The on line magazine for the ever day ordinary Teddy Bear and their owners
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The on line magazine for the ever day ordinary Teddy Bear and their owners
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The Ted Rupert and Mollie Page World Wild Life Fund - Adopt a Svalbard Polar Bear
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Pilot Bear Interview by Millie
Hello, I understand that you like to be referred to as Pilot Bear? Yep, that’s my name. You work for BA, and have done so for several years, is that correct. Indeed I have. Bear Air started operations quiet some time ago, well before I can remember. Their first aircraft were known as flying boats. That is, they were boats to which wings had been added. Personally I would not have wanted to fly one, heavy landings are one thing, wet landings are not for me even if you can go fishing at the same time. What type of aircraft have you piloted then? As a kid I adored balloons, seeing them sore off into the sky was great excitement for me, when I was a little older I used to take days off of school, catch a bus to the local airport and watch the aircraft come and go, Parents put me through flying school, started at the beginning of the month and finished fully trained at the end, when they awarded me a set of wings. That helped me a great deal, I managed to get my feet off the ground after that.
I actually started off flying the usual thing, pedal craft. You know, the faster you can get the passengers to pedal the better. That way you stand more chance at arriving at your destination. Didn’t the passengers object? After all they had paid for a ticket and surely did not expect to have to work. Well, yer, I suppose so. But then it was cheaper to get the passengers to pedal than uplift fuel for the engine. Mostly holiday makers anyway, so we called it in flight entertainment at the time, so they thought it was all part of the fun. Gave a prize to the passenger still pedalling at the end of the flight. And now? Oh, I progressed to heavy aircraft a few years ago, by that I mean the type that is more like a sardine can with engines than a boat with wings. Mind you, Bear Lines did put me on freight only services for a while because they were fed up with complaints about my landings. Unfortunately, a load of china got broken, so I was returned to passenger flights. A shame flying is much easier without passengers to have to consider. Did you have to do any additional training? These new aircraft are wonderful things you know, computer controlled from start to finish mainly. You can take over, which I often do, to reduce the boredom. Airlines only have pilots to keep the passengers happy. Do you enjoy your job? Oh yes. Flying is fantastic when you get airborne. Winging through the clouds, finding all that clear air turbulence and having to stop the cabin service until just before landing, that can be quite exciting. Forgetting to uplift enough fuel to complete the return journey, and making an unscheduled stop somewhere interesting so fill up the tanks. Then adding an overnight stay because the crew are out of hours. But, ummm, what do the passengers think? Well, if they want to get home, they have to live with it don’t they? And what about Bear Air? Don’t they think this is all rather unprofessional? In a way, but then a airline run by bears, I mean would you seriously fly with them?
Coming soon - The Adventures of Pilot Bear
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The Christopher Hoggins Interview
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All rights reserved 09 November, 2008
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