The Load Out....jackson Brown

[ktflyhome]

Just a little "ditty" from Kt, soon to be a former F/A.

When I was first hired on, after graduation, 1/2 of our class was sent to the great BWI base(most senior/eldest), the other 1/2 to DCA(most junior/youngest). I stayed at BWI for 9 months and transferred to PIT when the base opened up. I was closer to home.

I got a crash pad at Colony(cologny) West in Moon Township with 12 other F/A's. All of us on Reserve. We all had cots and our own special little box to store our personal belongings. We had our "Mother", Ceci who took care of payments, utilities and phone. We each paid her every month. She had quite a responsibility. She was from El Paso and called herself an #### from El Paso. Wonderful, loving, kind, engergetic woman.

I was nicknamed "Ginger" from the start. I guess my hair and looks reminded her of Ginger from Gilligan's Island.

Anyway, my point being, she introduced me to a great song by Jackson Brown called the LOAD OUT followed up with WHY DON'T YOU STAY.

Can't paste and post the lyrics, but it so reminscent of our jobs as F/A's and Pilots. I have the CD and if anyone has it.....if you are so inclined, take a moment to listen to these 2 songs. It does say alot about what Crews go through.

I have always remembered Ceci and those crash pad days and all of us sitting around waiting for Scheduling to call, eating crackers and sharing our lives with one another.

kt

 

[PITbull]

You are courageous person and an inspiration and light to all of us, my dear friend.

Always and regards,

 

[aerosmith]

Thats one of my all time favorite songs. Ahh the memories.

 

[TransatlanticFlyGuy]

Kind of reminds me of the days when I got hired and all the young ones went to PIT. We all lived together at Thorn Run Apts in Moon. Man those were the days, things at US were great, we were all in our young 20s, not a care in the world, and oh the fun we all had! I will look back at those times as some of the best of my lives.

 

[ktflyhome]

I kind of started this thread as a means to reminisce. I figure it this way...if 50 year old fellas can still sit around and talk all day about that day at the High School football game where they went 60 yards for that touchdown that won the game. Or that day on the golf course where they got a "hole in one" after they had had a 12 pack......I figure...it is all right for us to remember 'OUR TIMES" too!!!!

Frankly, everyone......we in this Industry ALL have wonderful memories to share and remember and laugh and cry about. It has been our comradership, memories and contributions that has many still keeping up the HOPE. In my OHO, there are none better, then the employees at U.

 

[Furloughd4now]

I was based in PHL, at the condos in Essington. I swear the whole block was U FAs and Pilots. Although I shared a place with "only" 4 other FAs (one was a real part-timer so really 3 others) there were two places at the end of the street that was a crash pad like yours KT with bunk beds. I forgot the name of the woman who ran it, but she even had a beater car to take folks to the A/P

It was right down the street from THE LAGOON! Everyone who's been to Philli, has been to the Lagoon.

Anywho, when I finally settled in there I had some of THE BEST times! We'd have block parties. The most memorable one was on 9/12, everyone was there saying goodby in their own way (mostly vodka), It was so sad yet, the comraderie was so tight you couldn't break us apart. I (sadly) moved from there January of this year, most likely never to return.

But I have formed some of the closest friendships with people that will endure. That's what always amazed me about being flight crew was the realtight friendships that you developed.

Best of Luck to all of us at U and let's try to keep our chins up!

