Flyboys?

Having been a ground pounder, then an aircrewman during the 1980s, my
experience with the term is limited. As jet mechs, we called the "pretty boys"
in flight suits that never had to stand a watch or get dirty by the negative
term "fly boys". Later, when it was my time in the flightsuit, periodically I
would be approached by women that used the term with much greater affection and
appreciation. I think that the term can be used like almost every other term,
either positively or negatively.

v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR

Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send those old photos to a
reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone.

"Krztalizer" wrote in message
...
Having been a ground pounder, then an aircrewman during the 1980s, my
experience with the term is limited. As jet mechs, we called the "pretty
boys"
in flight suits that never had to stand a watch or get dirty by the
negative
term "fly boys". Later, when it was my time in the flightsuit,
periodically I
would be approached by women that used the term with much greater
affection and
appreciation. I think that the term can be used like almost every other
term,
either positively or negatively.

v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR

Exactly!!

Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
For personal email, please replace
the z's with e's.
dhenriquesATzarthlinkDOTnzt

On 16 Dec 2003 20:43:41 GMT, nt (Krztalizer) wrote:

Having been a ground pounder, then an aircrewman during the 1980s, my
experience with the term is limited. As jet mechs, we called the "pretty boys"
in flight suits that never had to stand a watch or get dirty by the negative
term "fly boys". Later, when it was my time in the flightsuit, periodically I
would be approached by women that used the term with much greater affection and
appreciation. I think that the term can be used like almost every other term,
either positively or negatively.

v/r
Gordon

While I can understand the jet mechs envy that the aviators never had
to "stand a watch or get dirty", I usually asked them how long the
average jet mech spent in Hanoi as a POW, or how many of them were
lost last week during their shift. It seems to quiet the envy and pull
the plug on the green-eyed monster.

As Art often reminds us, we don't always get to walk a mile in the
other guys shoes, but while I respect the eyeball-to-eyeball
experience of the grunt, I expect that he, in return, will offer me
similar respect for where I've been and what I've done.

I probably have been called "flyboy", but don't worry too much about
it.

While I can understand the jet mechs envy that the aviators never had
to "stand a watch or get dirty", I usually asked them how long the
average jet mech spent in Hanoi as a POW, or how many of them were
lost last week during their shift. It seems to quiet the envy and pull
the plug on the green-eyed monster.

Well played, Ed. Besides, if flying wasn't the coolest thing on earth to be
paid for, there wouldn't be any envy in the first place. After three years
busting my knuckles on TF-34s, still ticking over from the last flight, I
thought (*cof*) that the guy snoozing all day in the rack beside mine was a
worthless, coffee-toting pansy. Then, I got a chance to go through the same
pipeline he did, with SAR swimmer and a few other variations thrown in. The
amount of work, studying, and danger between being a plane captain on the
flight deck of a carrier at night, and actually flying in helicopters that
operated off frigates at night, was not equal in my experience. Flying was of
course more FUN, but more work as well, and much more dangerous. Wouldn't
trade a minute of either experience though. One of my favorite visual memories
of my life was standing on the deck of the Ike as it swung around into the wind
at about 15 knots, just as the sun came up and swept the night away. The
orange ball on the razor thin horizon looked like it was rolling across a table
as we turned into it, and the flight deck's crowded ballet swung right under
the ball, and we started sending jets into it. Just frickin amazing view - one
out of many I am glad I have.

v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR

Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send those old photos to a
reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone.

On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 22:39:01 GMT, Ed Rasimus wrote:

On 16 Dec 2003 20:43:41 GMT, nt (Krztalizer) wrote:

Having been a ground pounder, then an aircrewman during the 1980s, my
experience with the term is limited. As jet mechs, we called the "pretty boys"
in flight suits that never had to stand a watch or get dirty by the negative
term "fly boys". Later, when it was my time in the flightsuit, periodically I
would be approached by women that used the term with much greater affection and
appreciation. I think that the term can be used like almost every other term,
either positively or negatively.

v/r
Gordon

While I can understand the jet mechs envy that the aviators never had
to "stand a watch or get dirty", I usually asked them how long the
average jet mech spent in Hanoi as a POW, or how many of them were
lost last week during their shift. It seems to quiet the envy and pull
the plug on the green-eyed monster.

As Art often reminds us, we don't always get to walk a mile in the
other guys shoes, but while I respect the eyeball-to-eyeball
experience of the grunt, I expect that he, in return, will offer me
similar respect for where I've been and what I've done.

I probably have been called "flyboy", but don't worry too much about
it.

I think that the difference between Navy and Air Force is related to
this. Think of the Forrestal fire, the Oriskany fire, or the Enterprise.
A lot of pilots saw a lot of their "ground crew" killed and horribly
burned trying to rescue the "junior birdmen". On a ship
everyone is in combat, from mess cook to Captain. No
remfs allowed.

Al Minyard