Airport Photos II: caution: large images

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 06:41am

The husband came along this time, so we've now got some photos of me as well as other people.

This is me, the airplane, the flight school owner, and a line "boy". Obviously, some of those "boys" are long in the tooth!

I'm the shorter, stockier one on the right in jeans and tie-dye. And yes, that's the airplane I've been flying all summer.

Intersting bit about this picture. You know how women primp for photos? You know - "Oh, I have to straighten out my hair", "Oh, my shirt is wrinkled, let me fix that", that sort of thing? C didn't do that. Oh, no. She was worried about the airplane. "Stand here - I don't want that scrape to show." "Oh, there's bug guts here, let me get that off..." Spit-on-the-fingers-and-wipe-the-grease-off. Forget how she looks, all she cares about is the airplane. Yep, we're all pilots first out here.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 06:45am

Here's me digging around looking for something. I told the husband no more pictures of my butt, so this was his "solution".

Remember, I'm shorter than average. While I can walk under that wing without needing to duck most other people can't.

In the background you can see how flat the terrain is around here. That's why you can shoot off a runway while learning to control these airplanes without excessive risk of getting hurt.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 06:54am

This is me and J. I hope he likes the view of the back of my head, since he's betting get hours of that all summer. Pilots have a reputation for massive, massive egos... so why is it so hard to get a clear shot of us? It seems we're always hiding behind something. Anyhow, you've got a good shot of headsets and visors - J has a baseball cap and I've got a "Bacardi Rum" visor I picked up at a charity motorcyle drive, both to to keep the sun out of our eyes. Those straps going from me to the ceiling are part of the safety harness. When you're strapped in you're really strapped in - you have lap belt and two shoulder straps.

The strutwork you see above me is part of the support skeleton for the airplane. I've found getting in and out is easier if you grab hold of that and use it help you get in and out. Someone recently asked me if it's really strong enough to hold me up. I sure hope so - that's what supports the airplane in flight! It has to hold up about a ton of mass in up to 5.5 g's. I don't think little ol' me is a problem.

Two people really fill up this airplane, don't they?

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 06:56am

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 06:58am

Special thanks to Mrs Kendall for loaning me part of her PhotoBucket account.

Mrs Kendall · Post by **Mrs Kendall** » 2005-08-24 09:03am

Oh Hun, you don't have to say that

As I said I'm happy to help

But thanks and you're very welcome

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-08-24 10:48am

Those are nice pictures, is there any room for you and passengers while the instructer is inside or is it 2 seats only?

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2005-08-24 01:33pm

This 'C' person isn't to bad looking. She wouldn't by chance be single, and attracted to other pilots would she?

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 07:41pm

Ace Pace wrote:Those are nice pictures, is there any room for you and passengers while the instructer is inside or is it 2 seats only?

2 seats only.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 07:44pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:This 'C' person isn't to bad looking. She wouldn't by chance be single, and attracted to other pilots would she?

Yes, she is attracted to other pilots, most particularly her husband of a couple decades. You do realize she's old enough to be your mother? I think her youngest is about your age. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, May-December romances can be quite sweet. Except, of course, her husband may not be too happy about that....

There are very, very few single female pilots, and those that are single tend not to stay that way for long. The exceptions are few and far between.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-08-24 07:48pm

Because they get snapped up by all the male single pilots?

Looking at the plane, I was thinking that the Citibara looks plenty wide but 1-1 seating..

You have leg room, yes?

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 08:08pm

Yes, the women get snapped up by the men - in the US, the ratio of male to female pilots is something like 20:1 which gives even socially maladapted geeks a fighting chance. A LOT of the guys are divorced, sometimes over aviation issues, so the prospect of a woman who likes aviation is pretty damn attractive to them.

As for the airplane seating... The Citabria is very roomy in width relative to, say, a Cessna 150 with two people in it, but then, it only needs to be one person wide. Yes, I have ample leg room. In fact, I have so much leg room I am now using two extra cushions behind my back so I can reach the rudder pedals properly. The guy behind me has lots of leg room, too, even if his feet are resting to either side of my thighs* and I have to tuck in the ends of my lap belt to make sure they don't get tangled up with his use of the rudders.

