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I’m a Pilot. I Feel OK But I Still Called In Sick

Rob Graves
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I’m a Pilot. I Feel OK But I Still Called In Sick

A pilot who is just a little ‘under the weather’ isn’t someone you want at the controls.

To be fair, I really do have a bit of a cold. It started the day before my trip with some sneezing and a headache. It’s really nothing most workers would consider staying home for. A daytime Theraflu has got me feeling almost fine, but I still didn’t go to work. Instead, I called scheduling to get myself pulled off my trip and replaced. Now I’ve got some extra time to write a blog post. Am I lazy or is this a good call?

You Don’t Want Me Flying Your Plane

Though it may sound like I’m milking the system, trust me when I say that you do not want me anywhere near your airplane for a number of reasons. The first, obviously, is that I’m not 100%. Flying places enough physiological stress on a body as it is. Disrupted circadian rhythms, fatigue, dodgy airport food, and dehydration from hours in dry airplane air can all contribute to a degradation of the alertness which is needed to operate an airliner.

Throw in additional stressors such as congestion, or a headache and effectiveness in the cockpit can drop precipitously. My experience has been that no matter how you feel while sitting in your kitchen, you will always feel worse on an airplane, medically speaking. A bit of an itchy nose is guaranteed to become a non-stop sneezing fit on the airplane. So if I’m feeling a bit off at home, I don’t go in.

Almost as important as the underlying illness, the drugs taken to combat the symptoms of a cold or flu are themselves disqualifying for operating a commercial airliner. The FAA does not publish a list of medicines which pilots are allowed to take while operating an airliner, but would rather have each individual pilot with a medical complaint be evaluated by a doctor. Then a determination should be made as to whether the pilot should be flying with that medication. Some common ones are approved, while others are not.

For simple ailments such as a cold or the flu, pilots are expected to remove themselves from flying until they feel fit to fly. As far as the over the counter drugs for a cold are concerned, the FAA recommends a wait of five times the recommended dosing interval. This means that if the directions suggest a certain dose of say every six hours, a pilot should wait five times that, or 30 hours before operating an aircraft.

Pilots and Doctors: An Uneasy Relationship

All pilots, whether civilian or military, need the approval of a doctor to be able to fly. But because doctors can ground pilots, this means that pilots are never too comfortable around doctors. Airline copilots or first officers in the US are required to get an annual FAA Class II medical exam. Captains and international pilots need to have an FAA Class I medical exam every six months. All airline pilots require a Class I medical after age 60 and an electrocardiogram is required annually after age 40.

The idea here is to catch any sort of medical problem before it manifests itself while the pilot is behind the controls. If something should be found that is disqualifying, such as say complete color blindness, there isn’t much that a pilot can do. For many other ailments, however, a pilot can appeal their case to the FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine for the issuance of a waiver, otherwise known as a Special Issuance.

In this case, a pilot would be able to continue to fly using a “Statement of Demonstrated Ability” which means that whatever ailment they have is considered to be static or non progressive. In plain speak this means it is not getting worse nor affecting the ability to fly.

The unease which pilots have around doctors stems from the perception of misaligned incentives. If something during a flight physical is found to be in a grey area, the pilot will naturally want to keep flying, while the doctor would rather err on the side of keeping the pilot grounded. There is good reason for this as the doctor could be held responsible for missing something which causes trouble later. Here’s the text from the FAA’s guide for aviation medical examiners (AMEs):

The consequences of a negligent or wrongful certification, which would permit an unqualified person to take the controls of an aircraft, can be serious for the public, for the Government, and for the Examiner. If the examination is cursory and the Examiner fails to find a disqualifying defect that should have been discovered in the course of a thorough and careful examination, a safety hazard may be created and the Examiner may bear the responsibility for the results of such action.

So of course this makes pilots naturally wary about reporting every little ache and pain during their flight physical. They don’t want to lose their livelihood for what they might perceive as overreach on the part of an overly cautious doctor. Pilots also tend toward stoicism as a general rule, so keeping quite about a random ache, especially when it might ground them, suits them just fine.

A Flight Doc and a Real Doc

Most aviation medical examiners, or flight docs, do not work for the FAA. They are usually physicians in private practice who have volunteered and are designated and trained by the FAA to perform flight physicals. It seems to be a somewhat lucrative practice as the physical itself usually takes about a half hour with about ten minutes of that time actually being spent with the doctor. The cost is around $150 cash as many AMEs do not take insurance. I even know of some AMEs who have shut their general medicine practices and now perform only FAA physicals.

