Calories in, calories out

Ok, so I talked about the need for exercise on the road. It's of all the food I seem to consume at work. I know, I know, it's all willpower, of which I have none. Private airlines are able to cater food to the airplane for the passengers, and they also do this for the pilots, since it keeps us satisfied and safe (who wants a hungry, tired, grumpy pilot?). A lot of times, this food is awesome! At the very least, it is way more food than I should be eating on any given day. Hence all the exercise I have to do on the road. Yesterday I ran along Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, where the fog was so thick it felt like rain. It was fun!



Anyway, let's cover the passenger catering first. It is delivered to the FBO by a caterer, which may be on site, at a nearby restaurant, etc. Since there is no flight attendant on our airplane (no stove or refrigerator either), we are limited to what we can provide "self serve." Yes, we do get people ordering filet mignon or some such, and we have to run into the FBO and heat it up in the microwave based on the passenger's estimated departure time. If they are late, often their food gets cold...


But most people order some pretty standard stuff: a cheese and cracker, fruit, sandwich, veggie, or dessert tray. Some all order all of the above, and I'm left staring at all this leftover delicious food.... Anyway, enough about my tapeworm (as my co-pilot calls it). Most pilots will give this leftover food to the ramp crews at the destination if the passengers leave it behind (thank goodness!).


Our passengers yesterday, for example, ordered simple sandwiches, a salad, cookies, and a quart of fresh ice tea. The caterers pack it up nicely with condiments and tableware, and we put it all in a drawer that we reserve for just such a thing. Sometimes all the food doesn't fit here, and we have to get creative storing it.


They did leave behind the cookies, btw, so I had two oatmeal raisin cookies for dinner....