Focusing on Your Dream!

Piper Cub

Are You Ready to Make Your Flying Dream Come True?

Now I have been an airplane lover since I was eight years old when my grandpa took me up in a Piper Cub. My love affair with aviation started that day and though I have had a lot of detours in my life, as you know, I ended up a captain at a regional airline flying the CRJ200.

Well today I was given I treat that I wouldn’t have expected if you told me it would happen. We landed in LAX on 25R, after nearly taking out a taxi light clearing the runway, which I didn’t, thank you very much, we started our taxi to the south complex. As we are approaching taxiway ‘C,’ we notice a lot of cars, people, and a helicopter hovering overhead. We thought someone had gotten hurt or something of that nature. Well, as we turned the corner, there sits the Quantas Airbus A380 which had just landed. Wow! — What an airplane! — This thing is HUGE! (Oh, and by the way, that is a SkyWest Brasilia in the background.)

We taxi by slowly so that we can get a good look and my first officer makes an announcement of the PA about what is out the left side of the window because you don’t see this airplane everyday.

We continue to the gate and deplane. Several passengers thank us for pointing the airplane out and then they are gone. After our “chores” are done, my first officer and I start talking about how do you get to the point in your life that you are the captain on a such a revolutionary, exciting airplane as the Airbus A380.

Airbus A380 Cockpit

We basically conclude that it is a little bit of luck but that it is mostly dedication, perseverance, and a desire to achieve that level of flying. No doubt there is a tremendous amount of sacrifice as well.

I have found that people that fly airplanes for a living got there because they focused intently on achieving it. If you read my “About Me” page, you will see that I loved flying for a long time but circumstances pulled me away from it for a long time too. Then one day fate pushed me back into it and I never looked back. Once I made the decision to fly, I was totally focused on achieving that goal. All or nothing as I remember it.

But how do you get there?

Well unless you have a parent or relative that has flown for the airlines, it can be as confusing as any other endeavor. A mentor or someone that has gone through the process is always helpful, but, as in my case, I had to search out the information and then act on it and that is what I did. I bought the book,
Professional Pilot Career Guide, which is a goldmine of practical tips on career opportunities, training, building flight time, and hiring practices. Another great resource, once you have your hours is Job Hunting for Pilots.

But I think the most important ingredient is “desire.” You have to stay focused, like a laser on want you want and then go after it!

So follow your dream and become a pilot, whether it is a recreational pilot or a professional pilot, but don’t stop till you get the certificate that you want. Pick up the books I mentioned then plot your course!

Till next time…

P.S. Visit MyPilotStore for other great deals on aviation products!

Other articles you might be interested in:

• The Dreaded Airline Interview
• Five Things Every Pilot Needs to Know
• How To Become An Airline Pilot

How To Speak on the Radio!

Learn Good Radio Communications

As I was flying around California today, I cringed listening to some of the radio communications I heard from both general aviation pilots and professional pilots, including my own first officer.

Now I don’t claim to be the end-all-be-all of radio communications but I do strive to communicate properly, as should you. Due to the nature of flying, radio transmissions need to be succinct, precise, and to the point because there are often several pilots trying to communicate with air traffic control (ATC) at any one time and sometimes there is a lot to be said. Furthermore, ATC hates to have to repeat themselves! So you better be sure and listen close the first time.

If you ever listen to ground communications in the busy airports like Chicago O’hare (ORD) or Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) or Los Angeles International (LAX), you will hear some of the most rapid-fire communications in the world. In ORD, you have to pay attention and respond when given an instruction because…if you don’t…you will be singled out…and that is always embarrassing. ORD is a little different too because the “normal” radio communication procedures often go out the window. On occasion I’ve heard Ground give instructions to ten airplanes at once in rapid succession. So forget about giving a read back.

Now today, we departed San Diego (KSAN) and landed on 25L in Los Angeles (KLAX).  Upon landing, we were cleared to cross 25R and turn right on taxi way Bravo. My first officer simply replied, “Cleared to cross, turn right on Bravo.”

What is wrong with this? If you guessed that he didn’t say which runway, i.e., 25R, the runway we were cleared to cross, you are right. Now it was obvious which runway we were cleared to cross but that doesn’t mean it is alright to not include it in the transmission. The FAA’s number one “call to action” right now is to reduce runway incursion.  You can read more about it here.

Here is another example…and I hear this a lot in ORD. ATC will say, “<Airline> 123…fly heading 140, maintain 5000 till established, cleared ILS approach 10, 180 knots to the marker, contact tower 120.75 at the marker.” This is what <airline> 123 says, “We will do all that.” I hear this from major and regional airline pilots all the time. And there are several problems with this kind of response.