Of course it is now generally recognized that avoiding the doctor is not really a good long term health care strategy. Pilots (begrudgingly) accept this as well, but rather than confessing all their health issues to their AME, they engage another or “real” doctor to check things that aren’t included in the FAA medical exam. This might include things like a prostate exam or perhaps a closer look at a discolored mole.

Truth be told, the AMEs I’ve seen over the years have never seemed too thrilled to have these sorts of ancillary medical issues raised in an FAA examination. The idea is to check the things on the FAA list, collect their fee, and usher in the next pilot. They get it. Should a complaint which is ancillary to the flight physical be investigated and found to be nothing by the non-FAA doc, all the paperwork of having to deal with the FAA bureaucracy is also conveniently avoided. In fact, in the competition between AMEs, the word quickly gets out on the street about which docs just check the essentials and which ones are “tougher”.

So do I mean to suggest that pilots or flight docs are somehow “cheating” the system? Absolutely not. Should a serious issue be found by a non-FAA doc, pilots are legally obligated to inform their AMEs of all medical care other than routine physicals, so even the FAA recognizes that their own exams are not all encompassing. It is the false alarms and paperwork that are being bypassed.

Went Peacefully

There’s an old aviation joke that goes: “When it’s my turn to go, I want to go out peacefully in my sleep like ol’ Joe…not screaming in terror like his passengers”.

Yes, macabre, but there have been a number of times that a pilot has died at the controls. The latest incident happened just over a year ago when the 57 year old captain of an American A-320 died while en-route from Phoenix to Boston. The pilot had had bypass surgery years earlier and likely suffered a heart attack even though he had been flying for years after the surgery. The first officer landed the plane without incident.

Keep ’em Flying

So even though there exists some measure of disaffection between pilots and doctors, I believe the system functions well to ensure that only healthy pilots are at the controls. For those pilots who end up with serious health issues such as heart problems, or cancer, the bureaucratic wheels at the FAA can turn slowly, but they do eventually turn and many pilots who have suffered these types of problems can get back into the cockpit once their problems have resolved.

Flying airplanes demands complete attention from alert and healthy pilots. With all the negative physiological stresses on members of this profession, having someone keep an eye on the pilot’s health while he or she keeps an eye on your airplane maintains the high integrity and safety of today’s aviation system.

Stunt Plane Misses Biker But What About The Cameraman?

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Stunt Plane Misses Biker But What About The Cameraman?

There are low flybys and then there are crazy-low, about to hit someone, really-dangerous flybys.  This one is the latter.

It either comes down to luck or skill.  Whatever it was, the pilot somehow missed both the biker and the cameraman with his wing just a foot or two above the ground.  Whether it was luck or skill, it wasn’t smart.  Deflecting the stick just a fraction of an inch in 3 out of 4 directions would have meant destruction and/or death for at least one person in the video.

This clip isn’t new.  It’s been around for a few years but it still surprises us every time.  How did that cameraman not get hit by the stunt plane? It boggles my mind.

The video was produced by ThoseCrazyTexans and originally posted on YouTube.

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SR-71 Flew To The Edge Of Space But It Did Touch And Goes Just Like Every Other Jet

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SR-71 Flew To The Edge Of Space But It Did Touch And Goes Just Like Every Other Jet

The SR-71 Blackbird had to train its pilots too.

The SR-71 was once amongst the fastest air breathing jets ever.  It could soar above Mach 3 and ply the skies over hostile territory with impunity.  What’s more impressive is that this jet was built with mostly drawing boards, slide rules, and air tunnels.

While the Blackbird remains one of the most advanced jets ever, the pilots who flew it trained like any other air force jet.  They would do practice sorties to maintain air refueling currency.  They would also fly practice approaches occasionally and even perform touch and goes for currency and training purposes.

Here’s a rare video of the SR-71 performing a touch and go.  Even with 1980s filmography, the jet remains one of the sleekest birds ever to grace our skies.  And be sure to check out the final landing.  The skillful pilot kicked the rudders gently when he released the drag chute so that the wind would take it off the active runway.  Wow!

Operation Bolo: Robin Olds’ Trifecta of Heroism, Leadership, and Deception

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Operation Bolo: Robin Olds’ Trifecta of Heroism, Leadership, and Deception

By pretending to be the less maneuverable F-105, Olds and his men provoked a response from North Vietnamese Migs. Olds mercilessly slayed them.

