2774: Taxiing

2025-09-29T09:31:30Z

2607:F140:400:AF:CD9E:9774:D467:6FE: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2774
| date = May 10, 2023
| title = Taxiing
| image = taxiing_2x.png
| imagesize = 399x431px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I don't understand why anyone would pay full price for a flatbed truck rental when you can buy 'DETOUR' signs online for like $10.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Explain the different ways that Cueball could steal a plane in more detail, including their impracticalities. Mention fighter interception.}}
[[File:A Polish airman marshals a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft March 13, 2014, at Lask Air Base, Poland 140313-F-BH566-088.jpg|thumb|300px| A marshaller marshalling, indicating the airplane should stop. Or possibly a {{w|Sith}}.]]
In this comic, [[Cueball]] is directing an airplane with marshalling wands onto a ramp that leads onto the trailer of a {{w|flatbed truck}}. The caption reveals he is not an actual aircraft marshal: instead he is tricking the pilot into driving the plane onto the trailer. Randall, as Cueball, says the "glowing wand things" (the marshalling wands) were bought cheaply on the internet, at a cost much lower than that of the plane he is now stealing. This, of course, is impractical for multiple reasons, such as the fact that the plane would not fit on the ramp and that the pilot taxiing would realize something was wrong and stop (and possibly contact authorities). An alternative plan with fewer impracticalities would be to steal the plane using a {{w|pushback tractor}}. Alternatively, since Cueball has apparently has access to the tarmac, which is (at least supposed to be) a secure area, he could (with enough simulator practice) just fly the plane away like {{w|2018 Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 incident|Richard Russell}}.

The word "ramp" can also refer to the apron of an airport, the area where marshallers most often work. A pilot may be quite used to having their plane directed onto that form of ramp, and not notice that Cueball is using the word in a different sense.

The title text suggests that Cueball did not even pay to rent the truck: instead, he placed "Detour" signs on the road to trick the driver into driving the truck into place for loading. This raises the question of what happened to the original driver. Also, if Cueball stole the truck in order to steal a plane, perhaps stealing the plane is not his final goal but instead an intermediate step to steal something else.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is waving two orange sticks in the air, one in each hand. They are glowing as indicated with small orange lines all around the orange part. The handle he holds them by is black. Cueball is pointing one stick to the left where, behind him, is a ramp that extends beyond the panel. The other stick is held up in front of his face and he looks up onto the front end of a large plane. Only a small part of the plane is visible, mainly the very tip with just a bit of the window into the cockpit shown. The underside of the tip is gray, the rest is white with the window in black.]
:Cueball: ...Keep going...
:Cueball: ...Slightly left...
:Cueball: ...Okay, good...you're lined up with the ramp...
:Cueball: ...Now pull forward slowly up onto the trailer...

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I don't understand why anyone would pay full price for an airplane when you can buy those glowing wand things online for like $30.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Aviation]]

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2774: Taxiing