04-06/Train Me

Continuing to distract myself from life, I have been training a new fella at work. No stranger to talking to aircraft, he was also a controller at the FAA.

Very frequently, a pilot will speak so close to their microphone that the modulator doesn't have adequate time to recognize the speech, and it transmits as a bunch of phhphphphph, and phhahahahaahas. Most of the time it sounds like they are blowing into the microphone making it terrible to understand.

We have a standard, two earphone headset, with a boom mike coming down off of the side. If we have our mics too close to our mouth, the same will result, and the pilot's will not understand us.

When a flight has difficulty understanding an instruction, my trainee likes to hold the mic closer to his mouth and speak louder into it. For the past 3 weeks, at least 4 times a day, I instruct him not to do so. Once it prompted me to swipe his hand away and it reminded me of this.....

watch into 55 seconds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSFUvpmdVp8

And on the topic of engagements. Congrats to Rico and the G.C. I knew it was going to happen one day. Many blessings to you, devoted reader. I hope your first dance is a classy one, I recommend -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftsJL_SGwew

I'm looking for a new bicycle. My bike is no longer suitable to me. Interesting trades will be accepted, I need one with a baby seat on the back, maybe one with a nice stereo. I don't have much money, but I would like an expensive one.

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