1. Did you really get ALL the instructions? Even though you may have done this thousands of time, can you really be sure that you heard exactly what the controller said.
2. It lacks professionalism.
3. It shows a lack of respect for the process which is to ensure a successful arrival.

Here is one more example.

When holding short, a pilot will call tower and say something like, “LAX Tower, <airline> 123, holding short 25R, ready for takeoff.” Now this may seem innocuous enough but it is wrong. When you say “Takeoff,” you are stating a action command. Tower is the only one that can issue a takeoff clearance. By saying “takeoff,” a pilot could basically misunderstand the clearance. Hard to imagine, but it happens. When holding short of a runway, it is important that you say, “LAX Tower, <airline> 123, holding short 25R, ready for departure.” Now this may seem trivial, but as a professional, it is up to you to communicate professionally. It comes with the job.

So what can you do. As a future professional pilot, you can prepare yourself by practicing with your instructor or if you are already a pilot, review your knowledge on proper communication etiquette.

Here are a few options to consider:

• Comm1: VFR Radio Simulator CD-ROM – Master VFR Communications on your computer!
• Comm1: IFR Radio Simulator CD-ROM – Master IFR Communications on your computer!
• Say Again, Please Book: Guide to Radio Communications – Provides a clear, conversational approach to radio communications

So, don’t be one of those pilots with bad radio communication procedures. Pick up one of these tools so that you can communicate like the professional pilot you want to be. 

Till next time…

Here are some related entries you might want to read:

• 5 Things Every Pilot Needs To Know
• Unshaven, Bad Shoes, and Backpacks

5 Thing Every Airlines Pilot Needs To Know

Though flying for an airline pays well (unless you are a first year, first officer), it is an occupation that sits on the edge all the time.

Like any job, it can be here today and gone tomorrow. You only have to look at the history of any industry to know that no job is ever completely safe.

Some of the biggest airlines and industries have moved on to the history books, and for various reasons.

So what I tell all my first officers is that you have to have something to back it up. In 2001, after the attacks, luckily I had enough money to survive off till everything turned around plus I had an education to fall back on.

With the latest downturn in flying and the major airlines STILL struggling, life at a regional airline is still in a precarious situation. Last November, I went from a line holder to a reserve line holder within a few months. This November, the same thing is happening again, but this year though I’m a little better prepared.

Still there are 5 things that I think every pilot should know, and it’s probably not what you think…

Get A Bachelor’s Degree

First, get a bachelor’s degree…and not in a major like Aviation Management or something useless like that. You want a degree that gives you a business background such as marketing, finance, or entrepreneurship. Business and sales are still where the money is at, so leverage yourself to make as much money as you can.

If you want to get a degree in an engineering discipline, go for it, but realize that unless you have stayed up acedemically with your chosen discipline, you will need to continue you education while you are flying otherwise you may not be able to get back into the field if something happens in aviation and you can’t fly anymore.

Networking

What is “networking?”

Networking is building relationships with people that have common and maybe not-so-common interests as yourself. This is important, because when you want to go get another (airline) job, a lot of times you need a referral.

FedEx and SouthWest both rely heavily on referrals, so you need to have them in place when you submit your application and resume. Some pilots think that they have to know and be “best friends” with this person, but that is not always the case. A friend-of-a-friend, who flies for the airline you want to work with will do. So ask your friend to ask their friend. Pilots love to help out other pilots and they will probably say “Yes.” It doesn’t hurt, the worst they could say is “No.” Right?

Another word on networking…if you have a friend in aviation that works somewhere besides where you do, try to stay in touch. A text message, a phone call, or an email is just the thing to keep those lines of communication open.

Focus on Your Health

If you aren’t exercising in some way or form, you need to. It has been proven that exercise helps on so many levels: physical, mental, and emotional, to name a few. In addition, as a pilot, you need to look professional and the appearance of being fit is very important.

You are probably thinking, yeah, yeah, heard it all before and that’s true. Personally, I yo-yo back and forth. I will exercise regularly for a long time and then I will go into a state of not working out for awhile till my uniform is getting a little snug and then I’m motivated to work out again, but I probably work out more than I don’t. I never get to far from a weight that is comfortable for me, plus I have worked out my whole life so I know what works for me.

Regardless, you need to pick up the book, The Caveman’s Guide to Fitness. The guys that put this together know what they are doing. You can do these workouts in your hotel room or at home. They don’t take long but the biggest benefit is that you will stay fit and healthy. Click here to get your copy.