Brigadier General Robin Olds was a hero on many fronts.  He was a World War II ace who typified the “lead from the front” style like so many other warriors from the Greatest Generation did.  He was a masterful tactician and pushed back on dumb rules that didn’t matter.  And oh by the way, he had a bad-ass mustache.

Olds began his flying career in Oklahoma.  Gen Hap Arnold personally awarded his first set of wings.  His first operational assignment was in the P-38 Lightning.  In World War II, he quickly established himself as a dominant pilot as he racked up 5 kills in his first few months of combat in the European theater earning the title of ‘ace’.  He later converted to the P-51 where he made another confirmed kill against a Fw 190. He finished WWII with 12 confirmed kills and most importantly was well respected as a commander.

Between 1945 and 1966, Olds held a number of positions–both operational and administrative.  In 1966, he was selected to lead the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing in Thailand.  The wing suffered from low morale and lacked a sense of purpose.  Olds once again led from the front.  He put himself on the schedule and trained like his men.

Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia

Mig Killing Operation Successful

Operation Bolo was one of the most effective aerial ruses of all time.  The North Vietnamese were lured into a trap masterminded by Olds himself.  Commanders faced many restrictions during the Vietnam War.  They could not destroy enemy aircraft on the ground, only if they engaged in aerial combat.  The North Vietnamese knew this.  Through observation, they recognized the routes F-105s flew on bombing missions.  Newer jamming pods had prevented the North Vietnamese from recognizing these jets.  When they did spot the F-105s, they would engage the jets with Mig-21s. Olds exploited this knowledge by preparing Operation Bolo where he replaced the F-105s with F-4s.  He successfully lured the Mig-21s resulting in 7 confirmed kills and 2 possible kills.  The operation did more than result in destroyed enemy assets.  It raised the morale of the unit and inspired generations of Air Force tacticians.

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The B-36 Peacemaker Was Huge But Time Passed It By

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The B-36 Peacemaker Was Huge But Time Passed It By

Dubbed the “Billion-dollar Blunder” by some (not the first or the last…ehem F-35), the B-36 Peacemaker was developed after World War II to deliver nuclear weapons.

Calling the Convair B-36 Peacemaker the “Billion-dollar Blunder” isn’t exactly fair, even though that’s the alternate nickname for the huge bomber built after World War II.

The B-36 was a six-engine aircraft with the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built at 230 feet. The engines were “pushers” and mounted on the back of the wings. It had the capability of delivering all of the nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal from its four bomb bays and had range of 10,000 miles.

The Peacemaker became operational in 1949 and it was soon obsolete. When the Korean War started in 1950, the U.S. first encountered the Soviet MiG-15 fighter. Jet fighters versus propeller-driven bombers was a mismatch of epic proportions.  The development of more powerful jet engines made the B-36 an unnecessarily large target that was slow, expensive to operate, and challenging to maintain.

Late to the party

The B-36’s testing and development encountered a number of problems that increased the cost and pushed the project to the billion-dollar level – which at the time was an astronomical number in terms of aircraft development.

While the B-36 remained in the USAF fleet until 1959, it was quickly surpassed by the B-47 Stratojet and then the B-52 Stratfortress as the USAF’s strategic long-range bomber. By 1959, the B-36 was no longer in service and the 384 aircraft that were built were sent to the bone yard or museums.

In the end, the Peacemaker was the victim of jet age.

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A British Airways A380 Makes The Right Decision To Go Around

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A British Airways A380 Makes The Right Decision To Go Around

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The pilot of this British Airways recognizes that he/she is landing long.  That is the right thing to do

This British Airways A380 was cleared for landing at Vancouver International Airport and just before the tires hit the tarmac, the pilot aborted the landing and powered up for a go around.

The second attempt was successful, even though it was of the “smoke-the-tires” variety.

It appears that perhaps on its first approach, the aircraft might have flared somewhat long. Rarely do you see a plane get as close to touch down before going around. However, this is the right thing to do.  Most pilots brief an acceptable landing zone.  It varies a little by aircraft and operator but the point is that if the pilot doesn’t touch down in the first 2,000-3,000 feet of the runway, he or she will execute a go-around.  Landing long is dangerous.  It means that there might not be enough stopping distance left on the runway to safely stop.  Going off the end of the runway, even at slow speeds can be catastrophic.

