Mitch Cronin Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 I'm just a wee bit wiser today Handyman... I think I found out why it is you have such an urge to call my kind "grease monkeys"...etc... Yesterday I found myself marshalling a BA airplane, being towed by a Globe Ground crew into one of our hangars (BA wanted us to change a couple spoiler actuators for them)... After we got the bird parked, along came this fella who looked a bit out of place to me... wearing 4 stripes on each of his shoulders, yet even I could smell the falseness of that ... "Are you maintenance?" I asked "Yes!" he assured me... "Whats with these?" I asked, pointing to the gold stripes on his epaulets (What can I say, the conversation didn't need to go there, but I was on my third day without nicotine and I couldn't seem to let that pretentious crap go) "This represents my rank!" "Are you military?" I asked "No!" "So why the pretense?" "This is part of my uniform!" he said sternly (He was Chinese, so he enunciated every syllable completely ... "une - ee - form") "That's a little odd isn't it?" I said... I'd never seen that before... though I guess I must have heard of it... I don't think I'm a "Naughty Word", but there really was something in his attitude now, in his defense of that uneeform that I wasn't going to let it go without at least letting him know there's some of us on this earth that aren't impressed by pretense.... "No! It's not odd!" His insisted... "it is common, all over the world!" I made a display of looking at my own shoulders, and then lifted the vest from one of my colleagues shoulders to expose his lack of similar gold stripes, and said "doesn't seem to have made it to this part of the world?" "AT MY company" Cathay Pacific!" he said.... Aha! It all came together... and suddenly I understood your evident need to "put us in our place"... Later on, while chatting with the BA rep. and this same CX fella, I made one last remark about the stripes, and he lost it! "That's enough!" he said... "I think that is quite enough! You are making fun of my uneeform!" ....I was, and I apologized... I had no wish to upset the man.... I didn't bother trying to explain my head state and the lack of nicotine etc.... But you know what?... To me, that's like the folks that wear purple hair... how the hell can you really expect people not to stare, or comment? (thin skinned folks ought not to dress like monkeys) Stupid pretentious horseplop! Leave that stuff to military folks and those who wear scrambled eggs hats to match. I do believe BA was rather pleased with our assistance... They were on their way in good time... even without stripes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 That is too funny Mitch! Wish I had been there. I am very surprised your little conversation didn't create an international incident as they are "very thin skinned" over there. I'm sure he still feels the pain of working with another aggressive North American...hahaha. Carry-on primate #1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paunchy pilot Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Way to go on the sans nicotine.! You using patches or anything or just toughin' it out. Keep it up, it is one of the most positive moves a person can make for their body and mind. ..I know. PP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 You using patches Yes he is, 2024t with huck bolts attached to his teeth , that was courtesy of the guy with the stripes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homerun Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Long time ago when I was working for a small Medevac operator, all the pilots in the company had to attend a 3 day winter survival course in the bush outside of North Bay, in February. We had a Capt. who was known to have a bit of a Napolean complex and he showed up with his 4 stripes from his uniform shirt sewed onto the shoulders of his winter parka. I never laughed so hard in my life. Still brings a smile to my face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 Thanks PP... Nope... no patches, no gum, no zyban, no voodoo magic... Damn it's hard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp fa Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Some guys take the uniform thing a little too seriously. Years ago when we had the contract with Canadian to transport the military, during boarding a guy came on in an Air Force uniform. I approached him to offer to hang up his jacket, but opened the conversation with what I thought was a little humour. I told him my son had that exact same uniform, and I asked him if he was an Air Cadet. He got all snarky with me, so I just walked away and let him try to stuff his jacket in the overhead bin. Having said that, I'm not sure I'd insult a guy's uniform from another country. Mitch, I hope you'll remember that when we're at war with the Chinese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 ....Y'know.... seems to me if I was in China those folks would expect me to respect their customs, no?.... So why shouldn't the reverse be true? When in Rome...etc etc... ? We'll I reckon it's customary here in Canada to be honest about what it is you do for a living... and further... I reckon if a guy is pretending to be a pilot when he's really a mechanic, there's something in him that's ashamed to be a mechanic.... which I find insulting! So... having worked that out, now it seems the bugger was insulting me! Where is he!? Wait'll I see him again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp fa Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Where is he!? He's back in Hong Kong, plotting revenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlupin Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Mitch, I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday.He's just come back from the United Arab Emirates where he was working as a maintenance engineer. Apparently, they get to wear the same type of uniform. He also went on to explain that maintenance wasn't done the same way in that part of the world. He, as an engineer, never got dirty, he had the white shirt and the pen. The region lack of engineers so every licensed engineer, has unlicensed mechanics working for him which he directs and supervises. Once he is satisfied with the repair/maintenance, he then certifies the work and the aircraft goes back to service. While everyone has his preferences as to what they like about work, to my friend, that is what a real maintenance engineer does. He was easily distinguished from ramp personnel with his fancy "uneform"(unlike at AC). He was also paid better with better benefits and he also got more respect from management or pilots who treated him as an equal.