Geek in the Cockpit - Latest Comments

Re: Big Shiny Jets….

Matthias Künneth — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:43:55 -0000

Hi Captain, soon there is a new release for FSX....have a watch at Wilco. Btw. my favorites are PMDG. NG and MD 11......have a nice weekend. Matthias

Re: Big Shiny Jets….

Geek — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:20:12 -0000

I tried the 737s and the Captain Sim 757 year ago...too much for me. I fired them up about a year ago...they make more sense. Most overhead panels follow the same logic from jet to jet.

As far as upgrading....I was about 7 months away until the economy started to slow again. Just about every regional airline in the United States has been slowing upgrades as attrition has slowed. I'm in no big hurry to upgrade though as I will take a huge QOL hit.

Re: Big Shiny Jets….

Brad Koehn — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:11:11 -0000

Well put. Applies to more careers than just flying, btw. I used to spend a lot of time in airports, waiting to get in the back of a jet. Now I stay home, see my family every day, and fly the left seat of bug smashers for fun. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

Re: Big Shiny Jets….

Dave Willis — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:52:25 -0000

Hi there,

I guess what ever the metal the view out the window is just as good!

I'm a regular simmer and having spent many an hour on the virtual B763 I am now learning the ERJ 170/190 thanks to FeelThere - crikey, what a learning curve! I'm currently in the "why's it doing that" phase of learning at the moment!

Will your seniority allow you to upgrade to a larger jet at some point in the future (assuming your carrier has them in its fleet) or will that compromise your QOL once again?

Thanks for taking the time to blog

Dave from the UK

Re: Crickets

cedarglen — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:47:57 -0000

Heck yes, QOL is important! Hope you enjoy a wonderful week with the mini-geek. I strongly suspect that the little one enjoys her TWD (Time with Daddy) just as much as yo do. And yes, that's a lot more important than the name or size of your flying metal... Go for it! -C.

Re: David Clamps…..ugggggh….had to send in my Bose A-20s

Geek — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:44:25 -0000

They are normally for GA, but they are also TSO'd so my airline puts them in all airplanes as standard equipment.

Re: David Clamps…..ugggggh….had to send in my Bose A-20s

Chris Paterson — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:34:48 -0000

I always thought David Clarks were for GA given their size!

Re: The hardest part of the job

Under The Jet Bridge — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:17:07 -0000

As ramp agents we spend a lot of time divulging the jet bridge code to pilots. Typically we see many pilots more than once (our airline runs a little differently) and we're a pretty tight-knit group on the operations side. We find that those pilots who regularly muck up our operations, or are rude or simply not very coherent in their directions, often get the incorrect code to the jet bridge. Oops. Call it a little tarmac justice but those pilots who really want their coffee in the morning find themselves stranded out with the rats.

Re: It just didn’t feel right

cedarglen — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:56:34 -0000

Two thoughts from t his decades-stale former pilot: 1) Great call on the go-around! Of course they are rare. When y ou're the one driving and YOU don't like whatever t he circumstance may be, going around is always the right choice. Duh? 2) Those FAA inspectors may be an annoyance at times, but I'm not sure why. They are honest, competent professionals just as as you are. Their objectives do not include violating or 'busting' x% of inspected pilots, but - just the same as yours, safety of flight - via compliance with SOPs, regulatons and rules. In the end, they are on your side - and my side and we all go home to our families at 5 - or when ever the work is done. Happy Landings!

Re: It just didn’t feel right

cedarglen — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:11:43 -0000

Good post and a great GA decision. Rarely needed, but always available. If you don't like the situation (or you're not stable and the book says, GA) do t he GA and get over it. That's why you have the license. Thanks for flying safe!

Re: It just didn’t feel right

Geek — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:05:46 -0000

I started on Microsoft Flight Sim 2.0...or whatever was around in 1989. The flight sim versions from FeelThere are pretty good...... Except for the cross wind stuff. Heck even the flight simulator I train on at my airline isn't that great. It flies like a simulator not an airplane. I've "landed" with a 30 knot cross wind in the sim that felt like 5 knots in the real plane.