As the saying goes: There are old pilots, there are bold pilots … but there are no old, bold pilots.  Go arounds are free.  Be safe out there.

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Pilots Do It Better: Flying Scarfs Project Eager To Take Next Step In Humanitarian Mission

Wendell Barnhouse
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Pilots Do It Better: Flying Scarfs Project Eager To Take Next Step In Humanitarian Mission

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Second of two parts; an Avgeekery.com exclusive on Flying Scarfs which is on a “mission is to help bring people in under-developed countries out of poverty through economic opportunity.”

Flying Scarfs was conceived by a group of Air Force pilots while they were posted to duty in Afghanistan. They observed how women, and in particularly those widowed by the constant fighting, needed a way to sustain themselves. Flying Scarfs is an enterprise that empowers partners in developing countries to flourish in the global economy.

The organization’s business plan involves having women in those developing countries use their sewing skills to make scarfs which are then sold. The profits are returned back to the women who can use the funds to feed and educate their children.

“The next stage we’re pushing for is to go beyond having this as a non-profit organization and change the business model so it creates more profits for these women,” said Jocelyn Chang, the chief operating officer. “We’re all-volunteer but we’re trying to reach a bigger target audience.”

The biggest challenge involves the inventory and delivering it to buyers. The cost of transporting the scarfs to the United States. It’s a grass-roots organization that operates with no extra money.

“Shipping costs are astronomical, about $8-10 for each one,” Chang said. “It’s a beautiful product but we want to figure a way to make it more available to the American market. And we’ve got fighter pilots who started the organization trying to market a product for women. That’s where I’ve come aboard.”

Chang, who goes by the call sign “Viper,” is a Captain in the US Air Force Reserve with seven years of Active Duty service. She has a BA from Baylor University and an MA from American Military University. Chang, who lives in Houston, is also a research analyst for Special Operations Research Association (SORA).

When the organization first became known in 2013, it received positive publicity; it was a “feel good” story but sustaining that momentum was difficult. The goal now is taking the next careful step. A non-profit that operates with little margin for error has to be cautious.

“The last few years, we’ve tried to refine our product line and how market ourselves,” Change said. “We emphasize the messaging of what we are, who we’re helping and the products that are available. And we want people to understand how we’re trying to do something greater than being in the military, trying to help people improve their lives.”

For every 10 scarfs a woman makes they can provide the funds to sustain her family for a month. In Afghanistan, instead of the children having to help sustain a family, a woman who can make enough money through Flying Scarfs can instead allow her children to attend school.

“Our goal is to make sure these kids can go to school and have food in their bellies,” Chang said.

The folks like Chang are doing the work on Flying Scarfs in their spare time; they all have “day jobs.” Coming up with a streamlined production plan for scarfs being made in other countries is a complicated, time-consuming process.

If you want to help or need more information, you can like on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FlyingScarfs/?fref=ts and the web site is http://www.flyingscarfs.com/

This Might Be The Perfect Avgeek Video To Closeout 2016 and Start 2017

Jeff Gilmore
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This Might Be The Perfect Avgeek Video To Closeout 2016 and Start 2017

Grab a beer or a glass of wine, play this clip and let 2016 fade away…

2016 was an interesting year to say the least.  In addition to a number of political events and celebrity losses, we also saw a number of unique aviation events.  We saw the retirement of the beloved F-4 Phantom.  We dealt with a number of tragic crashes including a number of them that were pilot error.  With each crash we learned something but a basic lesson is to not push the envelope whether that is weather or fuel or most likely pushing the envelope.  On the positive side, we saw some amazing airshow flying with the A350 and 787 both taking to the skies for some impressive displays.  We also were graced with some kick ass pilot training videos and Air France’s retirement of their 747s.

As we get ready to kick off 2017, I was trying to find a clip that would set me in the right mind frame to reflect on the year.  I wasn’t even looking for an aviation video but I came across this one.  It’s time-lapse footage of arrivals at London’s Heathrow Airport.  It’s oddly soothing to watch A320 and heavy after heavy make their final descent.

