Community Chat

[AuntG]

I've never seen anything like this. If I knew someone who was flying, I would track them too.

[drizzellla]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

Just out of high school I applied to the airlines...I wanted to be a stewardess....I got the standard letter, it was code for I was to heavy!  I was 5.5 and probably 130 lbs........ I love the atmosphere of an airline and was so disappointed in the rejection.  @BirdieGal  Safe flight for you hubby! 

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My cousin wanted to work for Pan Am as a stewardess. She wanted the job so bad. She went to 4 years at Carnegie Mellon and majored in Spanish. So she could work on Intenational flights. Right before she graduated college Pan Am went out of business. Sad to see her work so hard and not have it work out.

[YorkieonmyPillow]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

@BirdieGal...this was in the early 70's...when it was fun to fly....you got dressed up, and flying was not the pain it is today.

I also wanted to enlist in the Peace Crop.....no college degree, so they wouldn't take me either, ha!

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My hubs was in the Peace Corps. @BirdieGal

[BirdieGal]

@YorkieonmyPillow

OUTSTANDING! I thank him for HIS service and all he has done. 

My DH was in the army, but I was 6 years old at the time! 🤣

[Lindsays Grandma]

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@BirdieGal wrote:

@Lindsays Grandma

Thank you, but it’s okay if nobody is interested. Yes, DH is a pilot. He is based in LAX. His trip originated today from Orange County and went to Phoenix. From there an all nighter to Boston. 

He always gives me his flight numbers in case I want to watch. 

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How cool is that, I didn't know they could do that.  I dated a man many years ago who had a pilot's license and on our second date he wanted to take me for a spin.  Me of all people who was afraid of flying but I did it anyway.  It was a short flight, flew over my house and I'll admit looking down over the San Fernando Valley was a beautiful sight to see.  That was the start of many flights until one time the turbulence was so bad I thought my life was over but we got to the Van Nuys Airport in one piece. Oh the memories.

[BirdieGal]

@drizzellla

Thank you so much for your wonderful story. And thank you for liking seeing DH on his trip. 

And no, it isn’t always easy. Leaving is the hardest part for him. Once he is gone he is truly in his element. He has been flying since he was 11 years old.

He stopped international flying a few years ago, mostly deep South America. He kept bringing home horrible things we would all catch as well. The last one, our son and daughter as well as DH and I were so very sick. We all stayed downstairs in the family room together. None of us could move we hurt so badly. No chance at all of going upstairs and we wanted to be able to help the kids. 

He went back to domestic soon after that. Although he does fly to Mexico City several times a month but luckily has never gotten sick. But MEXICO is not considered international in the industry.

Hes on his way to Miami as we speak.

I always laugh, when our daughter was little and she would ask where daddy was going (he was actually based in MIA at the time, yeah we live in CA) she would ask...

”Is that YOUR AMI or MOMMY’s AMI?”

We still reference that to this day!

[akaburtonfan]

I love flightaware. Every time my son flies some where I track his flight. 

[BirdieGal]

@Lindsays Grandma

Well small world. I am originally from SO. CAL. In fact I met my husband there. I got a job at a flight school for the summer after graduating high school, before starting college. 

My brother was taking flying lessons at the time and mentioned that they were hiring for a new scheduler. I applied and got the job.

That is where we met. He would take me flying all the time. He also had some very high profile students and I would get to go with them on flights in rather larger planes. 

He was a flight instructor as well as their ground instructor. Prior to that he had been an air traffic controller in Burbank. He was working at the flight school because he was one of those infamous  Patco members who went on strike and was fired by President Reagan. Long before I knew him, we are 12 years apart.

I worked there all summer, full time until I started college. Then only part time or less. It wasn’t long before he was hired by the airline.

Our first date he flew me to a Disneyland for the day. Second date to Solvang. I mean...come on, talk about trying to impress a gal!

[Lindsays Grandma]

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@BirdieGal wrote:

@Lindsays Grandma

Well small world. I am originally from SO. CAL. In fact I met my husband there. I got a job at a flight school for the summer after graduating high school, before starting college. 

My brother was taking flying lessons at the time and mentioned that they were hiring for a new scheduler. I applied and got the job.

That is where we met. He would take me flying all the time. He also had some very high profile students and I would get to go with them on flights in rather larger planes. 

He was a flight instructor as well as their ground instructor. Prior to that he had been an air traffic controller in Burbank. He was working at the flight school because he was one of those infamous  Patco members who went on strike and was fired by President Reagan. Long before I knew him, we are 12 years apart.

I worked there all summer, full time until I started college. Then only part time or less. It wasn’t long before he was hired by the airline.

Our first date he flew me to a Disneyland for the day. Second date to Solvang. I mean...come on, talk about trying to impress a gal!

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I'm originally from New York, moved to CA, the San Fernando Vallley, Northridge in 1965 and lived there for 40 years. My last job was with Warner Bros. in Burbank, moved to AZ in 2006 and miss CA every single day.  By the way, American Airlines became my favorite way to fly.  That turbulence I mentioned happened over the Gorman(sp) Pass, was told it would be mild but let me tell you, my friend had one heck of a job keeping that plane flying straight, we bounced up, down and sideways.  At one point he asked me if I was alright and I said yes (but I wasn't) and he said okay, can you please take your nails out of my leg...I didn't realize I was digging my nails in his leg.  The day after that flight he informed me he went back and checked the plane because the gas tank indicated we had only 10 more minutes of flying time, the reserve tank never kicked over.  There was a leak and the side of the plane showed where the gas was leaking from the tank.  So I can say God was with us on that flight. Heavy turbulence, gas leaking from the tank and the reserve tank not kicking over leaving us with ten minutes of flying time when we finally landed in Van Nuys.  It was a rented  plane and he contacted the owner to let him know he wasn't very happy about the gas tank.

It seems your husband was destined to fly and I would imagine it isn't easy being married to a pilot.  Having to worry about him and being away from home a lot.  Maybe being away isn't such a bad thing, it gives  each one space which is not so bad after all.  How nice to have met you, I look forward to seeing more of you here  on the boards.  By the way my name is Elizabeth.  Happy posting.

[BirdieGal]

@Lindsays Grandma

Wow! First of all what a scary occurrence. Good thing he managed to get the plane safely down. I am more than familiar with Gorman pass. Every time I decide to drive down south it is part of the route. Of course it is much improved from long ago. I remember my mother always being terrified of it.

It is not always easy to have DH away, especially in the early years. But now there are much easier ways to communicate and I can see his progress so there’s more peace of mind. 

I think our days apart make us appreciate all of the days we have together. It’s not too bad really. He is usually gone 3 maybe 4 days a week. And when he is home it’s all day and night, not like a 9-5 job. He retires in a few years so then he will be underfoot! Well he actually plans on teaching at the college part-time in their aviation dept. 

And THANK YOU! It is very nice to meet you as well. We are still in CA but far north. It nice up here. Thank you Elizabeth, my name is Randi.