Pilot Solves Navigation Problem with Handwritten Sign

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a humorous anecdote involving a helicopter pilot who, after losing navigation capabilities, seeks assistance from people in a tall building. Participants explore potential humorous responses the pilot might have given regarding the identity of the building and the nature of the response he received.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Participants speculate on the identity of the building the pilot referred to, with suggestions including "the math institute" and "the Microsoft Building."
  • One participant humorously suggests that the pilot's response could involve a "completely correct, yet completely useless answer," reflecting a common trope in jokes about mathematicians.
  • Another participant references a variation of a riddle involving a balloonist and professionals from different fields, indicating a familiarity with similar humorous scenarios.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the humorous nature of the anecdote and the potential responses, but there is no consensus on the specific identity of the building or the exact wording of the pilot's reply.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the context of the joke and the nature of the responses are not fully articulated, leaving room for interpretation.

AntonVrba
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A helicopter was flying around above Seattle when an electrical malfunction disabled all the navigation and communications equipment. The pilot saw a tall building, flew toward it, circled, drew a handwritten sign saying "Where am I?" and held it in the helicopter's window.

People in the tall building drew a large sign, and held it in a windows, "You are in a helicopter".

The pilot smiled, waved, looked at his map, determined the course to steer to Seatac airport and landed safely.

When his co-pilot asked how the sign had helped, the pilot responded, "I knew that had to be ---??--- building as they gave me a ----?----".

Fill in the missing parts of the pilots reply?
 
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AntonVrba said:
When his co-pilot asked how the sign had helped, the pilot responded, "I knew that had to be ---??--- building as they gave me a ----?----".

Fill in the missing parts of the pilots reply?

Was it "the math institute" (or similar) as they gave him "completely correct, yet completely useless answer"? :)))
 
Atrus you are correct - I would prefer the "Microsoft Building"
 
AntonVrba said:
Atrus you are correct - I would prefer the "Microsoft Building"

Well, I haven't been to Seattle (yet :) ) and haven't had any contact with any part of MS, so it haven't crossed my mind :)) I heard the variation of the riddle before, but it was more of a joke, with (I think) a guy in a balloon stopping shouting out to find out his location, and he meets a mathematician, a chemist and an engineer... or something. Don't know that joke anymore...
 

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