Wishing you a very happy 2017!  Thanks for being part of Avgeekery.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Meet The Last US Air Force F-4 Pilot

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Meet The Last US Air Force F-4 Pilot

fb_img_1482932363731_1482951972751Lt. Col. (Ret) Jim “WAM” Harkins is a bad ass.  He’s the quintessential fighter pilot who bleeds blue and loves flying.  WAM flew A-10s and F-16s on active duty before retiring and continuing to fly as a civilian F-4 instructor. On December 21, 2016, he had the honor of flying one of the absolute last F-4 sorties for the US Air Force. We spoke with him to hear his story. Enjoy!

1.) At Avgeekery, we always have to ask… When did you first know you were an Avgeek?

I went for a glider ride with my Dad when I was 10. I hated it because everyone was “old” (30s and 40s) and it was pretty scary! I went back a few years later, for some reason, and there just happened to be other youngsters there. We took over that club (Long Island Soaring Association “LISA” in NY) and I started accumulating FAA certificates on my birthdays. I also got into airshows then, and barely remember the Thunderbirds flying F-4s.

2.) You’ve had a pretty amazing career. How did you get started in aviation?

I soloed a glider on my 14th birthday, got my private glider on my 16th birthday, and did my commercial/CFIG on my 18th birthday. I also got my PPL on my 17th birthday and was a tow pilot in LISA. There was not a lot of money in the family, so my plans were to go to a local NY university and be an aeronautical engineer. Since I couldn’t afford to buy my ratings at a college, I figured I might as well work on aircraft. Luckily, one of the LISA members had a son at the USAF Academy (USAFA) and mentioned there was FREE soaring there! The rest is history! After receiving the Outstanding Cadet in Soaring Award at USAFA, I went on to fly A-10s in England for 5 years (1500 hours, and Weapons School Graduate), Jaguar Exchange in Scotland for 3 years (700 hours), and F-16s for 9 years in Korea, Arizona (Luke AFB), Egypt and Arizona again (1500 hours).

3.) Every pilot has had days where the world just feels right. Tell us about your favorite flying story.

I just did it. My last flight in the QF-4 was amazing. Quickest 45 minutes of my life, and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Plus I shared it with hundreds of my closest friends at Holloman AFB, NM and 1.5 million of my other “phriends” with the 4K 360 video camera that Airman Magazine put in my cockpit.

A close second was my solo attempt at probe and drogue refueling in the RAF Jaguar during my exchange tour. I was upgrading to Combat Ready in the RAF Jaguar so I could deploy with them in the first Gulf War. I was the first American to obtain that status. I was pretty nervous, but managed one short hook-up just before reaching “Bingo” fuel and having to return home! After landing there was a lot of commotion in a back room…turns out the RAF Jaguar pilots had bet on whether I would be able to successfully take any air-to-air gas. Lots of money was lost that day! Due to the quickness of the first Gulf War, my rotation was cancelled and I went back to Scotland to instruct in the Jaguar.

4.) You’ve been a Phantom driver for quite a while. What will you miss most about not flying the F-4 anymore.

The Phantom Phanatics for sure! This last year has been like a Rock Band tour! The F-4 was the star, and I was the bus driver. Met a lot of the same people along the way, but there were new characters at every stop. I signed everything imaginable, answered millions of questions, and posed for thousands of photos. I also met war heroes, family of war heroes, and friends I hadn’t seen in decades. I lived another entire Fighter Pilot life these last 9 years.

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5.) How many total hours in the F-4 did you finish up with?

1180 hours in the past 9 years as a civilian QF-4 Fighter Pilot. It was the last US 1000 hour patch in the F-4, and it was a chapter in my life that I could never have imagined or written better! Not a lot of Fighter Pilots get to fly Fighters into their late 50s, much less a Civilian in the iconic Phantom!

Lt. Col. Ron King, left, and Jim Harkins, both pilots from the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron, Detachment 1, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, talk with Col. Dana Pelletier, 75th Mission Support Group commander, during a QF-4 Aerial Target aircraft static display at Hill AFB, Oct. 25. (U.S. Air Force photo by Paul Holcomb)
Lt. Col. Ron King, left, and Jim Harkins, both pilots from the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron, Detachment 1, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, talk with Col. Dana Pelletier, 75th Mission Support Group commander, during a QF-4 Aerial Target aircraft static display at Hill AFB, Oct. 25. (U.S. Air Force photo by Paul Holcomb)

More questions, videos and photos on the next page!

INTERVIEW: Meet Self-Professed #AirlineGeek And Author Of “America’s Local Service Airlines”

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INTERVIEW: Meet Self-Professed #AirlineGeek And Author Of “America’s Local Service Airlines”

10 questions with the man who unlocked the history of the small and medium sized airlines that first connected America by air.