Fly SOP

On my last trip, my first officer and I were talking about some of the things we have seen other pilots do. He commented that it was annoying when other pilots used the old adage, “Well, at <put your old company here> we didn’t do <whatever> that way so I’m not going to do it that way either.”

In essence, whatever airline you fly for, they pay you to fly their way.

All airlines and charter operations have developed their standard operating procedures (SOP) over years of experience. It is possible that you don’t agree with what your company is doing or how they are doing it, but you, as a professional pilot, are still responsible for flying their way. Believe it or not, it also increases safety since everyone is standardized and doing it the same way.

When I fly the worst, is when my first officer doesn’t accomplish his tasks as stated in the SOP. It gets my rhythm off because now it is not “standard.” So do everyone a favor, fly your SOP.

Get Another Job

I flew with a first officer the other day that is $100,000 in debt. Between him going to University of North Dakota to get his degree/flight training and his wife getting her nursing degree, this couple at the rip age of early 20’s was $100,00 IN DEBT!

How are they going to pay this off?

Right now, on $100,000 of debt, hypothetically speaking, if the interest rate is 3% and they make payments of around $550 per month, it is going to take them 20 years to pay it off and will end up paying an additional $33,000 over the life of the loan. A first officer at SkyWest makes around $20+ per flight hour their first year. An entry level nurse probably makes the same. Believe me, there is no way they are making a $550 payment each month.

So what should they do?

One option is to get another job. Even as a captain, I work as a substitute teacher, I have my own window cleaning business, and I have this blog. My substitute teaching makes me $80 per day. On a good window cleaning day, I make about $180 per day working four to six hours. This blog makes me about $100 per day through affiliate marketing.

Quick note: Affiliate marketing is selling other company’s products through your website and/or blog.

How I got started was I bought The Super Affiliate Handbookby Rosiland Gardner. At only $47, this book is a steal. Rosiland lays it out step-by-step on how to make money on the Internet. Click here to get started.

Conclusion

Being a “good” pilot doesn’t work anymore. The airlines aren’t going to take care of you and the glory days of flying a long gone. Don’t get me wrong, flying is blast. Reality is that if you want to fly, you are always going to worry whether your airline is the next to go. What I have outlined here are a few things that you need to pay attention to and they will help you keep going. My last suggestion is probably the most important. If you don’t have another job and it debt pick up The Super Affiliate Handbook and The Debt Buster System and give yourself a chance to do more than living paycheck to paycheck. You owe it to yourself and your future.

Till next time…

Empathy and Connecting With Passengers

Do you know how to empathize with your passengers?

Did you know that there is a difference between empathy and sympathy?

Webster defines empathy as:

“…the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.” In other words, “putting yourself in the other person’s shoes” or “seeing things through someone else’s eyes.” 

Sympathy on the other hand is:

“…the act or capacity of entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another .”

There is an ever-so-slight difference between the two. Empathy is based on “understanding” what the person is going through without being emotionally involved. Sympathy on the other hand is the process of actually taking on the burden of what the person is experiencing.

Think of a policeman. When a policeman is doing his job, which at times is difficult because they must interact personally with people going through trying events, they must “understand” and be “sensitive” to the situation at hand without getting emotionally involved in the situation. Once you get emotionally involved in a trying situation, you have now lost control of the event. With empathy, a policeman can maintain personal contact with the person, since they are human after all, but still effectively control the situation.

As an airline pilot, whether a captain, first officer, or flight attendant, the same personal control applies. When flights are delayed or cancelled, remaining professional will always help you get through the event. Medical emergencies are another event that requires you remain professional and empathetic because that is what will help you work through the situation.

To me, being empathetic has a calming affect. I can concentrate better on the things I need to get done IF I don’t get emotionally involved in the situation.

On one occasion, we diverted back to Grand Junction (GJT) because of thunderstorms in Salt Lake City. Most the passengers were OK with the diversion because I kept them informed on the weather in SLC and the procedure for getting them to their destination. One lady though was inconsolable. She progressed from logical to demanding to hysterical within an hour. Put on top of it all, I was having my yearly line check and my first officer was near to useless, I was under a lot of stress as well. To control the situation, I had to detach myself from this lady’s personal problems and not get involved. I could “understand” what she was going through and project that image to her but I could not get emotionally involved. It is a constant process of checking yourself, self-talk, and slowing down that will get you through such a situation. Eventually, because the lady was now starting to upset the other passengers, she was removed from the flight.

Do you need to cultivate your “empathy?” You sure do!

