Position: Over the Center of the EmpireCompass Heading: 264 degrees
Altitude: 32,000 feet
Groundspeed: 462 mph (401 kts)
Pax: 183 plus 2 jumpers
Airborne...
Christmas Lift of 2009 continues above the vast prairies of America. Flying a brand new A321, we are taking the folks back home from grandma's in style. I flew the front half of Christmas Lift 2009, and then had a few days around Christmas off-duty. How did I get Christmas off duty? I used the nuclear option, that is, I sold my freedom to Crew Scheduling, a subsidiary of Mother, for the month of December and agreed to wear a reserve pilot dog collar. In exchange, they agreed to Christmas Day at home.
The wife of my youth was very happy to be together with our family at Christmas, so it was worth it. It was, in fact, the first time in ten years... Such is Life on the Line.
Ahead of us, as far as the eye can see, the Great Plains extend to the western horizon. The sky is a cold blue completely absent of clouds. Every seat is full behind our hardened flight deck door. The lead flight attendant reports that no passenger is trying to light the fuse on their underwear or shoes. For the moment, things are going very well.
Our new A321 is whisper quiet in the flight deck. The LCD screens are crisp, bright, and easy to see for my aging eyes. The mighty V2500 IAE engines are perfectly matched in fuel flow and temperature. This phenomena is only seen in new aircraft, and not for very many hours.
My co-pilot is a 35 year old Embry-Riddle University graduate, or as we call them, a Riddler. I deduced it by the way he handles the aircraft and when I asked him, he confirmed my suspicions. I have no connection with Embry-Riddle, other than flying with their pilot graduates. I have probably flown with 100 or more Riddlers over the years and have yet to see less than stellar airmanship. The common thread that runs through all Riddlers is staying ahead of the aircraft and being aggressive in maintaining a precise flight path. As a captain, I could not be more pleased.
Speaking of being pleased... 2009 has been a good year for me. I have dodged several bullets, so to speak, flying the Line. The upper level of the Chief Pilot's Office still has no idea who I am, which is a personal goal of mine. Dave who? Never heard of him.
As the snow covered fields of Nebraska pass beneath us, Life on the Line continues...
33 comments:
If we could bottle the style, sweep of feeling and visuals that you manage in a few short paragraphs . . . .
well, never mind.
All the best in 2010 to you, Captain Dave, your family and to the great land over which you sail.
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Captain Dave, just curious what is your opinion of us University of North Dakota pilots?
Love your blog, hopefully someday I'll have a chance to learn from you personally in the right seat.
I've got my own blog about the experiences of a flight instructor!
http://rightseatpilot.blogspot.com/
siouxpilot
Happy New Year in 2010 and we'll keep you out of the news.
Best wishes from HHR!
Happy Holidays, and safe travels, sir.
Dave, whoever you are, stay incognito, stay well, stay writing your uplifting words. Happy new year, and thanks for a superb blog. Steven. UK.
good to see a positive comment about Riddle grads, I am attending Riddle now and since I have been there I usually only see abusive comments about us online. Thanks for the shout out and have a wonderful New Year, love your blog sir.
Captain Dave... very nice post to close out 2009. Here's wishing you and your family a great year in 2010. I hope you continue to find time to share your life on the line with us. It means more than you will ever know to the flying public to know guys (and gals) like you are taking care of us back in the cabin. Don't know if I've ever met you, I fly your airline a bit. I always make a point to thank the crew on the way out. Thanks.
"Dave who? Never heard of him."
'You've never heard of him, Sir, but he's one of the unsung heroes of this airline. Amazing combination of intelligent airmanship, integrity and reliability - got a wicked sense of humour too.'
'I know the airline can't afford a payrise...but maybe we could reward him with some extra bidding points for the Alaskan route...?'
If only!
Keep safe, Dave, and thanks for keeping up the effort of blogging!
Captain- A pleasure to fire up the laptop this first morning of 2010 and to read your post as my introduction to the New Year! All the best- LS-P
cathy- thank you for the continuing support.
siouxpilot- actually, I do fly with UND'ers and have no complaints.
amulbunny- happy new year to you, also...
Andy- thanks, and to you, too...
Steven- your welcome and thank you, too...
Christopher- anyone that says bad things about Riddlers has never flown the Line with them...
Paul- thanks for the kind words... Maybe we have met. I always stand in the jetway and greet my pax.
Noella- As the head of my fan club, you would be prejudice anyway, so the airline would not listen to such praise... But thanks anyway.
Flying Kites Mom- thank you for the kind words...
Dave I have recently discovered your blog. What a breath of fresh air!
You are one of the best wordsmiths I have ever experienced.
I remember reading your post about Captain "Sully" and the fact that you would be honoured to carry his flight bag.
As a student rotary wing pilot, it would be an honour to carry yours.
The industry needs you to write that book.
All the best for 2010. Keep safe and keep writing!
"2009 has been a good year for me. I have dodged several bullets, so to speak, flying the Line."