There are people who work in the aviation industry and people who love the aviation industry.  There are some rare people who fit both those criteria.  Meet David H. Stringer, an accomplished author, aviation professional, and a self professed avgeek, more specifically an “airline geek”.

Hanging out with David is fascinating.  He has a near encyclopedic knowledge of the airline industry. He’s leveraged that knowledge and a passion for research to author one of the most comprehensive books about the local service airlines of the 1950s and ’60s. His book does more than just chronologically document overlooked aviation history. It brings to life some of the most fascinating airlines that connected hundreds of small and medium sized cities all across the United States.

His book is available for purchase rom Amazon, from BarnesandNoble.com, and directly from the publisher.  To purchase an autographed copy of the book directly from David, click on the Facebook page and click the “Shop Now” button or click here.

The Interview:

1.) Tell us how you fell in love with aviation…

I got hooked when I took my first flight at age 7.

2.) Would you consider yourself an Avgeek?

More specifically, I’m an airline geek. I guess you’d call me a Commercial Av – geek.

3.) You served much of your professional career as a flight attendant. In today’s environment, flight attendants are sometimes treated poorly by passengers. How was your experience? Do you look back fondly on that time?

I flew for 32 years and it was a fantastic career! I interacted with literally thousands of people…. everyday folks, politicians, celebrities. And the camaraderie among airline employees is unlike that in any other industry. As for f/a’s being treated poorly… there have always been some unhappy, unpleasant people in this world. But the nice people far outnumber the miserable. I often tell this story: After having 100 passengers on a flight, we’d be saying “goodbye” to each of them at our destination. Ninety-nine of those people would either smile or say “thank you”, or “nice flight!” or return some other pleasantry. Then one of those one hundred people would say “That was the worst flight ever! I’m never flying this airline again.” And, of those 100 people, who would be the one person that we’d remember? The unhappy passenger because we’d wonder what we did or didn’t do that resulted in them being so unhappy. And oftentimes we’d realize that there was nothing we could have done differently that would have made him / her any less miserable. You can’t take it personally. But try to remember the 99% that enjoyed themselves.1976-08-27-dhs-on-steps-of-dc-9-14-ship-971-lambert-field-stl-photo-by-dot-bradley-1-copy-1

4.) What was your favorite memory of flying for a major airline?

Too many to share.

5.) You have a particular passion for classic airliners and airlines. In fact your first book is on the local service airlines that used to have networks across the US. What do you find so fascinating about these types of airlines that used to exist?

I’m a history geek, too. I had a double major in college: history and political science. And you have to remember that, when my fascination with airlines began… when I was a kid and in my teen years… all of those airlines still existed. The Locals were particularly interesting because they brought air service, in good-sized airliners, to small city airports throughout the U.S. The residents of many of those cities had better commercial transportation alternatives in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s than they have today. And with good transportation comes the possibility of commerce and industry. I took my first flight on one of those local service airlines and, years later, I went to work for that airline (Southern Airways).

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6.) Out of all the airlines that you’ve profiled, what is your favorite airline?

We’re talking about airlines of the past… I tend to like the underdogs, the carriers that had to fight for survival. Northeast Airlines comes to mind, and Capital Airlines, which was an innovator. Capital shook up the U.S. airline industry when it introduced the British turboprop Vickers Viscount on its routes. It can also be argued that the Viscount was partly responsible for Capital’s demise. For a few short years the company had the upper hand with this advanced-technology aircraft, but then the jet age dawned and Capital was stuck with a large fleet of “yesterday’s” airplanes.

7.) Ok, we have to know. What is your favorite plane? Why?

Airliners of the past… the Douglas DC-3 and the Vickers Viscount.

The DC-3 was an amazing airplane. It was the game-changer in the airline industry. Its sturdiness made passengers feel safe and it made money for the airlines. Thousands of them were built and they flew everywhere. It was also the first type I ever flew on.

The Viscount was a dazzling step forward. Next to the proud, lumbering piston-engined aircraft of the day, this sleek turboprop airliner would always make its presence known with its whistling Rolls Royce engines. It was truly the link between the piston age and the jet age.

Among the aircraft that I worked, I tell people that “I was raised” on DC-9s. I literally spent years aboard that aircraft: -10s, -30s, -50s, MD-80s (which were called DC-9 Super 80s when they first came on-line).

