Ready for Boarding (closed to Angel)

[wanttobeaplane]

It is 9 am precisely when Martin emerges from the back of Ten Forward where he has already loaded his simulation into one of the holosuites and a Cessna Citation Mustang is awaiting a pilot and his sole passenger at London City Airport

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[zombie_on_call]

I'd been up early and thanks to a heart attack patient last night tanked up on brains. I was wearing jeans, my boots, a tank tee and a brand-new fur-lined 'biker' jacket. It wasn't real leather and it wasn't real fur, but it was real warm.

This winter crap could go back to Alaska, as far as I was concerned. Or I could go back to Nice, Louisiana. Whichever was easiest.

I was out in the bar dallying over a coke when Martin came out. I smiled. "Oooh! Look at you! I'm so excited... is everything ready?"

[wanttobeaplane]

Self-consciously, Martin tugs at his sleeve, at least he doesn't blush. But he smiles as well when he hears Angel's excitement. Finally someone who seems just as excited about flying as himself. Oh, how he missed that, it reminds him of Arthur, the cheerful (but somewhat dimwit) steward of MJN Air.

"Good morning. Yes, everything is ready. We can head to London as soon as you've finished your drink." He tries to make that sound as business-like as he can manage.

[zombie_on_call]

"It's just a coke, I can do without it," I said with a shrug. Nowhere nearly as cool as flying, right? I stood up and headed over.

[wanttobeaplane]

"As you like," Martin says and motions for Angel to move ahead of him.

At the back of the bar, the door to one of the holosuites is open, offering the view to a lounge in a terminal. A British Airways plane can be seen through the window from the entrance, but their smaller Cessna is parked on the opposite side, coming into view once you step into the lounge.

Martin enters behind Angel, clears his throat a little awkwardly, then starts with his introductory words he has prepared.

"Welcome to London. This is one of its six international airports, the central one: London City. Due to its central location, it offers the best view of the inner city when we depart," he explains. "Other airports are bigger, Heathrow being the biggest, followed by Gatwick and Stanstead. Luton and Southend are closer in size to this one."

He's not trying to show off, it's just that aviation is his one great passion and he loves to talk about it!

[zombie_on_call]

This was cooler than I'd imagined! As I stepped into the space, it was like I was really there! I touched one of the seats and turned as he cleared his throat.

I listened to his explanation with... I dunno. Not awe, 'cause he was clearly a normal kind of person. But respect. Yeah, respect.

"Do you fly to this city often?" I asked. He knew enough about it, and that accent...

[wanttobeaplane]

"London? No, not very often. Uhm, the ... company I work for is based at a much smaller airport called Fitton. It's not far enough from London to really justify flying here. You've only just taken off when you already have to prepare for landing. There's barely time to read your check-lists."

[zombie_on_call]

"That's still pretty cool," I said. And his explanation made sense, given all the dials and knobs and such in all the movies.

"Are we going in that?" I pointed to the widebody.

[wanttobeaplane]

Martin points to the Cessna. "The Cessna Citation Mustang. She's perfect for a single pilot flight. I could of course have programmed a co-pilot, but I thought I'd take a small jet instead. It also offers more comfort than a regular airline plane. They're equipped to carry as many passengers as possible whereas the Cessna is aiming at comfort for a maximum of four passengers, five if you use copilot's seat for another passenger." And it's a plane so much more modern than what he's used to pilot, it's really exciting for Martin.

He walks to the door on the opposite side and opens it for Angel. "Usually you'd have been through security at this point, checked for weapons or other dangerous items you're not allowed to bring on board. But as this is a simulation only, I thought we could skip it." And he is fairly sure there is a safety-net built into the holosuite that would protect them from any harm.

[zombie_on_call]

"About the most dangerous thing I really use is a scalpel, and I wouldn't take 'em from the clinic anyway." Sure, I could use a basic gun - shotguns, rifles or pistols - but I wouldn't say I was a good shot. And I certainly didn't feel the testosterone that most gun nuts seemed to have in excess.

As I stepped through the door, I looked at everything. "This even feels real!" I couldn't help but say when a breeze played with my hair.

[wanttobeaplane]

Martin steps out behind her, nodding as he hurries past her to open the cabin door for her and fold out the 2-step ladder leading to the cabin on the right side and the cockpit off to the left.

"The downside to a buisness-jet is the low cabin ceiling," Martin says apologetically. "So please be careful not to bump your head. I have to do the walk-around now, check that everything is in order with the plane." He's certain it is, but he's not willing to forego it. It's part of his job as the captain to do it, so do it he will.

"Uhm, are you ... interested in joining me? I could explain a little about the plane, if you like. Or you can go inside and get comfortable," he quickly ads. Passengers usually aren't supposed to be part of the walk-around, but Angel seems so curious and excited that Martin would be pleased to show her everything.

[zombie_on_call]

As cool as it would be to be just a passenger, I was more curious to know more about all the fiddly little details.

"If it's okay, I'd like to come along?"

[wanttobeaplane]

"Really? Yes!" Martin seems a little stunned that she actually wants to join him. But he's very pleased. "Uhm, right. It's not standard procedure, but ...," he chuckles a little forcedly, "it's only a simulation. So let's start right here then," he says and begins explaining technical details to Angel as they walk around the plane.

[ooc: If you want to watch the video, the walk around starts at 40 seconds. Martin just won't be quite so cool about explaining things, too excited, but he knows all the technical things about the plane. He'd never fly a plane without having read the manual from A to Z. ;-)]

[zombie_on_call]

This was mind-blowing. All the little things that someone had to think of to get this plane together... and that the pilot had to know about to keep it in the air. I suddenly wished I hadn't wussed out and dropped out of school.

I didn't ask a lot of questions, I was too absorbed in keeping up with his rambling chattering explanations of what he was looking at and why to think of any... but I was listening intently.

[wanttobeaplane]

Martin finishes his walk around where they started, at the cabin door. Angel seems so interested in everything, it amazes him to no end. Even Arthur, who loves to fly, isn't very interested in all the technicalities, though that might be because he can't understand any of it. And Douglas always just seems bored and changes the topic unless there's an emergency. But here's a fascinated audience!

"So, uhm, that was the walk around." Obviously, but having run out of technical details to talk about, he falls back into his less fluent and/or elegant regular speaking pattern. "So... We're ready to board. Just remember to watch your head." They're both not too tall, but the cabin has even less height than either of them.

[zombie_on_call]

"Thanks for letting me go on the walkaround with you!" With a smile, I stepped up the ladder and ducked into the plane.

[wanttobeaplane]

"Oh, you're quite welcome!" Martin replies as he waits for Angel to move on so he can board and firmly shut the door behind himself.

They haven't discussed where she'd like to sit, he realises. Maybe she'll make her own decision?