With all the news about meowing on guard… Have you ever flown with someone who meowed? I would like to believe this isn’t professional pilots meowing…but…
Posted by imav8n@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 169 comments
Murky-Resident-3082@reddit
Trust me we meow in the most professional manner
Gutter_Snoop@reddit
I just straight up don't get it. Every copilot I've ever flown with seems lightly disguised by it or worse, so I don't know who is still doing it.
I, personally, am heavily annoyed by it, to the point I would give a stern warning to a guy (let's be honest, it's all teenage-brained guys.. the ladies have more respect for the profession) for the first offense, and would not hesitate to rat them out to management for unprofessionalism if they kept it up.
I am an old freight dog. There are definitely some flying habits I have that drive some of the more airline-oriented FOs I'm paired with a little nuts. But some dipshit pilot-bro sitting next to me doing meows on the general emergency frequency would be the biggest clue that they don't take it seriously, and that would be the end of any respect I have for the guy in the chair across a flight deck.
nolaflygirl@reddit
Thank you VERY much! Well-stated & true!
Recent-Day3062@reddit
What freight things do you do that bothers them?
Gutter_Snoop@reddit
Fly the airplane without autopilot on, mostly.
Sometimes I don't write up a burnt out lightbulb in the overhead panel until it is going into maintenance for a scheduled thing.
blueBaggins1@reddit
Snitch
Gutter_Snoop@reddit
Meow all you want on your own time. The people who do it on guard freq are the types who didn't get enough attention from mommy growing up or something. There's absolutely no reasonable excuse for it. It's not that hard to be a fucking mature adult.
Turbulent_Funny_7002@reddit
Womp womp u sound like a blast
Gayy4Justice@reddit
Go fly in clouds
Gutter_Snoop@reddit
Womp womp you sound like another wannabe loser asshole who wishes your balls would finally drop
burnheartmusic@reddit
Yeah I mean is it the biggest offense? No. Is it unnecessary and not even funny and unprofessional. Absolutely yes. I’m all for a quip with ATC if they aren’t busy, but just brainrot meowing on the emergency frequency is a red flag of a human for me
Checkeide-failure@reddit
Waiting about that one story that apparently happened at 10 different airlines about the dude who meowed during IOE and got fired
nolaflygirl@reddit
What a dummy! Thank goodness they fired him!
Lensatic_wilkinson@reddit
Specially the part where they got called to the chief pilot's office to do the carpet dance, and doubled down on no promises on not meowing ever again. Totes happened
DJKronikCam710@reddit
I never heard about this!! Did that shit really happen?! 🤣
Weasel474@reddit
Like the guy who pulled his phone out during taxi on IOE and lost his legacy job? Trust me, bro, my buddy heard from a captain!
RegionalJet@reddit
With an FAA observer in the jumpseat too!
StPauliBoi@reddit
That observers name? Wilbur Wrightstein
poser765@reddit
No no no. That wasn't a guy... It was a "female".
MiniTab@reddit
I did verify the idiot that got fired at United for doing that in his new hire sims. When he came back to OO, the sim instructor that had him told me about it.
Williama386@reddit
It’s my favorite story
OrganicParamedic6606@reddit
The only person I’ve ever had fuck around on guard was a senior 757/767 captain.
nolaflygirl@reddit
Disgusting.
1202burner@reddit
A case of too old to give a fuck?
GlockAF@reddit
The “tism”, doubtless.
Dumfucktism
ApprehensiveVirus217@reddit
Back when I was a student, several of my instructors did, and had a couple captains in my early career do the whole let’s go brandon thing.
Since I’ve been at a legacy, every time it happens the guy I’m sitting next to starts a 5 minute spiel about how they’ve written FO’s up for it and will do so again.
outworlder@reddit
Wow. What happened to the whole "CFIs are supposed to be role models" or whatever the actual FAA wording says?
nolaflygirl@reddit
ALL of mine were; and I'm SO grateful for that.
MartonianJ@reddit
When I hear it, like I did today, I wonder what the other pilot in the cockpit says or is thinking.
