Oriel, part 12 by Joe Rathbun AIRLINE CO-PILOT ORIEL The ONLY thing preventing Oriel from pounding that pompous, conceited male-chauvinist-pig into a pulp was his rank... he was the Captain of this flight and she was the Co-Pilot! Plus the general laws and expectations of society that one shouldn't beat the conceit out of somebody! At least a LADY shouldn't! As the Co-Pilot on a trans-oceanic route between Paris, France and Orlando, Florida, U.S.A., Oriel was again denied a good chance at some useful flight time involving this approach to the Orlando International Airport. The weather, fair, although admittedly a bit bumpy from all of the thermals and resulting puffy cumulus clouds characteristic of Florida, would have easily been within Oriel's capabilities. But the Captain advised, as usual, "They pushed you into too big of a plane, and too long and complex a route for someone just out of a FLIGHT SCHOOL" he said with some disdain in his voice. He was one of the old school, believing that only military flight experience was usable as a commercial pilot. Continuing, "and just plain too soon! I don't know, maybe they just wanted a woman up front for P.R. purposes, you know, to show how much of an equal opportunity employer they are. I just do not think you are ready to handle this big of a bird, with so many hundreds of people aboard, in ANY landing or take off situation." Her big brown eyes glared with anger. Oriel really wanted to twist his head off! Indeed, recent news reports had related the fact that Female Pilots are, more often than not looked down on by their male counter-parts. They appear to consider the Woman Pilot as not really able to handle an Airlines Jet. Such was her anger, she contemplated, "After arriving at Orlando, I'll dress in shabby man's clothes in order to, perhaps, resemble a street hooligan. I'll go out before he does, hide and wait. So disguised and hidden, I'll wait for him to pass. Then I'll beat the shit out of him!" She visualized bodily picking up this Captain Chauvinist, high over-head like a barbell-press, then throwing him to the ground! "Hah! That would fix him!" she thought angrily. That Captain should thank The Lord Oriel DID restrain herself. In some earlier years, she probably would carry out her plan! She COULD DO it! With Oriel's size and her weight training, her strength could get the best of almost any man if she wanted. In the gym, by standers are fascinated at this Super Woman. Possessing beautiful dark-reddish-tan skin, the black haired Amazon can bench press 280 pounds over several repetitions. So, on this Paris, France - Orlando, Florida run as Co-Pilot, Oriel, for yet another of many times, is denied landing duties by the Captain on their final approach to Orlando International Airport. But HE was not perfect either. Having been a pilot for a long time, certain habits are well in place. For example, he had the habit of making a slow, gradual descent on the final approach to a runway. That may sound like a perfectly good habit. However, many cities impose the noise-abatement approach. To reduce engine noise of a jet passing over head, a jet descends rapidly into an airport after remaining at a minimum altitude until "the last minute". Then with that minimum altitude and then the rapid descent requiring less engine-effort and therefore less noise, the jet is able to approach with less noise for the neighborhoods below. At the last minute, the jet pulls out of the rapid descent after a certain minimum distance from airport and altitude is reached. That is for the safety of jet, crew and passengers. The rest of the descent is then "normal", with a gradual descent- rate and engine thrust at what would be expected for such a descent. As a result, high noise levels now only take place over neighborhoods or businesses that are RIGHT NEXT to the airport. Well, that chauvinistic Captain forgot the noise abatement approach. Oriel knew he forgot, and decided NOT to tell him, so that he would hopefully get a scolding or other reprimand at the meeting that often takes place after a trans-oceanic flight. But with those ex-military now in managerial positions in the Orlando offices, many of them the Captain's buddies, no mention of the improper descent was made. Later, right after the meeting adjourned, an officer, evidently an ex-military type himself with his "crew-cut" shaved-head appearance, called Oriel aside. And he said, "Recordings show that Orlando's noise abatement policy was ignored by your old style gradual descent. Did you not make any effort to remind the Captain that he should use noise abatement when approaching this city?" Oriel had two choices, both of which could be used against her. If Oriel said she also forgot, she was afraid the officer would think, YOU SEE! YOU SEE! WOMEN AIN'T NO GOOD AS PILOTS! THEY FORGET ALL THE TIME! But if she said that she remembered, but did not say any thing... YOU SEE! YOU SEE! SHE KNEW BUT DIDN'T SAY NOTHIN'! WOMEN AIN'T NO GOOD AS PILOTS! It irritated her that the officers did not call the CAPTAIN aside for forgetting the noise abatement approach. She quickly formulated a response and said, "Well, you see, the Captain did not let me handle the controls AT ALL during this descent. Since I am PERFECTLY CAPABLE of taking the controls in weather this mild, I was somewhat at a loss as to explain to myself WHY he did not let me take her in. So I assumed he had some special reason and so wanted me to be quiet. So I didn't bother him. But I knew of the noise abatement approach. Had I been flying, I would have used that approach. I was ABOUT to tell him, but I figured he wanted me to remain quiet." The officer replied, in a somewhat reprimanding tone, "Miss Soo, at any time, the welfare of the passengers AND crew may well depend on the checks and balances provided by a crew of two or more. In THIS case, no lives were endangered, but you should EVER BE VIGILANT of the actions of any other pilot, no matter whether his rank be below, OR ABOVE you! There HAVE BEEN cases of one pilot reminding another of something overlooked, even something as basic as extended flaps. Such checks and balances CAN SAVE LIVES AND EQUIPMENT! So, NEVER hesitate to speak up." "Yes Sir, I understand Sir." Oriel humbly said. It was new to her, this having to submit to higher rank. In earlier days, she would have told this guy to get out of her face. Actually, what the officer pointed out about checks and balances between Pilots IS good! However, the Captain himself should have ALSO been reminded! But, she can and was at that time making the necessary adjustments in her attitude. She just wished for more action, that's all. If they would just let her fly more, that would be an improvement right there!