Hello (C)aptain Dave,
Congratulations on successful bullet-dodging last year ! (Gulp! 2010 already ! I feel as though I'm hurtling towards the other side of Silence way faster than the speed of any A320.... ) Nevertheless, on the way there I am borne aloft by your blog that never fails me in terms of the satisfaction it brings. THANK YOU.
And, uh, promise to keep my naughty enthusiasms and dreams to myself in 2010.
NEVER stop blogging........EVER !
And glad you and your family managed a little 'quality time' on Christmas day 2009.
Warmly,
Bev - Cape Town
Okay since you openned the can, I'll bite too! What are your experiences with with some of the other pilot training demographics?It's interesting to me that E/R can produce such a consistent product. We're starting to see a lot more women aviators at Auburn. Where did you do your early work? Do you see any notable "trouble areas" that primary instruction could address? I'm curious! ~DeAnnI
Happy New Year from Scotland. Keep blogging, please, I really enjoy your insights from the front bit of the plane.
Dave, Happy New Years! May 2010 be full of great flying for you. I hope to have the pressure of flying this year. A trip to the Philippines. I hope one leg of the trip is with you in control.
Happy New Year Cap'n!
Captain Dave
Thanks for a great year of interesting posts! Clear Skies and a great 2010 to you.
Happy New Year and the best in 2010, Captain Dave.
I agree with Cathy and everyone else about the great writing and perfect images.
Recently discovered, this blog has become an instant favorite of mine.
I know how difficult it can be to keep up a blog in the midst of a busy working life, so I just want to thank you for this and, again, wish you and your family all the best in 2010.
"The upper level of the Chief Pilot's Office still has no idea who I am"
That's surprising. Crew scheduling and various copilots must know who you are. Has gossip died out since I last worked in aviation?
Or did you just mean the Chief Pilot hasn't bothered you professionally?
"Dave Whosis? Is that the one with the blog?"
Glad you had a great Saturnalia. Your opening image got me to wondering...
How many landings can Fifi do before Mother has to buy her new shoes?
Happiness is a new A321.
Happy New Year to you and yours, Captain Dave!
DeAnn- I did not open a "can" on purpose. I was saying that I like to fly with E/R pilots because they are consistent. E/R must have an excellent airline pilot training program.
eight black- thank you for the kind words
bev- OK, i will try to never stop blogging. Thanks...
fee- thanks
Dan the Mountain Man- thanks... Maybe one leg!
jimh- happy new year to you
mark lawrence- you are welcome. Thanks for reading
theo boehm- thank you for the compliments. Yep, blogging sometimes gets in the way of work.
cirrocumulus- no, I mean that the chief pilot's office does not know who I am because I have never been in trouble...knock on wood. I never tell anyone I fly with that I have a blog because of a threat from the airline legal department about blogging.
paradise driver- I heard once but cannot remember the figure. It is not very many, though.
traveller- thanks and happy new year to you, too
Any Western Michigan graduates you fly with Captain?
Happy New Year Captain Dave,
If only you could tell your airline you blogged, you would be the best advertisement for it possible.
May your 2010 be peaceful.
I spent a lot of years terribly afraid of flying however between a flight simulation game, your blog, a year and a half with a great deal of flying involved, and finally finding the courage to face down my fear I now take a flight with a mix of awe and wonder. I feel that I wasted so much time being afraid. Typically each flight provides me with something new and amazing outside the window. I have seen glory in and from the natural heavens that I will take to my grave. I no longer jump at unusual sounds and the wings flapping slightly in the turbulence hold no dread consequences. When the pilot or the second officer introduce themselves and briefly chat about the flight ahead I hear the steady surety of experience that I receive when reading your blog.
So Happy New Year to you and your readers and many thanks for your contribution to my rehabilitation. All the best for twenty 10.
Happy New Year c(C)aptain! The images of a snow covered world are magical and other worldly to me.
Your style of writing is beautiful and elegant, a inspiration to all Aviation bloggers such as myself!
One of the great tools I was taught to use during my extended campus program through ERAU via the Navy, was to ALWAYS be ahead of a situation. Preplan for outside factors likely to bite you in the underpants. Negate them to the point of inertness. For example, I recently used Street view in Goolge to read the height restrictions of railroad overpasses to plan my route with a mving truck. Reversing couse in one of those is a sure way to meet "the Man," and pay the price.
Happy New Year to you Cap'n Dave and to all of the wonderful people who truely appreciate the written word published with inspiration.
Interesting that localization of Airbus placards only knows one flavour of English. I wonder if they use the same French in Canada as France and the same Portuguese in Portugal and Brazil.
Captain Dave, very happy you were able to spend Christmas with family. Last time I flew commercial was on your airline, I was very pleased.
I hope 2010 will also be a good year (and that you remain off the Chief Pilot's radar:)
Captain Dave, Happy New Year to you and your family and thank you for your perceptive musings...
Cap'n Dave,
Your writing continues to improve with each new blog entry. I'm looking forward to your book, which will sit alongside Ernie Gann, St. Ex and Bob Buck once it comes out.
(hint!)
While wishing you a warm and successful 2010, I fear that it won't be so good for another Captain:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8441206.stm
but presumably a good few others will step up one in seniority!
There but for the grace of God....
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