* which sounds kinky, but isn't. Really.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2005-08-24 08:11pm

Broomstick wrote:You do realize she's old enough to be your mother? I think her youngest is about your age.

Is her youngest a she, and if so does she fly, and is she hot?

Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, May-December romances can be quite sweet. Except, of course, her husband may not be too happy about that....

Don't worry, it is the true desire of every father that their daughter marry a pilot, especially a stud pilot like myself.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2005-08-24 08:11pm

Why is that line boy using a Saws all on your frigging PLANE? Or is that a blow dryer?

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2005-08-24 08:12pm

WP: Down boy!

Broom: Very nice photos. Wish I hadn't missed the other airport pics thread...

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2005-08-24 08:14pm

Chardok wrote:Why is that line boy using a Saws all on your frigging PLANE? Or is that a blow dryer?

He's putting gas in it. The fueling points are on top of the wings. You can see the truck behind him, and the static grounding line running from it to the aircraft.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 08:29pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
Broomstick wrote:You do realize she's old enough to be your mother? I think her youngest is about your age.
Is her youngest a she, and if so does she fly, and is she hot?

A she.

No, flying is something old farts like her parents do. Very uncool.

Not being attracted to women, it's hard for me to judge "hotness", but she does take rather strongly after her mother.

Use caution when attempting attachments, romantic or otherwise - the parents are used to dealing with "stud pilots" (C has hers wrapped securely around her little finger) and will not find your abilities over impressive.

Don't worry, it is the true desire of every father that their daughter marry a pilot, especially a stud pilot like myself.

Your modesty underwhelms me.

Yes, the father of the young'un in question is hoping all his offspring marry pilots just like dear old dad. Or mom. As both of them fly.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 08:39pm

Elheru Aran wrote:WP: Down boy!

Broom: Very nice photos. Wish I hadn't missed the other airport pics thread...

Do you mean this thread?

(Note that I have finally learned how to properly dress a link!)

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-08-24 08:43pm

Congragulations on dressing links

It took me 3 years to do it.

Okey, more random questions, eating/drinking in the flight, esspecially long flights, how do you handle this?

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-24 09:02pm

Mainly by not comtemplating the eating habits of the guy I'm sitting in front of. He has some seriously guy eating mannerisms that totally freak out the girly side of me. Just the sound effects coming over the intercom can give me the willies.

(Yes, I have a girly side. Once in awhile it comes out.)

But more seriously, I have noticed a definite lack of cupholders in this vehicle.

If one does not wish to stop at airports with restaurants, there is an area in the back in which one could put a cooler or even a small, lightweight grill or campstove. (There is a weight limit for cargo, it's advisable to stay within it). One could then stop for a picnic at a suitable landing area. There is no reason you couldn't eat and drink while in flight (although use of campstoves is NOT advised!), particularly with two people so one could fly while the other was eating. Because J tends to get booked solid he does sometimes eat his lunch while I'm doing the "driving". Courtesy (and the owner) does ask that you pick up any debris left at the end of the flight and take it with you. Also preferable you do not spill fluids on the instruments, as it tend to attract pests while the airplane is stored and I, for one, do not appreciate sticky aircraft. Probably not good for the gauges and electrics, either, but I'm sure they've been puked on at least once and probably more than that.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-08-25 07:01am

Chardok wrote:Why is that line boy using a Saws all on your frigging PLANE? Or is that a blow dryer?

Chardok, dear, why are you in an airplane thread? I thought we went over this last time.... I just don't want to upset you, poor thing.

And that's not a saws all - it's one of those portable handheld sewing machine to sew up a rip in the cloth wing.

(no, no seriously, it's not - Wicked already covered what's really going on)

(And we use duct tape to make temporary repairs on the wing, not portable sewing machines)

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-08-25 07:03am

Though the idea of portable sewing machines being used in an airport brings an halerious image in my mind.

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2005-08-25 11:24am

Now that you've flown the Citabria, you're ready to talk your husband into buying a WW2 surplus R4-D or Fieseler Storch to tool around in.