The Ramper vs. The Weather
There are no snow days for rampers. Excessive heat warnings during the Phoenix summer months are meaningless, not to mention unnecessary to the population as a whole. Freeze warnings and pollution alerts are useful for gardeners and our asthmatic friends. A constant battle looms between rampers and the weather, and Mother Nature doesn't like to lose. All rampers, in every station, must contend with what comes from nature and the ensuing effects on our bodies, and minds. The cold and snow of Denver can be fierce and the heat of Phoenix is devastating, yet the most dreaded forecast is RAIN.
How many times have you heard regular people(that is, non-rampers) say, "Oh, we need the rain?" Screw them. Rain on a day off or after work is fine but when you're out there in shorts and a t-shirt when the sky suddenly opens up, do you really need the rain? After you're drenched and finish your flight, you run inside to put flimsy rain gear over soaked clothes. More often than not, in Phoenix, by the time you get back outside, it has stopped raining. Now comes the dilemma; do you keep your rain gear on or go back to your locker to strip it off? So many things to consider before making this decision. First, I can confidently say, your rain gear doesn't fit properly. More than likely, the pants, if they haven't shredded in the crotch, are too big. You either have them rolled up over your belly-button or you drag the cuffs through the puddles. Second, if you take them off and decide to leave them outside with you, there is a very good chance they will be stolen, no matter how many times you write your name on the back. Third, with the luck we have as rampers, the possibility is very great that as soon as you bring your gear inside, it will start raining again the minute your flight gets on the ground. Lastly, if it is summer, two problems arise: 1) you can't stand the thought of keeping that rubber jacket on one minute longer than necessary; 2) if you have time to stay inside you start to shiver because your clothes are soaked and the thermostat is on the Arctic setting.
The worst part of rain is wet feet. We've all tried the blow drier, and I even stood on one leg for ten minutes at a time with my stocking feet held up under the exhaust of an A320. Some people bring a change of socks but putting dry socks into wet shoes never made much sense to me. It seems the most sensible people are the ones who walk around with plastic bags in their shoes to keep their socks dry. That all seems like too much work for me so I just do what I deem most practical; I call in sick. Rampers, always have the latest weather forecast at hand and when it might rain, get up early and make that call. The guys that are there will appreciate the OT and you'll get to spend a nice rainy day snuggled up at home.
I will never, ever miss rain days! The rampant delays,radios don't work, and yes the wet shoes:) Connects was just like running blind. Much easier in dispatch, but yet stressful to figure out what flights were on the ground when said plane FINALLY came in.
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