ApprehensiveVirus217@reddit
If you ever find yourself flying with a big American flag on the tail, you don’t dare.
nolaflygirl@reddit
I'm SHOCKED! When I trained at a small Part 61 Cessna Pilot Center/FBO, EVERYONE -- students, CFIs, staff (were all pilots too) -- were professional at all times. None of us would've EVER done such a thing or even thought about it. This really needs to get under control before a terrible accident occurs. I'm ashamed of my fellow pilots.
Higgo91@reddit
Not a pilot here: this sounds absolutely common and known. What's up with the meowing? Anyone knows when it started? What does it mean to "be on guard"?
randombrain@reddit
There is a band of frequencies set aside for aviation communications. Different ATC facilities are assigned different frequencies and pilots change between the frequencies to talk to different controllers.
There is one single "emergency frequency" that (nearly) every ATC facility always listens to, in addition to the other frequencies they use. Airborne aircraft are also highly encouraged to monitor this frequency if they have a second radio. This is so a pilot having an emergency can ask for help, or ATC can contact a pilot that went to an incorrect frequency by accident.
In the US, this frequency is called the "guard frequency" because it is "guarded," or monitored, at all times.
Sometimes people make a transmission on this guard frequency, whether by accident or on purpose. Then other people jump on to tell them that they were "transmitting on the guard frequency" or simply "on guard."
Higgo91@reddit
Thanks. Now I understand the adversion to meowing
DanThePilot_Mann@reddit
I can say even as an instructor, I never had someone do it. I can not understand why anyone would even want to do it
voretaq7@reddit
I meow all the time. I also bark, growl, and occasionally moo.
Not on the goddamn radio where it could interfere with safety-critical transmissions though.
DJKronikCam710@reddit
I'm so glad I'm not the only one!! 🤣 My copilots think I'm losing my marbles, but I have to keep my ADHD in check some how! But yea.....NEVER over the radio!! There is some funny shit on guard though for sure🤣
Plummeter@reddit
I flew back to back with two very pleasant captains recently at my airline. The first one was about to retire and when I asked him what his plans were he said he wanted line up the people who meow on guard and punch them all in the face. The second one giggled like a kid every time someone meowed and said that while he would never do it he loved the people who did.
bidsmack@reddit
I get that it’s annoying, and you look like an idiot doing it on a flight deck, but I admit some funny stuff comes over guard sometimes especially late at night or ass crack of dawn. One guy played the opening to lion king JUST as the sun rose over the horizon one morning and I haven’t stopped laughing at it for years.
DJKronikCam710@reddit
Now THAT is fuckin hilarious!!!! I would have lost my shit for sure 🤣🤣🤣
Ok-Answer-6951@reddit
Not a pilot, but can only imagine you're cruising along in silence and then that shit hit. Lucky you didn't wreck the plane. 🤣🤣🤣
ApprehensiveVirus217@reddit
Someone made a long-winded PA or ops call on guard, and this dude, with the best radio disc jockey voice imaginable, comes on and goes, “You’re on 121.5, THE GUARD, dishing out the best from the west, commercial free, all morning long”.
I fucking lost it for at least 30 seconds.
hardyboyyz@reddit
HAHAHA! Damn that would get me good.
hyacinthhusband@reddit
Honestly in my experience it’s rare to hear the kitty farm west of ORD. It’s definitely airline crews, though.
Theytookmyarcher@reddit
Hmm seems to get awfully busy by daytona beach...
ResponsibilityOld164@reddit
nothing good comes out of daytona beach.
DJKronikCam710@reddit
As someone who has lived in Daytona beach shores for over 10 years......I can confirm that's an absolute FACT 🤣
PawzUK@reddit
How do you know? I always assumed it's GA kids
VileInventor@reddit
None of my fucking students that’s for damn sure
320sim@reddit
Ironically I think a lot of it is bored CFIs
Flavor_Nukes@reddit
No
21MPH21@reddit
Nope
Whole-Hat-2213@reddit
Negative
bigmoneyapollo@reddit
Nada
FlyAirbusB6@reddit
Nyet.
