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Guess which airline this flight attendant works for?

A guy sitting at an airport bar in Calgary noticed a beautiful woman sitting next to him. He thought to himself: "Wow, she is so gorgeous she must be a flight attendant! But which airline does she work for?"

Hoping to gain her attention, he leaned toward her and uttered the Delta Slogan: "Love to fly and it shows?" She gave him a blank, confused stare and he immediately thought to himself: "Nope, not Delta."

He leaned towards her again: "Something special in the air?" She gave him the same confused look. He mentally kicked himself, and scratched American Airlines off the list.

Next he tried the United slogan, "I would really love to fly your friendly skies?"

This time the woman savagely turned to him and barked: "What the &#@* do you want?"

The man smiled, then slumped back in his chair and said….:

"Ahhh, Air Canada!”

When was the golden age of general aviation?

Pete Bedell has posted an interesting question on Air Facts: What era would you consider general aviation’s golden years? Pete began his post by noting the glass cockpits, avionics, electronic charts and other technological devices that are available to pilots today. On the other hand, there was also the “exciting and innovating days” of the 1950s and 1960s when aircraft manufacturers were creating new aircraft models and entire new categories of airplanes. And then there was the early 1970s when fuel was still cheap and aircraft, with plenty of “groovy” interiors, were still abundant. That came to an end by the 1980s thanks to high oil prices and lawsuits directed at aircraft manufacturers.

More specifically, Pete outlined the following general aviation ages:

1950s and 1960s

New models and new configurations (e.g. light twins).
The tailwheel gave way to the easier to use tricycle gear.
Turbines made inroads.
The big three aircraft makers (Beech, Cessna and Piper) introduced several new models whenever engine manufacturers came out with a new motor.

Early part of the 1970s

Fuel was cheap.
Airlines were regulated and expensive – meaning that private flying was still cost effective.
Huge growth in the number of pilots and aircraft.
Aircraft manufacturers produced tens of thousands of GA aircraft.

Mid 1980s

The bottom of the aircraft market falls out.
Manufacturers and pilots alike are spooked by the oil crisis.
Aircraft production plummets.
Product-liability lawsuits target aircraft manufacturers and force aircraft prices to a level that was unattainable for most recreational pilots.

Mid 2000s until Today

New technology like glass cockpits emerge.
However, new aircraft are also forever separated from used aircraft.

Pete believes that the golden age of general aviation was the period between the mid 1960s and the mid 1970s. However, do you agree or disagree? In other words, when do you believe was the golden age of general aviation or are we in the golden age right now?

Why you need an instrument rating

Jason Schappert of MzeroA.com has created a short video listing three good reasons why you need and should seek an instrument rating. The reasons Jason listed included:

Lower insurance costs. Having an instrument rating will help you save money on insurance. Moreover and if you plan on buying an aircraft, the savings on insurance from having an instrument rating will be considerable.
Increased safety. Having an instrument rating will increase both your safety as a solo pilot and the safety of any passengers you take onboard.
More flying days. Having an instrument rating means that you will not have to delay your flying due to morning fog that will eventually burn off or have to wait for perfect flying conditions.

Jason concluded that getting an instrument rating will be a pilot’s most difficult and yet most rewarding rating to pursue during your flight training.

What is the best university degree for pilots?

If you are thinking of becoming a pilot as a possible career option, Brenda has posted a great question on AskaCFI.com concerning what type of degree one should obtain:

What is the best degree that you can get along with a pilot license? Something related to aviation, that way its not completely different and can help if you discontinue with flying. Please help me.

Corporate pilot and flight instructor James replied by writing that any degree from an accredited university is a good thing to have. However, he would encourage someone looking at a career in aviation to get a degree in a field besides aviation in order to have more options in case of a bad economy, a lost medical etc. He also pointed out hat he has never come across a pilot application or interview that required him to have a degree in aviation BUT most applications will probably require a degree.

Meanwhile, JamesCFI wrote that he wouldn’t get a degree in aviation and suggested a BA in marketing or business as these are disciplines that might come in handy in general. He also added:

…if you are trying to go the military or major airline route in your future career, you will NEED a 4 year degree and no they don’t care in what (be it a BA in basket weaving or a BS in BS).

On the other hand, Micah wrote that getting a flying related degree is a good idea because you can then get a flying related job. Hence, he advised looking at flying related jobs and going from there:

Do you want to teach at a university that has an aviation program? Get an advanced degree that is useful. Do you want to run an FBO? Do you want to work in airline management? Do you want to work for Boeing? Run a maintenance shop?

Micah also suggested attending a school with reasonable costs and pursuing a double major with one degree in aviation and a second degree in another field.

In other words and unless you get completely turned off aviation, its probably useful to have a degree that can lead to another job that is ideally aviation related just in case a pilot career does not work out or if you become grounded for other reasons.

Want to own Lee Iacocca’s former private jet?

If you are in the market for a private jet with prominence, AuctionAlliance in South Africa will soon (21 days according to their auction countdown ticker) be auctioning off two DC-9 aircraft that boast either famous former passengers or owners.

The first aircraft, ZS-MNT, was manufactured in 1966 and was originally owned by Lee Iacocca who gained renowned for engineering the Mustang and reviving Chrysler in the 1980s. Later, the aircraft was owned by Ken Mizuno, a Japanese golf club developer with alleged ties to the Yakuza (organized crime in Japan) who then lost the aircraft at the roll of the dice to Steve Wynn, who subsequently used it to ferry Las Vegas high rollers to his Golden Nugget casino.

In 2008, ZS-MNT was acquired by Elite Jet & Mvelaphanda to charter South African heads of state and ministers. Since then, it has transported Nelson Mandela to his home, Thabo Mbeki on a business trip to Darfur, deputy president Kgalema Mothlanthe and former UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

The second aircraft, ZS-PYB, is part of Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale’s family trust and its configuration includes a double-bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and plenty of wood veneer detail.

According to Auction Alliance, most of the demand for these two aircraft is expected to come from charter companies, corporates and perhaps African governments. Specifically:

The aircraft configuration of 17-19 seats, generous sleeping accommodation, meeting facilities and even the internal stairway, makes these aircraft ideal as they can carry large contingencies, which is often a problem when attending conventions across Africa.

Moreover, both aircraft have relatively low mileage at about 36,000 hours and they are in excellent condition.

Hence and should either of these aircraft suit your aviation requirements, be sure to check out the virtual tour that Auction Alliance has included on its website.

As you exit the aircraft, please remember to…

"As you exit the plane, please make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."