Shocking Robert Buck

[spiderweb]

I LOVE North Star Over my Shoulder. A lot of the events or attitudes that Captain Buck describes in the book would probably make FAA types go nuts.

What was new to me was the hiring philosophy in the late 1930s. Copilots are apprentice-slaves. No training, no nothing. Get in that seat, shut up, do what I say, and -maybe- you will someday be a captain!

("Up Gear!" and rotate that gear wheel 40 times!)

 

[Fearless Tower]

I What was new to me was the hiring philosophy in the late 1930s. Copilots are apprentice-slaves. No training, no nothing. Get in that seat, shut up, do what I say, and -maybe- you will someday be a captain!

While copilots back in the 30's were often treated like second class citizens, I don't think it is accurate to say they were not trained. If you read Ernie Gann's books, Fate is the Hunter and Hostage to Fortune in particular, he described a fairly extensive training process that American Airlines used back in the day.

Sadly, some might say that things haven't changed all that much - there are still a fair number of regional airline captains that treat their FOs like dirt and don't like to give them landings.

 

[Palmpilot]

SPOILER ALERT (in case you haven't read that far yet)

I liked the part about flying from Alaska to Midway on a weather research flight during WW II, and making sure he got off the ground before the base commander saw his destination on the board!

 

[spiderweb]

SPOILER ALERT (in case you haven't read that far yet)

I liked the part about flying from Alaska to Midway on a weather research flight during WW II, and making sure he got off the ground before the base commander saw his destination on the board!

That was cool. It was very suspenseful trying to use celestial nav for such a long distance, and often not being able to get a good site, due to clouds!

 

[Palmpilot]

It was also interesting that they had to know the right color of flares to use, to keep from being shot down on arrival.

 

[spiderweb]

It was also interesting that they had to know the right color of flares to use, to keep from being shot down on arrival.

yeah, I'd definitely want to get that one right!

 

[ChrisRikli]

Literally just read the last page. What an amazing book, life, pilot. It made me wistful for a time long gone by my birth.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Literally just read the last page. What an amazing book, life, pilot. It made me wistful for a time long gone by my birth.

Enjoy the times you live in right now. Some future generation will read about this hobby of ours and of the places we went and aerial adventures we had, and be envious of a privilege long gone, a hobby legislated, sued, or priced out of existence.

Dan

 

[ChrisRikli]

Enjoy the times you live in right now. Some future generation will read about this hobby of ours and of the places we went and aerial adventures we had, and be envious of a privilege long gone, a hobby legislated, sued, or priced out of existence.

Dan

Good point. I should clarify my statement. I meant that the book made me realize that not too long ago travel by air was regarded as miracle and that there was a certain glamour associated with flight.

Not so today thank to terrorism, the TSA, the FAA, poor media reporting, etc...a host of factors that have skewed the perception of the populace regarding aviation to the negative.