Gutter_Snoop@reddit
NEIN
albal33@reddit
Nein
Whole-Hat-2213@reddit
It's pronounced "niner" FYI
the_silent_one1984@reddit
Believe it or not, my CFI who I was especially surprised by because he seemed like a real no-nonsense stand-up guy. When he tuned to the freq and then meowed I was shocked.
outworlder@reddit
I'd get a new CFI. Thankfully, mine is by the book and super safety focused. Can't imagine him doing bullshit in an emergency frequency.
the_silent_one1984@reddit
This was years ago. He had since moved onto the airlines. Heck I can't rule out that he was on the audio in question that inspired this thread.
And like I said, he was super by the book otherwise. That's why I was so shocked.
Polarbog@reddit
What the fuck am I reading
mass_marauder@reddit
During COVID when it was only us cargo guys flying there was no meowing. So, I can tell you it ain’t us.
Ancient_Juice_1127@reddit
The most I've said on guard that is unrelated is a baseball game score. I never understood the meowing and I never will.
Replubic@reddit
Lol my CFO used to do it to other school planes while we were away from atc coverage. (Practice field)
bd_whitt@reddit
You’re never away from ATC coverage on guard. Guard is a universal frequency that all ATC transceivers are turned to intercept. As you pass from one transceivers range you’re picked up by the next. There are very few areas in the US that don’t have radio coverage. Also due to the nature of radio signals, calls made in guard can be triangulated to a near exact position based on strength of signal.
Just because no one is replying doesn’t mean they can’t hear you. Guard is usually broadcast over the loud speakers in ATC facilities. 100s of people are hearing you at any given time. Even worse, in the UK, 121.5 is monitored by the Royal Air Force directly.
Replubic@reddit
Lol my bad missed the guard thing. I was just trying to say meowing seems to be common. I wouldn’t be fucking around on guard. We have messed around on a frequency out in practice area.
bd_whitt@reddit
Yeah it’s pretty common. It can be funny on a Unicom if everyone’s just chilling in the pattern but hearing it on guard all day while flying gets annoying.
Company requires us to monitor it so we just set it to 1% volume. It’s always the east coast and it’s always the training cesspool areas in Florida and Georgia.
Replubic@reddit
Who said pilots can’t have fun other than the FAA.
bd_whitt@reddit
Fun is subjective. And most of the people meowing are probably to young to even know about super troopers at this point 🤣
Replubic@reddit
Fuck hahahaha. They should start asking for a Liter of cola.
TobyADev@reddit
thing is, it's utterly stupid. call me a dick but if you're trying to make a mayday call and being interrupted by "meow" then.. thats insane
JT-Av8or@reddit
Our company fired one recently. Regional guy moving up to the majors on probation (new hire). Right in front of the line check pilot! He (captain) let him have it. Next leg the FO does it again saying with a laugh “I just can’t help myself!” Took him to pro standards and the dude was kicked out.
I’ve flown with a few FO’s who said they did it at the regionals. It was funny (they thought) and several regional captains who didn’t make it to the majors will do things like a fake PA saying “Delta” etc.
It’s nice flying internationally because the RJs don’t have long range and the cats trying to get a response from the “guard dogs” are pretty much east coasters.
Carre_Munuts@reddit
I’ve heard military pilots do it.
DonnerPartyPicnic@reddit
Nah we mostly just mickey each other.
Carre_Munuts@reddit
Scope. Relevance.
Left_Chemistry_9739@reddit
My wife once asked if she had just heard a meow on the radio. So I explained the joke to her.
So then she keyed up the microphone and meowed.
WickedLordSP@reddit
Three years into airline flying, no captain who I am flying with meowed when I am at the cockpit.
But I think they secretly meow when I go to the lavatory
Brevis001@reddit
I’d bet most of what people are hearing isn’t actual “meowing” so much as someone messing around on guard or hot mic moments getting clipped and shared. Guard can turn into a bit of a circus sometimes, especially when people forget they’re transmitting to everyone.