(his words, not mine). While the "uneform" might be overkill.... it would be nice to have something to diferentiate us from station services personnel at AC. Éric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goonybird Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Mitch, I know exactly who you were dealing with, he signs off the tech log every time I go to work . FYI, everyone in Asia wheres stipes...cultural thing I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Some guys take the uniform thing a little too seriously. Years ago when we had the contract with Canadian to transport the military, during boarding a guy came on in an Air Force uniform. I approached him to offer to hang up his jacket, but opened the conversation with what I thought was a little humour. I told him my son had that exact same uniform, and I asked him if he was an Air Cadet. He got all snarky with me, so I just walked away and let him try to stuff his jacket in the overhead bin. Military personnel don’t "hang up their jackets"! When they are in public they are to be properly dressed and that is with jacket ON if in full uniform. The summer shirt uniform is a different shirt and is worn by itself. Please don't confuse a military uniform for a company uniform dear...and yes your comment to him was rude and disgraceful if you call yourself a Canadian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 ....Y'know.... seems to me if I was in China those folks would expect me to respect their customs, no?.... So why shouldn't the reverse be true? When in Rome...etc etc... ? We'll I reckon it's customary here in Canada to be honest about what it is you do for a living... and further... I reckon if a guy is pretending to be a pilot when he's really a mechanic, there's something in him that's ashamed to be a mechanic.... which I find insulting! So... having worked that out, now it seems the bugger was insulting me! Where is he!? Wait'll I see him again! Actually, people in that part of the world and the Middle East have too much pride. They need bars to feel good about themselves. It's purely cultural and he probably didn't want to be a pilot just seem important. I have seen a 5 bar pilot too and yes I laughed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccairspace Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Way to go on the sans nicotine.! You using patches or anything or just toughin' it out. Keep it up, it is one of the most positive moves a person can make for their body and mind. ..I know. PP Absolutely mahvelous! It is indeed one of the most positive moves you can make. You are to be commended with highest honours! Hmmm... maybe you too could wear 4 stripes (perhaps 5) in recognition of one of life's hardest accomplishments? Make 'em look like stubbed cigarette butts. ccairspace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 Stripes? (summoning the best angry Mexican accent I can manage...) I don't need no steenking stripes! Then again.... Ok, if it's for this then I'd need fifty of 'em! 25 on each shoulder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccairspace Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Then again.... Ok, if it's for this then I'd need fifty of 'em! 25 on each shoulder. With that image in my head, I just realised that it had already been done! You know... the James Dean look with the squishy pack of Players inserted under the short sleeves of a white T-shirt... Of course, since you've quit, they'd need to be empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp fa Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Military personnel don’t "hang up their jackets"! When they are in public they are to be properly dressed and that is with jacket ON if in full uniform. Well, maybe you should go back in time and tell him that then, because when I approached him, he was taking his jacket off. Although he was seated in the economy cabin, and it was not our policy to do so, I had intended to hang up his jacket anyway, out of kindness, and respect for his uniform. My comment was not made in a way that could have been misconstrued as being derogatory, he just chose to take it that way. your comment to him was rude and disgraceful if you call yourself a Canadian. Yeah that's it. I'm just a rude disgraceful Canadian. Actually, I asked some friends who were in the military about it later, and they said he was just being a tightass. I guess that makes you one too, "dear". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAT3DUAL Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 I was working in Angola several years ago as a F/O on CND registered L100 when we required to do a landing gear screw jack change on the left mains. The standard crew overseas was a Capt, F/O, F/E, Loadmaster and a fully licensed engineer. The F/E was licensed as well. Anyone who has done one of these understands when you are in the field sometimes you don't have the proper equipment to do the job, so you make do with what you have. In this case all we really had was four able bodied men to do alot of heavy lifting, the Capt had a bad back so he was out of the picture. Needless to say we were covered head to toe in greass and sweat gettiing the job done, when along comes a SAFair crew dressed in white shirts and navy blue pants with bars glaring in the sun, this included the LoadMaster. The look on their collective faces when they found out that we were the crew and we were fixing our own airplane with our own hands, well to say the least it was totally beyond them, as far as they were concerned that was what the locals were for. I guess my point is we were wearing the sweat and oil with pride, when in many parts of the world that sort of thing is well below their status in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Well, maybe you should go back in time and tell him that then, because when I approached him, he was taking his jacket off. Although he was seated in the economy cabin, and it was not our policy to do so, I had intended to hang up his jacket anyway, out of kindness, and respect for his uniform. My comment was not made in a way that could have been misconstrued as being derogatory, he just chose to take it that way. Yeah that's it. I'm just a rude disgraceful Canadian. Actually, I asked some friends who were in the military about it later, and they said he was just being a tightass. I guess that makes you one too, "dear". Maybe he was a tight-ass and maybe I am too but I will always defend our troops aggressively when the need arises. The "air cadet" comment is what ticked me off but I've calmed down now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Darned "cookie pushers" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 but I've calmed down now. Did ya have a cigarette? ...I used to do that... to calm down that is... probably didn't work to calm me down, but it sure felt good... Damn those were nice cigarettes... .. sorry... the mind wanders.... You two ok now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Did ya have a cigarette? ...I used to do that... to calm down that is... probably didn't work to calm me down, but it sure felt good... Damn those were nice cigarettes... .. sorry... the mind wanders.... You two ok now? I don't smoke and never have but maybe I should! That would take the stress off my ulcer and place it on my healthy lungs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakelad Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Guess I must be missing something. Poor smuck doesn't appear to have done anything to have the mick taken out of him other than wear a company prescribed uniform while on duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Guess I must be missing something. Poor smuck doesn't appear to have done anything to have the mick taken out of him other than wear a company prescribed uniform while on duty. Yes, he would have likely been fired if he refused to wear the uniform and I would bet the company designed it and not him. So I guess we can blame it on Mitch's nicotine withdrawal as his actions, as described, do not seem to fit the profile he has established on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manwest Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Maybe mitch thought this fellow was a poof. One of him more recent desciptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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