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Showing content with the highest reputation on 10/07/2013 in all areas
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so I bought my bike about a year ago, after taking a decade off riding. I probably bit off more than I should buying a big heavy bike first but it was shown to me and I kept gravitating back to it. its been a great bike and a great entertainment, it came with new tires and new windshield, I took off the passenger pegs and pillion seat last month and recently put on a driver backrest and HD cargo rack. I like this look, may look for some hardbags to go with it. Anyway, thanks for looking, not really my first post, but I figured might as well get it out of the way.1 point
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Well this is my first time ever getting fired from a job and I honestly couldn't be happier about it. I moved out to Saipan eager and willing to work for a company that I now believe to be criminally negligent and probably just as corrupt. My frustrations began with the lack of knowledge about day to day operations when I first arrived. I was expecting to get my first weeks schedule as so as I arrived and filled out paperwork but that didn't happen. Usually I was told to go home(the hotel) and they would contact me later that night when I should come in the next say, often times they wouldn't tell me until the morning of. I was given 7 nights in the hotel on the company and after that I was to find my own housing. My first day off wasn't until 4 days after I arrived and I didn't know until 6 pm Sunday so I had no time to call apartments to set up an appointment to see places. HR's entire philosophy is to ask the other pilots. Well people have their own lives and being the new guy you don't want to piss them off immediately by asking 1,000 questions. A few suggested a real estate agent who was very nice but had no available units in my price range. About 11:30 they call me in for training at 1:30 and then called me back at 12:45 to say it was moved to tuesday( my only other day off). Well we end up being busy as shit Wed and Thursday leaving me no time to go sign a lease and move since all of the offices are closed by 5 and we didn't finish flying until 6ish. Friday morning I come at 7 to check my schedule of flights for the day and the first one isn't until 9:30. HR rolls in around 9 and very passive aggressively ask me if I am still in the hotel at which point I explain my situation. I get a response of "well we need you out of there now, go grab your stuff and we will have someone fill in your flights for you". This starts the most fucked up 48 hrs I will ever have in my entire life...... I get my stuff packed up and in the back of the early 90's POS honda civic and catch a flight over to saipan from tinian to sign my lease. There are no company cars available to us since people like to take them out joy riding on their breaks so I end up having to rent a car. Once I get to the apartment the property manager is very nice and accommodating but informs me I probably won't have power until Monday because the lease has to be notarized to in order for the utility company to turn them on. Not a huge deal just so long as I have a place to sleep and keep my stuff. I catch another flight back over to tinian so I can get my stuff on a flight over to saipan and move in. As I am unloading my bags from the car I get called in saying that I have flights. I should have just ignored my radio and gone about my business..... The first 2 flights go off with out a hitch the third one probably aged me 20 years. About 8-900 feet above ground level my engine starts to show signs of distress with 3 pax aboard. I immediately pitch for best good and turn for the airport while simultaneously doing my emergency check list procedure. My worst nightmare happens and my engine dies and the prop stops turning. At this point in time I am probably a mile or more from the airport. I am looking at my options and I don't think I will make the runway so I land on the road perpendicular to the runway. Make it on the ground with no injuries to the paxs and only a few palm leafs in the wing tip. I'm shaky as all get out and asking my passengers if their okay trying to convene myself I'm okay. Emergency crews are on the scene and congratulating me on a job well done. My passengers are all smiles because they thought everything was normal and wanted to go flying again. Word finally reaches our head quarters and they come out with all the mechanics, the owner and his son. They strain a little bit of fuel, check the oil quantity look over the plane a little then turn to me and say "this does not bode well. Engines just don't stop" they are able to get it start and tell me I'm grounded for the time being go back and write up a report they will contact me later. I fill out the report and go to head back to saipan when HR stops me to try and comfort me telling me to go home and rest a few days then comes to the realization "do you even have a home". I leave for saipan more frustrated, scared, freaked out and pissed off I have ever been. All the emergency response guys are shaking my hand telling me good job and then the boss doesn't believe a word I say. My friend on the island lets me stay with him for the night since I don't have power or ac ( it feels like southern Florida in the summer time here). We wake up in the morning to find out one pilot has a prop strike and another one scraped up a wing tip. A prop strike means the aircraft is out of service until the engine is checked over because usually something inside is fucked to hell. Neither one of the pilots say anything about it to anyone. The prop strike guy gets one and just starts walking to the hanger with out saying a word to anyone. Luckily no one was aboard and he was just a dumb ass that taxied into a ditch which brings up a shit ton of questions. I guess they drug test him but do not ground him. A few of the other pilots and myself go out later that night talking about the situation and we learn that before his incident occurred he was making weird radio calls. He was on the ground in saipan calling up as if he was at tinian. He wasn't talking to tower or ground just the traffic frequency for tinian. Finally another pilot get ahold of him and tells him he thinks he is at the wrong airport. The pilot calls the chief pilot to say that he is unfit for flight and to pull him from the line. Obviously they ignore it and he ends up having the prop strike. I am woken up at 6 am by my friend saying that this same pilot has been missing for 2 hours and all 6 pax are presumed dead. The flights I between the islands are only 15 minutes, our flight followers who's only job is to track the planes failed to do so so nobody knew anything was wrong for 2 hours. Search and rescue thought the plane crashed at sea but helicopters were able to find the plane in an unpopulated part of the island that is all jungle. 