34 year flying anniversary

[cowpatz]

Just celebrating, with a few glasses of a fine Shiraz, 34 years of flying with Air NZ. I started 18th Aug 1986 aged 26 years. This was my second period of employment with Air as I spent 6 years as an aircraft engineer.So I have been institutionalised now for over 40 years!
The first flying mission was to master the Mighty Fokker &27 Friendship. the cockpit on the 100 series was ancient by comparison to what was on offer in general aviation at the time. Still it was a trustworthy beast.

It as amazing how the time has flown (excuse the pun). Many of my fellow intake course colleagues have either retired, close to it or considering going early given the current state of aviation.

[goingboeing]

Congrats CP that’s a career to be proud of mate, I was looking forward to doing a duty with you but and hopefully I’ll get to some time in the near future.

The f27 friendship is what made me want to be a pilot initially and being allowed in the flight deck in the good old days had me bitten by the flying bug.

My path to the jets was somewhat longer given the world events of the last 15 years and I finally got to helm the 777 For a year before Covid.

The thing thats awesome about your generation of pilots is the aircraft you’ve all flown. 737 classics 747s 767s etc “real planes”

Congrats again, I know the hard work involved in getting there and staying there.

Cheers James

[Splitpin]

CP, What a great diversion from all the present hype.
34 years is a milestone indeed ...three thumbs up from(myself and the lads) here Sir.
Lifting a glass of Wolf Blass 2017 Pinot ....something to you Sir.
"the thing thats awesome about your generation of pilots is the aircraft you’ve all flown. 737 classics 747s 767s etc “real planes”

[NZ255]

Congrats!

[Aharon]

Happy 34th anniversary to you

I never knew you are real world F27 Fokker and 777 pilot!! What is your favorite inter New Zealand flight?

Regards,

Aharon

[chopper_nut]

That's pretty impressive mate, well done. Curious, what did you do in the GA world before joining AirNZ? I think you need to contribute to the biography section....

[cowpatz]

Congrats CP that’s a career to be proud of mate, I was looking forward to doing a duty with you but and hopefully I’ll get to some time in the near future.

The f27 friendship is what made me want to be a pilot initially and being allowed in the flight deck in the good old days had me bitten by the flying bug.

My path to the jets was somewhat longer given the world events of the last 15 years and I finally got to helm the 777 For a year before Covid.

The thing thats awesome about your generation of pilots is the aircraft you’ve all flown. 737 classics 747s 767s etc “real planes”

Congrats again, I know the hard work involved in getting there and staying there.

Cheers James

Thanks James. As you know a career i aviation is all about timing. I was fortunate enough to fly some great aircraft for sure and even the 747-200 with flight engineers.
What are you up at the moment?

[cowpatz]

That's pretty impressive mate, well done. Curious, what did you do in the GA world before joining AirNZ? I think you need to contribute to the biography section....

Yeah I will get around to it. Pretty busy with a building project at the moment.

[hoki1185]

Legend Cowpatz.Great to have you inspiring us 'pretenders'.Question:I notice a few Real World pilots on this site.Don't you get enough doing the real thing?What is the attraction for you in flightsim?Still find a smile for your posting of you at a Chicago airport hotel with your binocs and a plane spotters guide.The ultimate consummate.

[cowpatz]

Legend Cowpatz.Great to have you inspiring us 'pretenders'.Question:I notice a few Real World pilots on this site.Don't you get enough doing the real thing?What is the attraction for you in flightsim?Still find a smile for your posting of you at a Chicago airport hotel with your binocs and a plane spotters guide.The ultimate consummate.

At the moment flight sim is the only way I can stay current. Thanks to Covid 19 I havent flown for around 8 weeks. The 777s are being mothballed for 2 years. It looks like a 787 course in late October but the line training component will probably not be until next year due limited sectors being flown and the training backlog.

[SA227]

Great pic of BXH and parked on the old gate 16 at Wellington I think.

Brings back memories of heading out head down into a howling northerly or southerly carrying the loadsheet out to the Fokkers.
Tap on the fuselage and shout the take off weight to the captain when he opened the window. Head down to the rear stairs, get the head count off the flight attendant, who sometimes got confused between a 40 and 48 seater F27
Back the flight deck with the final loadsheet then back to the office to recover..............fun times.