We’ve just landed at a major airport that essentially gets shut down at night due to noise concerns from a minority of residents who have a knack for complaining. The jet we are flying is quiet. Quiet enough that we are allowed to fly in and out during the curfew on our freight runs.
We’ve parked at the bay and have 30 minutes to prepare for the next sector. The freight door is open, freight comes off, more freight goes on. I do a walk around, checking that the wings are still attached, fluid is where it should be and not where it shouldn’t be, lights work, brake fans work, no feathers in the engines etc. The first officer is preparing the take-off data for the next leg.
Back on the flight-deck we brief and complete the “transit checklist”. Our work is finished for now and we are waiting for the loading to be completed.
This airport has most of its runways and many taxiways closed for the night and maintenance staff are preparing to do scheduled tarmac maintenance.
I look out through the window and see at least 20 trucks of various shapes and sizes all making their way in line astern, like a very large family of ducks crossing the road, toward where ever they’ll be working for the night.
I look at my FO. “Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy!” I say.
“What?” He replies with a blank look.
“You don’t remember that movie? Maybe it was before your time.” (He’s only 10 years younger than me but maybe that’s enough.)
Well I couldn’t let this go by so I cue up Convoy by C.W. McCall on YouTube and play it to him. A big smile and look of recognition paints his face and he grabs my iPad turns the overhead speakers on, puts the iPad up to a headset mic and turns the interphone up.
We sit there singing along to Convoy while this flock of trucks trundle past us.
*Cause we got a little convoy
Rockin’ through the night.
Yeah, we got a little convoy,
Ain’t she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain’t nothin’ gonna get in our way.
We gonna roll this truckin’ convoy
'Cross the U-S-A.
Convoy! *
The load controller turns up and hands us the final paperwork. “What’s going on?” he asks. I nod out the window, “convoy”. He just smiles and says “sweet!”
*Ah, breaker, Pig Pen, this here’s the Duck. And, you wanna back off them hogs? Yeah, 10-4, ‘bout five mile or so. Ten, roger. Them hogs is gettin’ in-tense up here.
*
We’ve got our paperwork and the doors are closed so fun times are over and the real work is about to begin. The starting checklist is completed.
“Cockpit to ground” Says I.
“Ground” comes the reply from our dispatcher who is on headset and visible in front of the nose.
“Confirm doors are closed, tail-strut and sill protectors removed, the brakes are parked, you can remove the chocks, we’re ready for a start.”
“Breaker breaker, that’s a big 10-4 there, it’s all stowed and closed good buddy. you’re clear to start all four.”
“Ha ha, you’ve been listening in! starting four…”
‘Cause we got a mighty convoy
Rockin’ through the night.
Yeah, we got a mighty convoy,
Ain’t she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain’t nothin’ gonna get in our way.
We gonna roll this truckin’ convoy
'Cross the U-S-A.