3 people are dead including the pilot and 4 are alive 2 of which are in critical condition. I have a meeting with hr, the chief pilot, and the owner of the company this morning to discuss my situation. The owner simi reads through what I wrote up and the proceeds to tell me that my actions could not be duplicated, in their mind there was nothing wrong with the plane and their are continuing to fly it. They terminated me because I put their equipment and the lives of the passengers at risk. I loved how he put the equipment first. So basically they think that I lied about the engine dying and since their are no whitnesses to back up my story I'm just a low time pilot that fucked up. My ass is on the first flight out of here tomorrow morning and I could not be happier. Oh and this is the second crash they have had in the past 11 months that has resulted in a fatality.1 point
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I am going to sit down with my grandfather and father to fill out the proper forms. My grandfather is a retired airforce colonel, former base commander, and C-5 instructor. My dad is a an ex airforce Huey, chinook, C-5 pilot as well as a current 767 captain with American. My family has been very supportive through the whole move. Originally my dad thought I was making a rash decision on wanting to come home but after Saturday and Sunday he said to get my ass back on the next plane. The manager of the apartment I rented was really cool about the entire situation and is going to refund 100% of my money and let me break my lease. The problem with my passengers is they are Chinese and spoke almost no English. They market their tours as half hour flight lessons. Most of the time we just use hand signals and just let them "fly" in a circle around the island. I had a father and I couldn't tell if she was the mom or daughter because she looked so young but either way a female in the back and then a kid no older than 8 or 9 up front. I really want to see the report from the airport emergancy response guys. The ARFF truck guys said they herd me declare an emergancy and I was going to land on the road. Local police and Ems said they saw and herd my engine not working.1 point
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You might be suprised at some of the people who read this. I would do an official report with the FAA if I were you. If nothing else you're covering your own butt. On another note, here's a company hiring pilots in the CMH area: http://rjet.com/en/Employment/Career_Guides/Pilot.aspx I work for them at the Columbus maintenance facility. PM me any questions you might have. And I'm glad you're okay.1 point
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^^^^ TRUST me I know what you mean, I have also been renovating my house for last couple weeks but this will make a nice break! hope to see you there!1 point
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highlight was hollywood taking wins in both novice sprints and mini20 and getting himself into the 11's like a baws and even bought trmn8tr and i dinner after. i took 4th in novice sprints and 2nd in mini20 and lowsided myself in 4 after what turned out to the last counted lap in the mini lol (this is funny because i essentially crashed on the cool down lap even though we didn't get a flag. fml) trmn8tr took 3rd in the expert sprints and the mini20. for championships, I think trmn8tr will end up at 3rd in expert sprints and 1st in mini20 i'll be 4th in novice sprints and 2nd in mini20 not sure where hollywood is, but i think he's 5th in novice sprints. time to make asses of ourselves at the banquet1 point
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Think positive. You learned a lot and aren't stuck in the humidity. Glad you are ok. If you need some $ or anything to help get home let us know I'm sure we can get some for you.1 point
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Damn near 90% of the people I ever talk to who dont actually ride a sportbike....1 point
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Some manifold pics from today, trying out a new dipping technique that's working pretty well: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/14biggy/IMG_20131006_181737_zpsfb7d8fff.jpg Convex v-band weld, filled not dabbed: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/14biggy/IMG_20131006_202351_zps71af8138.jpg1 point
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I try but trying to finsh remodleling house & get it rented out sucking time & $ like a fat chick sucking dry1 point
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Let me know when you go to the Gap. Glad things are turning around for you.1 point
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I'd be interested in helping out where I can. My job involves legally setting up businesses into NFP (non-for profit's), LLCs, and Corporations. If you need any assistance, let me know. I'd be happy to help with 501c filings and the state filings as well.1 point
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OR wouldn't exist without guns, beer, and porn. You have to stay true to your roots.1 point
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