In my experience it’s rarely airline crews more often random GA pilots or someone trying to be funny and not realizing how it comes across. Still kind of wild it’s become a “thing” though… anyone actually heard it live or just online clips?
TheDrMonocle@reddit
Controller here. I hear it almost every day.
SP_Aman@reddit
What thought crosses your mind when you hear it
jackalcane@reddit
meow
RaiseTheDed@reddit
It is really regional though, which makes me want to believe it's a culture thing at one of the regionals. I mostly hear it on the east coast, rarely west of the Mississippi. But who knows. We won't because the FAA won't reinstall VHF triangulation equipment and actually do anything about it.
Weasel474@reddit
To be fair to the feds, the NAS infrastructure is so archaic that spending the money and manpower to hunt down serial meowers is at the bottom of the priority list.
Former_Farm_3618@reddit
How do you know it’s not airline crews? Can we really tell from the recordings?
ThatLooksRight@reddit
Are you serious? I hear it all the time, especially in the northeast.
Yes, live, in person, on 121.5.
Lazy_Tac@reddit
For what ever reason the northeast is brutal
latedescent@reddit
Weirdest hot take ever, it’s literally every day multiple times per day at all hours
BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit
Doesn't sound like you have much experience.
One-Cauliflower-8770@reddit
Honestly don’t remember. IMO it’s not that big a deal. I am way more bothered by people scolding on guard or saying “you’re on guard”
Literally have had people step all over an emergency saying “guaaard” “you’re on guard”
That shit actually pisses me off. It takes up way more time and is way more disruptive than a short “meow”
dnbdawg@reddit
lol you can tell who the “guaaaardddd” guys are in this thread
One-Cauliflower-8770@reddit
Meow is just a way of calling Delta-like-stick-in-the-mud pilots pussies. And it works every time. They get so baited.
chicagoderp@reddit
I fly a fast airplane privately for fun... I've traversed the US many many many times but I've spent most of my time west of Kansas City. I monitor guard 100% of the time.
The only time I've heard meowing was in the southeast.
UnreasoningOptimism@reddit
I heard one in the PNW yesterday and one today
Hodgetwins32@reddit
I’m 99.9% sure it’s Delta captains
Gutter_Snoop@reddit
Pretty sure you're joking. But no.
Hodgetwins32@reddit
chud
Gutter_Snoop@reddit
window-licker
ResponsibilityOld164@reddit
it legitimately is.
BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit
Yeah, the 28 year old ER captain wonders who "did their time" at the regionals (18 months or less).
bowhunterb119@reddit
I hate that but I kinda want to do it one time right before I retire. I won’t, because it’s unprofessional and I’m not like that, but I’ll admit I always found it funny. Especially when someone else comes on freq saying something like “I’m the CAPTAIN of American Airlines flight XXXX and I demand we be more professional!!! And then there’s a long pause and then another “meow”.
sf340b@reddit
Hundreds of comments and not one "meow"...?
khakiwallprint@reddit
When they aren't rolling coal out of SFO they get bored
cbrookman@reddit
One captain I’ve flown with in three years. First time I just stared at him. Second time I said “alright, that’s plenty” and he stopped for the rest of the trip.
DFWmovingwalkway@reddit
Never in 3 airines, I have no idea who the fuck does it
Tough_Efficiency_719@reddit
I long held this theory that it was just some teenager in his basement who'd gotten hold of his dad's handheld radio. I wanted that to be true. And I tried to prove it with my own handheld while recording an episode of the Cats On Guard podcast where we explain the meowing. Not that I was going to meow, I was just going to have 121.5 on in the background, hoping to catch a meow while recording. Sadly all I got was static in my own basement, which proved that no teenager would get a signal strong enough. Leaving the likely culprits to be one of us.
randombrain@reddit
We hear it all the time in ATC facilities, and it is 100% coming from airborne aircraft. There's no other way we would be hearing it so consistently from radio sites around the country.
