I was in Lisbon Portugal in 1979 or 1980 after delivering a Canso there from Norway for maintenance work. I was scheduled to leave on a Transworld 707 (I think that is what is was) for the flight to New York. When I got to my window seat and looked out the window and what I saw scared the crap outta me and I don’t scare easily. I walked back off the aircraft and up the jetway and told the company representatives that I was not going to be flying on that aircraft. There was the expected reaction and the expected question of “what makes you an expert on aircraft condition?” to which I replied “as an aircraft maintenance engineer I had a whole lot better understanding of aircraft condition than a F’ing ticket pusher!”

They had to offload my bags – very unhappy people that did that – and I took the next flight which was a 747 – the aircraft made it (the 707 that is) so I guess I was wrong —- Maybeeee – but then again maybe not.

In 35 years it was the only aircraft that I refused to fly in because of its’ condition – there was a couple of times that I refused to fly with certain crews that seemed to have a deathwish. I don’t think you would want to do it on a regular basis!!!!