There were several airplanes "holding short" and waiting for takeoff clearance. All of them had pulled over into the holding area just short of the taxiway leading to the runway and were just sitting there, side by side, waiting for ATC to clear them for takeoff. An Eastern flight taxied into the area and continued slowly past the parked planes until it was blocking all other airplanes.
The tower cleared the first plane for takeoff, but all they could do was complain, "We're blocked and can't get to the runway." The tower then asked, "Who can reach the runway for takeoff?" "Eastern 313 is ready to go!" After being cleared for takeoff, one of the Eastern pilots whispered smugly over the radio, "Purdy slick, huh?"
As they started down the runway and got up to about 80 knots, someone keyed his microphone and rang the engine fire-warning alarm test. Hearing the alarm and thinking it was their own, Eastern immediately aborted the takeoff and reported, "Eastern 313, we're aborting for an engine fire warning...but we don't have any fire lights illuminated!"
As they taxied clear of the runway someone added, "Purdy slick, huh?"
The tower cleared the first plane for takeoff, but all they could do was complain, "We're blocked and can't get to the runway." The tower then asked, "Who can reach the runway for takeoff?" "Eastern 313 is ready to go!" After being cleared for takeoff, one of the Eastern pilots whispered smugly over the radio, "Purdy slick, huh?"
As they started down the runway and got up to about 80 knots, someone keyed his microphone and rang the engine fire-warning alarm test. Hearing the alarm and thinking it was their own, Eastern immediately aborted the takeoff and reported, "Eastern 313, we're aborting for an engine fire warning...but we don't have any fire lights illuminated!"
As they taxied clear of the runway someone added, "Purdy slick, huh?"