AWACS_Bandog@reddit
Not sure it counts because it wasn't on Guard, but was Safety pilot for another guy in the club, and he did it for the practice area
I didn't fly with him for other poor choices he made, but it definitely set the mood for his flight
Baystate411@reddit
I had some POS lifer captain at republic who had an animal noise making app on his phone and would key it up on guard.
jdubz9999@reddit
That’s got IND or CMH written all over it
A_Squid_A_Dog@reddit
There was def a cmh guy doing that he sucked
Baystate411@reddit
BOS surprisingly
jdubz9999@reddit
Oh shoot that makes it a short list 🤣
If you ever fly with Teflon make sure to say hello
Baystate411@reddit
I haven't been at republic in 4-5 years. Not sure who it is!
jdubz9999@reddit
Oh that makes it a really shot list then.
That’s me. I’m Teflon. Congrats on getting out
Baystate411@reddit
God bless
Classic_Ad_9985@reddit
This is hilarious 😂
JasonThree@reddit
What's worse than a half second meow is the next 30 seconds of guard dogs yelling "GUARD, YOURE ON GUARD". Oh like im sure they meant to meow on approach frequency.
arunko@reddit
About 10 years ago, I flew with a captain who was very close to retirement who used 'meow' like a greeting during every check in and frequency change. ATC - Switch to 118.5 Captain - 118.5 Meow I fould it extremely funny and that was the last time I heard someone meowing next to me but he never did it on guard.
snoutpower@reddit
Never heard it.here in CA, but it's totally lame.
Big_Smoke_4817@reddit
I’d rather people invested time in not letting Mil Helos under an approach plate, or why military don’t use adsb or fly in any safe manner whatsoever in the U.S. - rest of the world manages it. Meow on guard is literally the least issue right now for US aviation.
Ouch704@reddit
Had to relay a mayday call and coordinate with ATC for a crashed aircraft once.
Fucking idiots kept interrupting meowing and saying "you're on guard" while we were trying to get rescue to the crash.
It's one of the easiest problems to get rid of, and anyone doing it should be disciplined HARSHLY.
One-Cauliflower-8770@reddit
This is why I only get mad when people try and defend the guard channel. . A meow…eh it’s short and not language. No biggy.
But people who talk on guard acting like they’re “correct” for calling them out. Can’t stand them.
Ouch704@reddit
There were multiple meows and they were by far the most annoying; when called out, the guard police stopped, the meows doubled down.
Without the meows, there would be no guard police. So no, meows and other stuff like that should be reprimanded severely.
i_should_go_to_sleep@reddit
Sorry, FAA doesn’t have time for that and regionals can’t afford to install ADSB-In so it doesn’t matter… we’ll have to focus on guard meowing.
/s
ChestertonsFence1929@reddit
I’ve heard it on guard. I usually assume it’s a local instructor.
madscientist159@reddit
This should be the only source of meowing from the flight deck...
https://i.redd.it/fbjylpn5k5a01.jpg
For everyone else with two less feet and opposable thumbs...please just grow up.
One-Cauliflower-8770@reddit
Honestly meows are overrated. Heard a chewie growl completely out of the blue once… that really hit the spot
saml01@reddit
Heard it once on guard. It was funny until people got stupid.
One time my tower closed for an hour for some event and there was no notam. So obviously arriving pilots were surprised and after being told some would meow in surprise and that was hilarious.
BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit
Do I look like a cat to you, boy?
YamComprehensive7186@reddit
Have you ever milked a cat Fokker?
msommers1234@reddit
Do I eat mice?
TheGacAttack@reddit
Do you see me jumping around all nimbly-bimbly??
aftcg@reddit
Yes. Sure!
voretaq7@reddit
I don't care how weird you think it is, whatever he wants to identify as long as it intend to be a competent pilot?
EliteEthos@reddit
“Am I jumping around all nimbly bimbly from tree to tree?!”
“Am I drinking milk from a saucer?!”
theaviator10@reddit
I was in the jumpseat going home on an RJ and the FO unironically did it… I was like “uhhh… really?”