That being said I do miss flying on the computer. I play around maybe once a month. I far prefer FS2004 over FSX.... And don't get me started on the new "Microsoft Flight " that just came out.

Re: It just didn’t feel right

Dave Willis — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:14:55 -0000

Love the snappy delivery and packed with detail!

How accurate is the sim in dealing with cross wind approaches and the asymetric lift? (I'm a fsx simmer so apologies if my terminology is way off the mark!)

All the Best!

Re: It just didn’t feel right

Giulia De Rosa — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:51:05 -0000

"It just didn't feel right..."
That's all the explanation I need, really...you're the professional.:)

Re: Spiraling down to the runway

Dave Willis — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:25:32 -0000

Hi there, may I add my congrats too - my wife and I have just celebrated our 7th anniversary in the Maldives - the symbol for the 7th is copper and she bought me a pair of propeller cufflinks made of - you've guessed it - copper!

I hope you were lucky in Vegas - in more ways than one! :)

As to the frequency of your blog - I would say you spoil us as you are more prolific than most and I for one enjoy the simple tales of your various legs (there's probably a pun here but I'm not going to make it!)

Keep the balance right and, as always, thanks for a great blog!

Dave from the UK

Re: Spiraling down to the runway

Geek — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:06:39 -0000

Thanks, it hasn't been easy being a husband, dad and pilot, but it's been fun. No regrets so far. Takes a lot of communication and patience.

Re: Spiraling down to the runway

pilotian — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:01:33 -0000

Congrats on the anniversary man! Love following the regional life you have as well.... Its weird to think I have read this blog for so long!

Re: March was good….but just look at April…seriously?

tim vino — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:57:13 -0000

love the posts! keep them comming!

Re: March was good….but just look at April…seriously?

tim vino — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:56:49 -0000

Keep up the good work. love the blogs!

Re: Ahhh who needs all that fancy FMS stuff?

Giulia De Rosa — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:56:45 -0000

I agree with Cedarglen (hi C!)...it's always better in the left seat. Best wishes from me too.

Re: March was good….but just look at April…seriously?

Giulia De Rosa — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:55:28 -0000

:( That 4 day trip doesn't seem like fun, especially since you just want to be with your family.

Hang in there. Just take it one day at a time and soak in the beautiful views you get "up there"...you are very very fortunate.

Here's hoping for a better May. :)

Re: Ahhh who needs all that fancy FMS stuff?

cedarglen — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:30:18 -0000

Thanks for another great post. I'm surprised that the FMS can be MEL'd, but I don't make the rules <grins>. WHen it is your turn to upgrade, gofoit! The reduction in QOL won't last long. Best wishes. -C. </grins>

Re: The light show

Giulia De Rosa — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:45:37 -0000

very pretty...and pretty awesome.

Thanks.

Re: Looking forward to going nowhere

cedarglen — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:37:56 -0000

Yup. I hear you about the SPAM and we damn sure don’t need any. A few sharp folks have embedded the address in English text such as : Johndoeatproviderwonderfuldotcom and let the user’s figure it out. (A couple of European friends have used something similar to this, reporting that the bots have yet to break through. Frankly, my comments are not essential, but I do want you to know that your posts are read. I enjoy them. Best wishes.
C. of Cedarglen

Re: Looking forward to going nowhere

Geek — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:24:13 -0000

Hmmm I'll see if I can add a contact button. Just gotta avoid bot spam
Sent from my iPad.....

Re: Looking forward to going nowhere

cedarglen — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:14:25 -0000

A great blog and one that I follow. The 'reply' function is often difficult, so you don't get much feedback. Know that your posts are read and enjoyed. You might consider displaying a Contact Button to some buried email address. Whatever. Great posts and I LIKE your focus on quality time with spouse and small daughter. Forty-some flights at that age is remarkable; she must be a superior flyer - just Daddy. Fun stuff, Geek and keep on posting...