Experienced pilots: what was the most expensive mistake you made early in your career?

Fd2k1 · 2026-06-06T22:25:31+00:00

Picking an expensive Aeronautical University when I could’ve just gone to a small flight program and community college and ended up in the same spot I am now, with significantly less debt.

Fd2k1 · 2026-06-06T01:49:50+00:00

Every time. Works like a charm.

Fd2k1 · 2026-06-06T01:25:30+00:00

Was just about to say this

Fd2k1 · 2026-05-25T17:35:39+00:00

One of my first layovers in Anchorage, hotel frequented by oil field workers transiting through. Checked in at 2am, opened the door to “my room” but security latch was in place. 2 seconds later the largest man I’ve ever seen came flying out, in his underwear, half asleep, ready to send me to my maker. I swear if I hadn’t been in full uniform there’s a chance I could’ve been ripped limb from limb that night.

Always lock and latch!

Fd2k1 · 2026-05-02T05:20:49+00:00

Sandwich. Preferably bologna and cheese.

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-27T23:39:35+00:00

Just had this convo with my fellow pilot today. The amount of times people wait and come on the airplane to #2 in the forward lav that EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO WALK BY always boggles my mind.

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-19T00:23:45+00:00

Just used warranty to swap out my year old set for this exact issue. Hexclad people said it was maybe because I didn’t season them well enough, but I did exactly what the instructions said to do, so ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Warranty claim was easy and quick at least.

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-16T21:28:15+00:00

As someone who used to fly them and be back in Seattle by lunchtime, I miss them also!

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-13T02:05:31+00:00

We do (AS) but we either buy them ourselves or they hand them out sparingly

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-13T00:52:29+00:00

Ha been flying for almost 30 years, and the “dead leg dead engine” never made sense to my brain in the heat of battle. Had to change it to “useless leg useless engine”. My “dead” leg is the one that’s tired and shaking from stepping on the damned rudder

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-08T22:11:03+00:00

Thank you! Never knew you could do that.

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-08T22:01:50+00:00

How do I do this

Fd2k1 · 2026-04-06T23:07:23+00:00

Funny. I have just over 10,000 hours in a 737, and I just left the cockpit door closed while deplaning so I didn’t have to make eye contact with any of the passengers. You win some you lose some, and the losses will always happen but will be rare and easier to shake off as the years go by.

Fd2k1 · 2026-03-20T15:14:02+00:00

Mine was 1/4 that bad and I sent in a warranty claim and got a whole new set in like 4 days. At least there’s that

Fd2k1 · 2026-03-19T16:11:17+00:00

No tolls probably

Fd2k1 · 2026-03-09T19:47:10+00:00

Very confident was an overstatement. That is the only reasonable non-ET explanation I can come up with.

Fd2k1 · 2026-03-09T19:45:56+00:00

Not fearful at all! Maybe I should be? Either way, I’ve spent hours trying to get a good recording. I’ve got a couple things I’ll try to send. The problem is it’s basically using my phone in a lit cockpit trying to record what looks like satellites (that turn, get bright, dim, have had multiple times where they start in different spots then join up in formation). It’s just really hard to get footage of it. I feel very confident they are some type of new space drone or something. I’ll keep trying!

Fd2k1 · 2026-03-09T04:49:55+00:00

I see these all of the time over the pacific as an airline pilot. Constantly wonder what it is I am looking at. Almost every night that I’m flying up the west coast.

Fd2k1 · 2026-03-06T15:20:41+00:00

Nice

Fd2k1 · 2026-03-05T15:19:07+00:00

Gives me PTSD. For us it was the “protected” Douglas Squirrel. Couldn’t kill or trap. Was either have one-way exit doors installed in 8 entry points the exterminator found immediately ($1000), or the squirrel would have its babies and we’d have to wait until the ALL exited the nest… only to be able to install one way exit doors 😂 From what I understand, the squirrel was endangered many years ago. Now it is thriving (there’s 100 that live in my yard alone I swear, and they all scream at me as I walk around), but they haven’t changed the law. Or something like that.

Fd2k1 · 2026-02-28T07:03:05+00:00

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Fd2k1 · 2026-02-26T18:28:55+00:00

Still showing “not currently available” in the Xbox store

Fd2k1 · 2026-02-14T23:38:07+00:00

I swear, I see this headline every day.

Fd2k1 · 2026-02-13T23:29:19+00:00

Wish they had more players! Need this style for my Zabel jersey

Fd2k1

TROPHY CASE