OracleofFl@reddit
Like NASA from there should be an anonymous reporting website that generates a letter of warning. If the offenders just know they are on the FAA "radar" for abusing guard that will reduce 90% of it.
Eastern-Alarm-8339@reddit
I’ve done it like twice at 0200 over ATL ligma bawlz
Ted_Striker02@reddit
Never seen it. Never flown with someone who has seen it. 15 years in 121
stinkyelbows@reddit
Air Tindi pilots are the children up where I live
External_Capital1753@reddit
I always blamed Wasaya in my neck of the woods. So glad I don't listen to 26.7 and 22.8 in northwest Ontario/Manitoba anymore. Got the double whammy within 200nm of Cat Lake.
iketunes00@reddit
No, but one time I made my 10 mile inbound call for an untowered airport on guard. I’d argue that’s worse.
fender8421@reddit
It's not jump pilots. Everything I've heard from them tends to be much more profane and hilarious
CluelessPilot1971@reddit
Please share
yppers@reddit
My flight instructor did this often but not on 121.5. Normally it was cross country or training area to other instructors.
monoshellos@reddit
when my instructor thought i lacked confidence on radio, he meowed one time to demonstrate no one cares what you sound like. not on atc frequencies of course.
barkingcat@reddit
Of all the meowong I've heard on ATC recordings, what bugs me is that none of them sound like what a cat would meow. It's like pilots never have cats (well, with the lifestyle I can see why none of them have cats) and are doing this "what I think cats sound like" thing, while being 1000% confident that's what a cat sounds like when anyone with half a brain knows that's not what a cat meow sounds like.
Super arrogant in the wrong direction.
Wi2022@reddit
This has always been my question....is this done when another crew member steps out or is this in plain sight so to speak with both crew members present? Seems beyond awkward to have it happen.
Martinblade@reddit
Yes. First time in 2 years of flying. Weird thing is he's a stuck up asshole otherwise.
bobnuthead@reddit
Just blowing off some steam every meow and again.
link_dead@reddit
Yes, unfortunately, I couldn't open the door to push him out :(
Almost_A_Pear@reddit
Every single person I work with.
It’s either that or a Beavis and Butthead giggle
Wingmaniac@reddit
You're not serious are you? That's an issue that the CP needs to nip in the bud. But the rot usually starts from the top.
Almost_A_Pear@reddit
Chief does it more than anyone. I’m all for enjoying the job and having fun but some people just don’t respect the professionalism sometimes required.
-burnr-@reddit
Once heard a Beavis giggle followed by the full intro to Welcome To The Jungle by GnR on 26.7
NGL, giggled at that one
SciencesAndFarts@reddit
Yeah. He doesn’t work here anymore.
jaws274@reddit
Only once have I flown with someone who meowed. I think it’s ATC
Then_Fee_1638@reddit
I have but he was a weird dude generally
Foxbat100@reddit
Only one, went on to become a Delta person despite all stereotypes to the contrary.
indianmcflyer@reddit
No
Upbeat_Signature_951@reddit
Meow meow
Checkeide-failure@reddit
It's pilots yes. And who the fuck cares?
This shit has been happening for decades and now the media caught a hold of it because it's slow news day.
The FAA isn't doing jack shit
TheDrMonocle@reddit
Any aviation professional worth their credentials should care. I'm a controller and I have to listen to guard. These chucklefucks who think its funny, the the cacophony of people that came after are a distraction. And at times, an ACTIVE detriment to safety. We had a moron singing a song while an aircraft was calling on guard for help.
The media bringing attention to it finally might actually make the FAA care a little bit finally.
prex10@reddit
Yes
Unlucky_Geologist@reddit
I’ve only ever heard one person meow over 5 years in part 121 and he’s at UA now. Historically in my experience it’s been mostly Delta and UPS in the south eastern US late at night.
TemporaryAmbassador1@reddit
No. Thankfully never seen it first hand.
huertamatt@reddit
Nice try Mr. FAA.
sirtaxeda1ot@reddit
As of meow I have heard anyone personally.