One of the unique things about flying for a major airline is that, even at the relatively small bases, you frequently share a cockpit with people you’ve never met before. The level of standardization at modern airlines smooth out the operational aspects of working with strangers, and the fact that airline pilots tend to be a—sometimes regrettably—homogenous bunch eases the potential for social friction.
There is something of a standard introductory formula: greeting the other pilot as they board the jet, introducing yourself, sitting down in your respective seats, building your nest, and engaging in light chatter—including where’s home, when did you come in, and how was the commute? My answer for the past four-plus years that I live on a 42-foot sailboat and that home is whatever patch of salt water we’re currently plying always drew raised eyebrows and sparked decidedly nonformulaic conversation. But it was at least an answer, one I honed to the point that I could reassure my co-worker du jour that I’m a fairly normal guy despite my unconventional lifestyle—and won’t be a pain in the ass to fly with for the next four days.
