Encounter while on a plane

[HPNPilot1200]

There are more people in the industry than you know...especially when you're already in the air.

Certainly very true, but many of those in the industry usually don't question about stuff like that. Just like the guy sitting next to me going to Orlando didn't question why I was reading numerous aviation publications and a Cessna 172 AFM. Similarly, I won't question anyone doing the same type of thing on flights, I already know what he's doing and it's not bothering me.

[Mateo]

On a flight out of FLL back in April, as we taxiied out to 9L, I think I went from the bins to the camera to the notepad to the bins to the notepad in the span of 15 seconds as we got a far look at the west biz ramp and then went past the Air Sunshine/YS-11 storage ramp. The guy next to me said something like "you're an enthusiast, I take it." I said "yup," and we chatted for a few minutes about airshows and the state of the industry, before getting back to our respective business. I think something simple like "I'm an aviation enthusiast" works well enough to be descriptive, polite, and to close the conversation. If the topic continues, it's about the enjoyment of aviation, and not to threats thereof.

Speaking of environments, the number of people carrying CRJ manuals on flights ex-YUL is astounding!

[kc2aqg]

Mario - I think you did the right thing. Unfortunately Phil is right, it's an entirely different situation in the air these days, and you wouldn't want to come off as being remotely confrontational up there, lest you find things being blown way out of proportion and out of your control. The best way to handle it (in my opinion) is to remain non-confrontational and to initially try to be nice and explain yourself, but eventually give up and go about your business. An easy way of doing this is to politely say "Excuse me, I need to focus on my work" and put on an iPod or something of the sort. I am sad to say that I think your skin color probably played a role in the incident, and for that I feel someone must apologize to you. It's quite unfortunate that this is the way of the world, and even if a situation is exacerbated by a jerk like that, you could still be at fault if you don't play your cards right. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what an idiot like that thinks, as long as he doesn't start anything to get you in trouble in the air.

On a side note, I was on DL down to ATL a few weeks ago and I was seated in coach next to a relatively young guy who appeared to be treated like royaly by the FA's. After some time into the flight, we began a conversation and it turned out that he was high-up in managing the flight attendant base at JFK and was headed down to ATL for a FA training event of some sort. Towards the end of the flight we were still chatting and I asked him to kindly excuse me, as I usually videotape the exciting parts of the flight (takeoff, landing, etc). His response was a very simple "Go for it, I understand!" We chatted some more after we shut down at the gate and I finished taping. A real nice guy and completely understanding of people who love aviation. Granted I look more like a kid than a professional commuting to work, but still, knowing how familiar he was with federal air regulations and flight attendant procedures, he could just have easily said "you can't use that device while we're landing". I guess it's just the luck of the draw.

Don't let the experience bring you down Mario. I still, for the life of me, can't understand why you're still flying AA though :P