Superstitions

[fc2spyguy]

Has nothing to do w/ aviation but an odd superstition anyways. When I was up for advancement I refused to buy the next rank from the gedunk maching. Ie. when I was up for E-5 then E-5 was off limits, didn't matter what was there or if it was the last one left. Worked both times so what can I say? Went up for Chief but didn't worry about it because I didn't have my LPO at sea billet and knew I wasn't going to make it. Made board though...

 

[skidkid]

I put my fist set of wings in my lithograph safely away would hate for one of the pins to break or something

 

[beau]

ah yes, my Primary prebrief snack was always a peanutbutter powerbar and orange gatorade before most everyflight.....

on preflight I would always "talk to my plane" basically give her some respect and ask her to be nice to me, and I'd promise to be nice to her. sounds corny....but it is my ritual.....like someone else said, a rider talking to their horse......

no matter what always be at the squadron an hour prior to cover any lose ends/unforeseen things....and always eat something before a flight....

Just bought a box of PB bowerbars and I have a jar of Orange Gatorade powder in the kitchen!

 

[Road Program]

Boot laces outboard over inboard

Fold socks over the top of my boots (sounding familiar?)

Never wear a watch in the sim

Now I have a question. I'm all freaked out about the motivational wings my friend gave me. Do I put them away or is that too risky? Should I just drape a sock or something over them? No, not THAT sock...another sock.

 

[smittyrunr]

just put them away... my husband got gold wings made for me on deployment, I looked at them when he first brought them home, then put them away. Those are what he pinned on me, but I only wear those for special occasions, the standard NEX set any other time. (Although at this point wearing something I'd need to pin wings on IS a special occasion)

Oh yeah, for me, I wouldn't wear brown shoes until after I got past NAMI (NOMI?). I think I figured at that point I'd at least get a couple weeks wear out of them!

 

[kmac]

I'm the nervous habit type that reties my boot laces before a flight if they just don't "feel" right. I remember doing this before any high school football game I had. Having said that, I also readjust the rudder peddles multiple times just to insure they're exactly right. Other than that, I don't have my flight gloves (any) nor do I neccessarily do the preflight the same way around the aircraft. I used to talk to the bird in a nice way back in Primary, but now I just think the Cod is my *****. And speaking of pinning wings on uniforms, I don't even have a pair of khaki's with me right now. I'm praying: Don't give me duty, don't give me duty, don't give me duty!

 

[rare21]

The only think i have now is the "lucky Bamboo" that has been passed down from winger to winger. All i have to do is keep it alive and its supposed to guarantee wings. I'm a little worried though since i'm the cycle breaker, before it was passed down from Navy to Marine to Navy to Marine..and i've had it passed down from a Navy guy.

 

[RHPF]

I hope this isnt bad luck, but...
I never met my grandfather but from what I have heard/read he was a pretty damn good pilot. Every flight (with one exception...) I have made I have worn one of the dog tags around my neck with the hopes that somehow it transfers some of his skill to me. One day I wasnt supposed to fly (bad weather) and as such didnt have the tags on, or even with me. I get there and my instructor wanted to fly, we flew and it was by far my worst day of flying ever. I was at 11-12 hours and was supposed to solo, and then that went and happened and delayed me immensly... Further cementing the need for me to wear his tags. I hope if I make it as an SNA I can keep wearing his tags (and mine obviously) but I doubt that they would let someone do that... anyone know?

 

[ChuckMK23]

polo shirts:

Polo shirt under the flight suit. Totally illegal, but SO funny, SO cheesy. Plus on det, all you have to do is change pants. Quick turnaround to hotel bar happy hour.

(i accidentally put this in your original post, but then fixed it. 4 beers and I'm already jacking up posts...)

What's the point f being a suave and "deboner" Naval Aviator if you don't wear your flight suit to the hotel bar with the rest of your crew..THAT'S THE POINT

 

[zab1001]

What's the point f being a suave and "deboner" Naval Aviator if you don't wear your flight suit to the hotel bar with the rest of your crew..THAT'S THE POINT

Unfortunately, speaking as a guy who has been 'caught and punished' for boozing in my bag on more than one occasion, that doesn't work out so well these days. Emphasis on force protection, especially in foreign areas (plus, me getting caught AND being the FP officer...you get the idea). Occasionally I've gotten away with it (airshows, after all, you're 'promoting the show'). Anytime I'm the senior guy, I okay it. Of course, when we get caught, guess who gets popped..."the LT said it was okay...." crap.

and never go to Maui Tacos in Kailua in a bag. Trust me.

oh yeah, I believe the phrase is "debonair", not, uh, "deboner". Although I know plenty of people that would descibe well.

 

[goplay234]

I have a few things....

First off. No matter when your flight is...Double Meat Whataburger with Cheese for checkrides. So what if your brief is at 5 a.m. DO IT.

Obviously, if you've had the whataburger, you know what comes next....The deuce to end all deuces. Gotta flush out the system...

When I go to gear issue, I always walk to the bird completely strapped up and ready to go. I also place my watch over my gloves.

I always pre-flight my gear in the same way. Left side SAFES, Right side, boots, survival kit, knife flashlight, helmet.

I always carry 20 bucks in my right breast pocket. (If I go down over North Carolina, I want to make sure I get a good lunch before SAR gets there).

I have the same gloves since flight school and I haven't switched them out. They are the desert brown isotoners. I look hot with the sporting those with the bag.

I was completely against the leather until I got to Norfolk and had to reintroduce myself to winter. After one day just wearing the NOMEX, I switched over.

Those are just a few of many...

 

[Brett327]

I have a few things....

I always pre-flight my gear in the same way. Left side SAFES, Right side, boots, survival kit, knife flashlight, helmet.

Dude, you preflight your boots?

Brett

 

[webmaster]

and never go to Maui Tacos in Kailua in a bag. Trust me.

Dude, don't you know it... I don't know why we got beat down on so much about that, when you had the HSL freaks (yah, I am talking about you gatordev!), who I saw all the time there in the bag, and down at Starbucks, bastards.

Then again, I would just like the opportunity to wear the bag again (outside of putting it on to piss off my command, and get ordered not to wear it, but that is a different story)....

 

[goplay234]

hell yeah the boots. I always lace them up all the way instead of leaving the loops out.

 

[ControlledBurn]

Always preflight my aircraft in the same order, and always set up my instruments in the same order, despite the fact that Riddle "flows" are supposed to be done differently.

Always talk to the plane on preflight, ask her to take care of me, tell her I'll take care of her, etc.

Won't touch anything with an EGA or wings on it. My little brother tried to give me a set of extra EGAs he had from when he bought new anodized stuff for his first Ball, I refused to even touch them, yelled at him about it in the barracks when he did it.