that if you DO flameout, you could continue single-engine..fortunately, it never happened..and always cargo flights without passengers..still dumb that i went along with it the times that i did. that particular captain i flew with during those days is dead now - ran out of fuel in one..finally caught him..very sad. nah, i''m 6'2" and 230...'ol shane makes me look small standing next to him.