 

[Furloughd4now]

For you KT

Baby i guess you know my story
Baby i guess you know my side
It seems i've traded love for glory
But i'm still not satisfied

Given all the years
All the cries and cheers
Don't amount to much more than pride
Take my love for you
Take tomorrow too
There's not much left inside

How we laughed when we first knew love
Singing dum-de-lum-de-lie
I taught you how to see life through love
Then i taught you how to cry
And though i must have known
How easily love is thrown
I took some chances, i don't know why
There's not much you can do
You wish that i'd been true
Darlin' so do i

Now you better hold out
Go on and hold out
Go ahead and hold out
For what you know love can be
Move on and hold out
Don't let your love be sold out
If there's anyone who knows about it

 

[TransatlanticFlyGuy]

So FAs and pilots out there, what are some of your fondest memories from being out on the line. OK, ill go first
Back as a new hire, myself and 2 others from my class got quick called for one of our first trips...one leg to SNA and a 35hr layover. We were told that we would never see trips like this! WOOHOO! Well needless to say were ever so excited as 2 of us had never even seen the west coast.
After getting to the hotel and eyeing the great rooms(cmon guys and gals, yall know the hotel im talking about, the one with the stool to get up on that wonderful bed! LOL), we packed our beach gear and headed in a taxi to Newport Beach and all the excitement that the California shore had to offer. After a few cocktails at a beach bar and walking up and down the beach and the piers, we decided to catch some rays. Being September we all were in agreement that the sun should not be so bad and that we didnt need any sun protection..."oh we arent gonna be out there too long". Well ALL of us fell asleep on our stomachs and three hrs later we woke up sunburned beyond belief. Our backs and the backs of our legs were fried! We each spent the rest of the 24hrs we had in SNA in our lovely california king size beds. I can not describe how brutal it was to put on that polyester uniform the day we left and have to work all day. I still to this day shiver, when I think of the pain we endured on the flight back to PIT. But i still look back at those 2 days and smile! Memories guys! Thats what makes this job so fun. Dont ever forget them. We have the best group of folks here, and I am truely blessed to have you as family and I hope to for many years to come.

 

[usacrew3]

Ill never forget being in training and getting ready to do my first flight. The instructors told my friend Jim and myself that we would be working on an MD 80 so we went to his room that night and we studied phases 1 and 2 of that airplane. We knew where to find the oxygen bottles, we knew where the first aid kit was located, we knew how many exits were on those suckers and we knew where to find the onboard wheelchair. There was nothing about those planes we didn't know. I think we even practiced how to demo for the flight.
So we got up first thing in the morning, put on our suits and made our way to gate A6 in Pit. We could not believe our eyes when we got to the gate and saw a 737 300 parked there, they did an aircraft swap! You have never seen two grown men so scared, poor Jim had to run off and have a cigarette!!
Needless to say, we had a blast on the plane all day long and got rave reviews from the passengers even the ones who abused us when they saw our" Im in Training" sticker!! Those were the days, the best days at US Airways!

 

[DCD]

I forgot the name of the woman who ran it, but she even had a beater car to take folks to the A/P

[post="183803"][/post]​

Hendrica?

 

[Furloughd4now]

Hendrica?

[post="183893"][/post]​

YEPPERS!

 

[ktflyhome]

Hendrica??? Wonder what stories she could tell.......

 

[ISP]

Although sad, I think this is one of the best posts I have ever read on this forum. I can't imagine how many stories there are from all your years of service, and I'd love to hear some more.

On a side note - pathetic that US closed SNA. The only reason it happened was because they couldn't "express" it because it was on the west coast. All of us know that that route WAS profitable, regardless of what the dumb press release said.

I assume SAN will be next in line, followed closely by SEA.

 

[Light Years]

There are SO many stories... I know I have a million... but not on this forum.

 

[Doc]

This is what they want us to do go back to having crash pads, living at home,
Why are they so blind to not understand that we are in our 40's and 50's ++++
children, homes, we cannot go back to the 70's and 80's money wise we have to much to lose where they just move on.....It is very sad state of affairs when there no compassion for the labor in this country our republican government will not have any compassion for our plight nor will the public (until the fares go up) then the public will whine but it will be to late..

All that will be left is our great memories from PSA. Piedmont. And USAirways
Which there are many it was a great ride and I have met some wonderful people out there at a lot of stations. To all employees I wish the best of luck and hope that one day what goes around comes around (concerning all our past executives) may you all pay a heavy price. I may sound bitter but is how I feel…….

I will miss all of you.