CAUTION:  May be offensive to Germans

The Germans
~~~~~~~~~~~

Those German controllers at Frankfurt Airport tend to be a short-tempered
lot. They not only expect pilots to know their parking location but how to
get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement
that we (PanAm 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt
ground and a British Airways 747 (radio call Speedbird 206) after landing.

Speedbird 206: "Good morning Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear to active."

Ground: "Good Morning, taxi to your gate."

The British Airways 747 pulls onto the main taxiway and stops.

Ground: "Speedbird, do you know where you are going?"

Speedbird 206: "Stand by, ground, I'm looking up the gate location now."

Ground (impatiently): "Speedbird 206, have you never flown to Frankfurt
before?"

Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, in 1944. But I didn't stop."