Here are a few practical tips that may help:

1. Truly listen to people. Open your ears, close your mouth, and look at the person. Fight back the urge to formulate your next response and just listen. Watch their body language, listen to the tone of their voice, and really try to understand what it is they are trying to say.
2.  Don’t interrupt people. Don’t dismiss their concerns offhand. Don’t rush to give advice. Don’t change the subject. Allow people THEIR moment.
3. Tune in to non-verbal communication. This is the way that people often communicate what they REALLY think or feel, even when their verbal communication says something quite different.
4. Be aware of what your body is doing. As I mentioned in another entry, 93% of what you say comes from your tone and body language. Relax your body and let your body “listen” to what the person is saying. http://cospilot.wordpress.com/2008/09/24/what-did-you-just-not-say/
5. Use their name. Try to use it at least five times when you are talking to them. Don’t do it obnoxiously though.
6. Don’t let other distractions like your cell phone or email distract you from giving that person your undivided attention.
7. Smile…and not just with your face but with your eyes as well.
8. Give recognition and praise freely.
9. Take an interest in the people you interact with. I try to ask everyone I meet three personal (but not too personal) questions about their life, hobbies, family, etc. This shows that you are interested in that person as a human and friend. Obviously you can’t do that with passengers but you can connect with them in other ways.

Alright, so I hope that helps. And remember, one measure of a person is how they treat someone who is absolutely no use to them. In all likelihood, you will never see your passengers again, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying to connect with them and leave them with the best flying experience that they ever had. We are in the customer service industry and using empathy is one tool that will help passengers think more highly of those in the aviation industry.

Till next time…

P.S. Here are a few books to add to your library. Remember, growing as a captain is a never ending process!

• StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

CRJ200 – Aircraft Dimensions

CRJ200 Aircraft Dimensions

The CRJ200 is not a big airplane but then it’s not a small airplane either.

With a max takeoff weight of 53,000 lbs and a max landing weight of 47,000 lbs, I’d say it is still a good size airplane. And for those of you who are transitioning from small multi-engine airplanes, you are going to be busy for awhile as you learn how to control the automatic flight control system (AFCS) and how to fly the airplane.

To get a jumpstart on learning the CRJ200, pick up the Bombardier CRJ 200 Cockpit Poster with EFIS & EICAS Displays. Super high quality and a great learning tool.

The CRJ200 is fast and covers a lot of ground very quickly and if you aren’t on top of it, you might be hanging off the tail during the whole flight just trying to catch up.

As for the aircraft dimensions, it’s ironic, but as much as things change, they tend to remain the same.

If you are just stepping up to the CRJ200, you will be thinking to yourself, “I made it!” You might be thinking as well that now you don’t have to learn those minute details that you had to learn about the Cessna or the Baron you flew. But…surprise…surprise…right after you finish indoc, what is the first thing you learn? That’s right, the dimensions of the airplane you will fly. And for good reason. In order to fly the airplane, you have to first be safe on the ground and that requires knowing the length , width, and height of the airplane you are flying.

Unlike the smaller airplane you were flying, where you could see the wing tips, on the CRJ200, you almost have to physically turn in your seat just to see the wing tip.

Also, learning the CRJ200 aircraft dimensions is also a “right-of-passage” and the logical beginning to learning about any airplane and will be the first question asked when you go to upgrade.

The CRJ200 Basic Aircraft Dimensions:

• Wingtip to wingtip – Approx. 21′
• Top of tail to bottom of tires – Approx. 19′
• Nose to back of tail – Approx. 87′

So you can see, it is a fairly big airplane. Respect its size and drive with caution on the ground and you will keep you, your passengers, and your airplane safe. Always clear turns visually, check for moving vehicles and be vigilant about your surroundings. When the weather gets worse, be even more diligent about your surroundings during ground movement.

Till next time…

P.S. If there is something you would like me to write about, just send me an email, cospilot at gmail.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to my feed or get email updates. The link is in the top left corner of this page.

Recommended book: The Turbine Pilot’s Flight Manual – Everything a pilot is expected to know when transitioning to turbine-powered aircraft. Includes bonus CD-ROM.

Jeffrey is a captain at a regional airline and flies the CRJ200, CRJ700, and the CRJ900 aircraft. He has over 4000 hrs of flying experience in many different airplanes and is a Gold Seal flight instructor to his credit. He has recently written “The CRJ200 Quicknote Study Guide” that simplifies the systems of the CRJ200 into a easy-to-understand, downloadable eBook. Click here to get your copy today!