Saturday, December 09, 2006

Pearson, and K&W area


I arrived early from my flight from Detroit so I went to Pearson and checked in about 3 hours before my flight. I was sitting eating when this guy pulled up to the gate. Its poor lighting but I like how the light shines on the Westjet logo on the roof and the winglet. I was flying on Westjet this evening and I must say that it was seriously one of the most enjoyable flights ever. Minus the soccer team of 15 year old boy's and girl's being loud and obnoxious the whole time. But first of all I arrived early and had no line to wait in to check my bag. I got the emergency aisle window seat. The one on the left side that is a regular seat not the right side where it has the hard partition for the table tray as there is no seat in front of you. At the boarding gate they called pre-boards and anyone sitting in the emergency exit rows. This was a first ever for me and I slowly approached the counter to give the agent my boarding pass. I hated people that used to come up when I called pre-boarding and you asked if they needed extra time or assistance and they would say no. People turn into helpless sheep in an airport for some reason. Just read signs and listen attentively :)

Anyways I asked the agent to confirm she called emergency exit guests as well and she said yes. I was like sweeet ! I was the only one too because the flight was about 75 percent full but it seemed everyone was packed into the back. Anyways it was great to walk down the bridge by myself, no line to wait in. Then walk to my seat not waiting for people to go through their carry on's as they are taking up the aisle. I sound like an impatient prick and I guess I am but the reason most of all that its not an efficient process is that people don't workshop the process. Know that you want to read your book so while you waste an hour in the boarding lounge have it out already. Take your jacket off before you get on so you can throw it in the overhead bin quickly with the bag. Don't do up your seatbelt if you are the only person in the row and are in the middle or aisle as the odds of someone having to make you move so they can get in are pretty good on most flights. When you sit down take the time to familiarize yourself with the type of setup the tv's have and where to plug in your earphones. I was on a Jazz flight and the lady put her ear phone socket in the electrical outlet on the seat back (was a new jet with the laptop plug in). She then asked the flight attendant why it wasn't working. I mean just look at others and ask your neighbor. Then when its a night flight and they dim the lights be sure to look before you push the overhead light switch as to not hit the flight attendant call button. Also if seated in an emergency exit row please don't be the guy like the one in the other aisle from me when the flight attendant comes to give her legally required briefing about the operation and use of the exit. She says are you aware that you are seated in an emergency exit and are comfortable with opening it in the event of an emergency ? She has to give you the speil even if you have sat there 5 million times (and have not been already on the plane that day and been briefed already that day). So she asks him the question and he then rambles on about I have sat here a million times, yeah I know fire water blah blah blah open the door blah blah blah. Those were his words. Now thanks for wasting 1 a minute of her time jack ass now shut up and let her do her job. My blood pressure must have went through the roof and I was ready to just unleash.

Ok why I just went off for no reason I don't know. Just some of the things I notice alll the time. I am fortunate to airline a lot but I always tried to figure stuff out when it was a new environment and not assume I know how it works and plug my headset into a live electrical outlet !!! I mean it looks like an outlet !

Anyways back to my great Westjet flight. So the girl doing the announcement is brand new and this is one of her first flights. She was really good and after her announcements the Captain came on saying, nice job Bridgette, which got quite a few laughs. It wasn't the usual lame humour it was just people having fun at what they do and it showed. So take off and cruise all is well and then the Captain made another announcement again with a few jokes and they were pretty good. He then forgot to switch back to the comm radios and let everyone in the back know we were flying a heading of 120 and were cleared to 3000 feet. Then he came on and said oops on the pa. So final approach and just about to touch down I was looking and thinking oh yeah this is gonna be a good one. Then the rate of descent wasn't really checked and we hit like a 120,000 pounds of bricks dropped from 50 feet. Then after the landing announcement the Captain came on the PA and said that it must be the pavement here that caused the landing.

Then to continue my great flight I waited at the baggage carousel and then the buzzer went. The first damn bag down the shute was mine ! I couldn't believe it. I waited for like 3 minutes. Efficiency gets me hot ;)




Like their advertisement says. Virgin- everyone remembers their first time :) Enough said


CRJ705 departing RWY 23 at Toronto Pearson. Is that you Svets ?


This thing was climbing like a homesick angel as you can see from the angle of it. Must have been heading east and was trying to save on distance and trying to get the turn early eastbound.


Not here but in YYC this was the office. Who wouldn't want to work here ? Honestly


A snow covered Kitchener from 10,000 feet. These where streamers off the lake and as you can see they are in perfect little lines cause snow showers in localized spots.



For all you Sleeman's Beer drinkers this is the city you have helped pay taxes in. A little further to the bottom right of the frame is Sleeman's Brewery. They make fine Canadian beer with no additives or preservatives only great taste goes in the bottle. Guelph is about 8-10 miles east of Kitchener.


Dash 8-100 for Air Canada Jazz taxiing out into the sunset from Terminal 1.


CRJ 100 or 200 at the gate T-1. I can't tell the difference between a 100 or 200 I just know I would rather not fly on either. They are cramped inside and have small overhead bins. Sorry Svets I know they are your fav to fly over the 705.


2 Jazz Dash's are getting ready to go. I love watching the turbo props. They remind me of working in Kelowna and the great 2 summers I spent loading and unloading them.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

You should have a kid! Then you get to board first every time!! It's great.

Lost Av8r said...

That's some big time blogging buddy. Nice photos and good stories. What a way to make a living eh? Clinky!

Anonymous said...

Thanks, FD. Great range of pics. Are you sure you're not Santa doing a dry run?!
Cheers.

Flyin Dutchman said...

Hey WY,

Good to hear from you as usual. A little more variety this time as the weather wasn't co-operating most of the time for air to ground shots.

There were a few major systems blowing through during my days on so I had to focus on other things to fill the blog space up.

Merry Christmas to you and Happy New Year !

FD

Anonymous said...

Who was running baggage when you were there? It is in house now that's it's Air Canada? It was a contract gig when I was there in 1991/1992 run by Ray and Doreen (I think those were their names). That was back when it was Canadian Airlines though with 737s, Dash-8s and the odd F-28 here and there. Good times as a rampie though.
-dr

Flyin Dutchman said...

I worked for both sides, KRS and D&R in 98-00. D&R did Canadian Regional, Westjet, some other charter outfits. KRS was airBC,CMA,Air Canada. It has grown so much there air traffic wise since its unbelieveable.

Cheers

Unknown said...

air canada jazz isnt that crampted

Flyin Dutchman said...

I am talking about the CRJ 100-200 series. It is cramped.

Too bad government hand outs keep Bombardier in business like the soon to be automakers of North America. Survival of the fittest not the survival of whomever has the government ear.