My claim to fame is that I worked the very last Martin 404 flight for Southern Airways, which happened to be the last flight of a piston-engined airliner operated by a certificated carrier in the United States.

In later years, my absolute favorites to work aboard at Northwest were the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A319. The 747 was just a huge, sturdy machine that radiated a feeling of safety and spaciousness. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the 319 was just the right size, an intimate environment for domestic flights… kind of like returning to DC-9-30 days.

(Photo: Wikipedia)
(Photo: Wikipedia)

8.) With essentially 4 ‘mega’ US airlines now, do you find the industry boring?

Pretty much. But it is still an industry like no other.

9.) Now that you’ve written a book, what’s your next project?

As the History Editor of AIRWAYS Magazine and a member of the Editorial Board of TAH – The Aviation Historian (a British publication), I’m always working on an airline history article. Let me interject here that the most important thing about recording history is to get the story right. You need to double-check your facts and check your sources. A lot of misinformation gets printed and, once it’s out there, it is very hard to retract or correct.

My next major project? I’d like to expand the local airlines book further, giving even more in-depth coverage to each of the carriers. After that, I’d like to write another book: the definitive story of America’s supplemental airlines, which were derisively called the “non-skeds”.

10.) What advice do you have for people who are interested in a career in aviation?

Follow your dream and don’t get discouraged. If you want to work for an airline and you are turned down by one carrier, apply with another. Stay focused and keep trying.

Landing The Shuttle “Glider”Was Helped By Heads Up Display

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Landing The Shuttle “Glider”Was Helped By Heads Up Display


Shuttle2The HUD – Heads Up Display – provided crucial data to pilots when the Space Shuttle glided home for landings.

The Space Shuttle was a combination space craft and glider. It was launched into space thanks to two solid rocket boosters plus an external fuel tank that helped fuel the Shuttle’s three main engines. Once in reached zero gravity in space, the size and weight of the Shuttle wasn’t an issue.

Landing was accomplished by firing its Orbital Maneuvering System thrusters to decelerate and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. In higher atmosphere the shuttle used a reaction control system and then as it descended it was controlled by “fly-by-wire” hydraulically actuated flight surfaces.

All in all, a neat trick for a 110-ton “glider.”

The pilot/commander also had the advantage of a Heads Up Display (HUD) system that has become a major boon to pilots, particularly of military aircraft and more modern airliners.

The HUD is an optical mini-processor that displays flight data on the glare shield. Without taking his/her eyes off the view of the horizon, the pilot can stay up to date on crucial information. This keeps pilot situational awareness high.

During a crucial phase of descent like shuttle landings – there’s no opportunity for a “go around” – the less the pilot is distracted by shifting his vision, the better.

Deployments Suck — Creative Marshaling Makes It Better

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Deployments Suck — Creative Marshaling Makes It Better

Maintainers Make Long Days More Tolerable

Let’s not beat around the bush here…deployments suck, especially around the holidays.  It doesn’t matter whether you are in the desert or stationed in a cooler climate for an exercise.  The fact remains that you are away from your family, you sleep with smelly roommates, and you probably eat the same rubber chicken every day for lunch and dinner.  About the only thing this is good about deployments is that you lose weight and get in better shape. That’s usually because all there is to do besides work and sleep is to lift a few “kila-pounds” after your shift.

But when things get tough, the humor gets going.  Maintainers and crew chiefs are known for keeping things light-hearted even though they have an extremely challenging job.  While some will call it bad dancing, we’ll call it “creative marshaling”.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Prehistoric Taxi and Arrival

As if the ancient KC-135 wasn’t old enough. The maintenance crew matches the jet’s age with a ridiculous T-Rex marshaling job.  After a long flight to fuel up the fighters and bombers, it made for a humorous surprise ending to the day. (Originally posted to People of the Deid Facebook page)

Short Shorts and Horse Heads

While tiny shorts and horse heads are pretty trite these days, it’s still pretty unexpected to get marshaled out by a unicorn in short shorts. Poor pilots.  They never knew what was coming.

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NSFW…

This dude invented the whip.  Or something like that.  Way back in 2007, he was filmed creatively marshaling a bomber crew.  The rumor is that in addition to gaining YouTube fame, he also ended up in a bit of trouble.

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Bonus: Army Helos and Hip Hop

The Army has some characters too.  Check out these decent crew chief dance moves.

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