Keep the Shiny Side Up

You can’t make this stuff up. It only happens in real...

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:03:10 -0400

You can’t make this stuff up. It only happens in real life.

Getting to be in a place like this makes being on the road worth...

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:00:17 -0400

Getting to be in a place like this makes being on the road worth it.

I think I get it now. This place is bursting with beauty.

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:44:46 -0400

I think I get it now. This place is bursting with beauty.

I’ve been hearing about Martha’s Vineyard for years.

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:39:16 -0400

I’ve been hearing about Martha’s Vineyard for years.

Some days you win. Some days you lose. Today we won a walk in a...

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:33:49 -0400

Some days you win. Some days you lose. Today we won a walk in a very beautiful part of the world.

Hold short. Departing traffic.

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:33:08 -0400

Hold short. Departing traffic.

Airplanes and ExGirlfriends: You never forget the names and...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:21:18 -0400

Airplanes and ExGirlfriends:

You never forget the names and tail numbers. You probably replace the bad memories with good ones. In your minds eye, the past becomes a faded memory improved with time and forgetfulness.

This is one of the airplanes I flew when I had my dream job. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may have new dreams to dream, but it’s still a shock to see her in the midst of an otherwise happy day… Wearing a fresh coat of paint that some other guy gave her. Being flown by some other guy who probably doesn’t treat her as nicely as I did. I wonder if she ever thinks about me, or that weekend we spent in Nebraska?

Good food is one of the rewards of traveling. It’s hard to...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:26:00 -0400

Good food is one of the rewards of traveling. It’s hard to maintain a sense of adventure when you are hungry, but it definitely pays off. Italian Express pizzeria is run by a man who is the fourth generation of a family who has been cooking amazing Italian food in East Boston. He recently returned from four months in Pisa, Italy where he studied pizza and specifically dough making. When he left he was give a copy of a recipe from the owner of that shop. It makes a big difference when the people who cook care about what comes out of the kitchen and it definitely shows here. This was a great lunchtime adventure within a mile or so of Boston Logan.

Zoom!

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:35:17 -0500

Zoom!

Scenes from a crew car

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:34:32 -0500

Scenes from a crew car

A herd of pilots waiting for the game to end and passengers to...

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:49:14 -0500

A herd of pilots waiting for the game to end and passengers to appear.

Manhattan from the north. (Central Park is in the middle.)

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:29:43 -0500

Manhattan from the north. (Central Park is in the middle.)

Yes, this is really how we plan our flights.

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:24:55 -0500

Yes, this is really how we plan our flights.

To warm

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:23:55 -0500

To warm

From cold

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:23:33 -0500

From cold

This is a metaphor for aviation in general. If anyone knows...

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:20:57 -0500

This is a metaphor for aviation in general. If anyone knows where this originated, let me know.

Sunset below the clouds

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:16:45 -0500

Sunset below the clouds

Cruising by the cruise ships

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:15:15 -0500

Cruising by the cruise ships

I am the Comet

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:07:45 -0500

I am the Comet

Mountains, Molehills, and Volcanoes

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:59:29 -0500

How do you handle a major personality conflict when you are paired up with someone for weeks or months at a time? Pilots work in very small spaces, and while the workplace moves, we don’t. There can be crew pairings that work out really well, others which are bad immediately, and others which fester over longer periods of time. I once heard about a crew which had been together for eight months without incident and had to be split up because one pilot could no longer tolerate the sound of the other pilot clearing his throat.

In the United States, we are experiencing an unprecedented era of conflict. It seems to encompass everything from politics to religion to race. All the things etiquette tells us to avoid discussing are bubbling to the surface. For me, the most difficult situations are the ones that put me in a group of people who think I share their views. Being welcomed into a discussion which turns 180 degrees from my own beliefs as though the beliefs were my own is tough.

Pilots tend to be very politically conservative. Election season was an exercise in patience and carefully crafted statements of dissent on my part. I’ve been lucky to spend long periods of time working with people who have polar opposite views from my own, but who are willing to have open discussions without descending into argument. It’s something I really enjoy and have even found that it strengthens and refines my own beliefs and ideas.

Unfortunately, there are also more occasions than I care to remember when that wasn’t the case. I have been cringing a lot lately as I have found myself with other pilots who start a conversation by looking around to make sure they aren’t in “mixed company” before telling their joke or story. Typically, I’ve been able to diffuse the conversation before it gets started. The worst part, though, is the assumption that I wouldn’t be offended.

Is it possible that the gaping maw of racism is so wide that I’ll never be able to throw a rope across?