The race is on

Another quiet week in work, and many more destined to come by the looks of it until nearer Christmas. If you have any specific questions or queries, ask and I'll have a go at answering them as best I can in case I run out of blog ideas.

One of my flights this week was a short domestic 30 minute turnaround, lots of fun to do when things are going well and generally hassle free. Passenger numbers are usually around 60-80 with maybe only 30-40 pieces of hold luggage so everything can be loaded and unloaded quickly.

I head out to the aircraft parking stand a few minutes before it's due to arrive. I check everything is ready, steps are standing by, tug, chox, a ground power unit, and the outbound bags. As I nosey across the ramp I see an old friend on the stand beside me.

I have known this guy for longer than I have worked at the airport. Both of us from very different backgrounds and a friend of many years. When we first met it was through another line of work, and here we are a few years down the line both working in dispatch at the same airport, albeit it for different companies. I have a quick chat with him and catch up, and find out that he is dispatching a flight on the adjacent stand to me in 25 minutes. His is due out at 1700, mine at 1705, but mine is due in slightly early and ahead of his. The race is on!

1632 - My aircraft arrives on stand, 3minutes early. The engines spool down and the ramp guys spring into the action. As soon as the steps are on, the doors are open and the passengers start getting off and head towards the terminal.

1635 -About half way through de-boarding, my friends aircraft taxis in on the stand beside. This means I have to stop our passengers disembarking until the other aircraft comes to a stop and the engines have spooled down as it's parking on the same side of my aircraft. The Fuller arrives at my aircraft and starts pumping, he should only take a few minutes.

1648 - My outbound passengers start boarding. I have already given the crew all the necessary paperwork, the outbound bags are on board, fuelling is already complete and all I need now is for 67 passengers and 3 infants to be on board a.s.ap and I can get the aircraft away again. I stand on the ramp under the wing, making sure passengers don't walk under it and complete my own paper work. I glance across towards my friend's aircraft and see him standing grinning at me. He is already boarding his passengers too. The airline he is working with runs a 'tighter ship' with turnaround times.

1656 - Boarding is complete, it's one of those good days where all the passengers turn up and board, no running around looking for the last two or three who are still sampling the terminal bars. I inform the crew, collect my signed paperwork and close up. The ramp guys pull the steps away as I spring off the bottom of them.

1658 - Walk around complete, equipment clear, I don my headset and eagerly await to get going to beat my comrade. To my right I see him and his aircraft closed up and also ready to go. Unfortunately it's now down to whichever flight deck crew request clearance from ATC first.

1658 - Doh! The beacon on the other aircraft starts flashing top and bottom of the fuselage, and I see my friend give the hand signal to his tug driver to push back. He's got in ahead of us, and we won't be able to push back now until his aircraft has taxied off. Frustrating, but my flight is still on time.

My friend gives a smug smile across the ramp and a wave, I'll get him back someday :-) It's time to return to the office for another few hours of poignant discussion about inane subjects and browse youtube. It's a stress free day again.