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So, (-see: aeronautics, Computer etal, Electrical wiring/repair- ) and having an uncle who could explain this credibly to the powers that be and instead of picking school back up in the fall I went to work...
What can I say? They had air planes.
What they didn’t know is that they just turned a bonafide kid prodigy loose on an unknowing public. The youngest in my position by several years and youngest in the history of the company because they waived the standard 5 year experience requirement based of my prior experiences (see: aeronautics) , paid my moving costs, and trained me in the field….then sent me to the classroom.
What they didn’t know is that they just turned a bonafide kid prodigy loose on an unknowing public. The youngest in my position by several years and youngest in the history of the company because they waived the standard 5 year experience requirement based of my prior experiences (see: aeronautics) , paid my moving costs, and trained me in the field….then sent me to the classroom.
Trial by fire man. (kinda like throwing a COD player into live combat with real soldiers before bootcamp..but this player did actually know what he was doing and was quick to pick up what he didn't.)
I succeeded brilliantly in the classroom and returned to work unphased if a little full of myself and a touch little pickled.
All because my on site trainer was amazing and took me for what I was. Then he, and a handful of other folks on the night shift (that didn’t look at me like weirdo or in the way) drilled me hard with all of the info they could between flights.
The airport I worked at before September 11th 2001 had us focusing our terror feelers out to all possible threats. To avoid incidence.
Afterwards the focus of the search fields for the security screenings became much more narrow. There was more assuaging the fears of lynch mobs after that.
I, and many others in the same or higher positions, trained TSA agents while they were still trying to figure out what name to put on the door.
And supervised them as they took over.
I have a little bit of practical experience when it comes to Homeland Security.
I even had an arm guard to watch my back so I could perform my job duties for a bit.
Sometimes I cleared armed guards to do their jobs.
I left because of a hostile work environment. (-see : human rights law-)
Union Politics aside I loved working at the airport and I spent years on the same aiport learning how to do every ground job I could convince them to let me do...or was forced to do by circumstance.
So...by the numbers.
And keep in mind some of this was before computers and internets were as wide spread, fast, and reliable as they are today. Pretty much they were just used for data transmission and the odd weather map.
And keep in mind some of this was before computers and internets were as wide spread, fast, and reliable as they are today. Pretty much they were just used for data transmission and the odd weather map.
Weather Broadcasting
- Give the pilots the most up to date info you can, nothing more than two hours old. Respond, appropriately, on the ground to inclement weather conditions.
Baggage Handling
- From you to the aircraft and back.
That whole thing about baggage handlers kickin’ your shit?
That’s only kinda true.
Yeah you get a disgruntled handler from time to time who takes it out on a bag. But you want to talk about underappreciated? Temperatures hot enough that in most places they would call you off for heat warnings. Or so cold that you have to keep yourself and the equipment moving so that things don’t freeze in place.
Put those variables together and see if you don’t have a few hot tempers from time to time.
The real truth about your bag being “kicked” is that there is a whole aircraft full of people that “only brought the essentials” and you, as the baggage handler, only have so much time to move all of it from point A to point B.
Along with the cargo.
The real truth about your bag being “kicked” is that there is a whole aircraft full of people that “only brought the essentials” and you, as the baggage handler, only have so much time to move all of it from point A to point B.
Along with the cargo.
Before people start getting upset and antsy.
Not to mentions "bags may shift in flight"
So if you, as the traveler, didn’t pack your bag to take a couple of knocks, that’s on you.
And if you don’t think that’s fair, buy the insurance.
Cargo Handling
- Different from baggage because of all of the extra rules and regs when handling some of that stuff. Sometimes that stuff is just weird, sometimes it's yearbooks.
Sometimes includes live animals…
Sometimes includes live animals…
….more like schrodinger's cat than one would like.
“How was your morning?”
“How was your morning?”
“Dead puppy in with the strollers.”
“Coffee?”
Customer Service
- The thing they never can really prepare you for ahead of time for is: how to help someone get from one side of the country to the other while a loved one is riding underneath. I always took my hat off when HR (human remains) were unloaded or loaded.
That, in all honesty, is how the bill of my first bat-hat (I have seven of these) snapped.
Unloaded someone for their funeral, put my hat in my back pocket to do so. Then forgot to take it out when I went to sit down.
Unloaded someone for their funeral, put my hat in my back pocket to do so. Then forgot to take it out when I went to sit down.
When asked, I usually tell people it happened in a sword fight. Easier to play off and a lot less emotional weight when at a dinner party. I give the same story for most of the scars on my face.
Forgetting to take your hat out of your pocket while keeping your emotions in check just doesn’t sound as cool.
Security Checkpoint Supervision
- I’ve seen your underwear and some other unmentionables. There is a reason they are called unmentionables you sniggering ass hat.
Terminal and Airport wide announcements. -see : public speaking-
I think I recycled every Simpsons prank call there was at the time and a few jerky boys bits that I thought I could get away with. But in all honestly, no guns, soldiers, metal detectors, extra screenings, or any of that other crap broke the tension in a few hundred nervous fliers like a bit of song and dance and a good laugh.
The Hot Seat
Think about being the central coordinating hub for several departments, simultaneously, in real time while also communicating with other stations all over the country. Yeah, I worked late nights when it was quieter mostly, but I sat in that chair for my fair share of rush hours and storms.
Overnight Mail House
Christmas time was the best time.
Busy all night!
Dunno how much more support your troops you can get than that.
“Santa says he’s welcome. <3”
Ramp Crew Supervision
Co-ordinate all of the people doing the various bits around an airplane.
Now do it like a formula one pit crew with a spotless safety record.
Concerning the equipment, passengers, and aircraft.
De-Ice/Anti-Ice Crew
Make planes safe to fly in middle of snow/ice storms.
Don’t screw up when mixing your solution.
No Pressure.
Aircraft servicing
Lots of poop, and cleaning products.
Huge amounts of electricity and giant fans...also
...a lot of seats checked under for bombs...Still a little twitchy about seats with removable cushions in public...but ya know.
Handicapable and all that.
Training
See above: Now teach it to other people.
