From We Are The Mighty:
The final day of work comes upon everyone. Some people take a long lunch with coworkers to hand out gifts and going away mementos. Others choose to quietly go out as they either prepare for retirement or moving on to their next job.
Their emotional last day at a unit isn’t just celebrated like a last day at an office. Pilots stick to a tradition that’s as old as the Air Force itself: the final flight, known widely amongst aircrew members as the ‘fini flight.’
The tradition was initially celebrated to accompany milestones in the career of Airmen of all ranks and positions. To find the first documented fini flight, one would have to reach back in history as far as Vietnam, when an aircrew commemorated the completion of 100 missions.
Since then, the way final flights have been celebrated has changed, but the sentiments have remained.
“Traditions such as this are great examples of esprit de corps throughout the Air Force community,” said Steven Frank, 27th Special Operations Wing historian. “It can also help create strong bonds of camaraderie and teamwork among past, current, and future generations of Airmen.”
Today, these final flights are celebrated not for one Airman’s accomplishments but an entire crew’s across the Air Force. They’re used for all ranks and positions to honor their contributions to the unit.
Once the plane lands, it is acknowledged with a formal water salute, where two firetrucks shoot water over the plane creating an arch with plumes of water collapsing down on the plane as it taxis in.
Upon halting the plane, the pilot exits to an immediate barrage of water as their family, friends, and coworkers douse them with fire hoses. Celebratory champagne follows soon after (or whenever their peers decide they had enough water) and thus gives them time to reflect with friends and loved ones on the time they’ve had together at that unit.
Frank says it’s one of the many examples of military cultural institutions that Airmen are proud to participate in.
“Fini flights are just one example of over a hundred years of Air Force traditions and heritage that honors the sacrifices and victories previous generations of Airmen have made to secure our freedoms,” Frank said. “Every Air Force organization continues to make contributions to the Air Force story and the exploration and awareness of each unit’s past can help encourage a sense of increased pride and respect for every Airman’s career field and organization.”
Whether they’re pilots who’ve tallied thousands of hours in a particular aircraft or crew who man weapons that deliver air power, fini flights are a longstanding tradition that remain one of the most exhilarating ways to recognize the very best amongst the Air Force’s ranks.
Jim Ferrari has been a CFI for over 45 years. He fascination with flying started when he was nine years old, taking his first flight on a B-707 and getting an inflight tour of the cockpit. His father’s employment with NASA gave him the opportunity to see actual mission flight plans and activities.
Jim wanted to fly in the military, but bad eyes kept him out, so he worked throughout high school to earn money for flying lessons. He received his Private Pilot certificate while still in high school, and earned the rest of his certificates (CFI. Inst, MEI) in college.
After graduation he got a job flying in night single-pilot operations in the Beech-18, then moved up to twin Otters and Shorts 330 at Metro Airlines. Finally, he was hired by United Airlines.
In 1985, when he was hired, he became a member of the famous “Class of 570”, where the class was hired to be strike-breakers, but they refused to cross the picket line and were subsequently fired. They were finally re-hired after almost a year of unemployment. When he finally came back to United, he became a Flight Engineer on the DC-10. It took five years for the Class of 570 to obtain restored seniority.
Jim eventually became a B737-300 instructor at the United Airlines Flight Training Center, then worked his way up (through B767, Airbus, and B777) to B787 Captain.
Jim recently retired, and plans to continue as a CFI.
It takes a special type of person to be an aviation spouse. The pilot will only be working when he/she is away from home. It seems most household emergencies occur during this time. Unlike normal office jobs, pilots frequently commute to their places of work, putting them away from home for even longer periods.
And, unlike most office jobs, pilots (especially military pilots) relocate a lot. Every relocation means spouses must deal with everything that follows: finding new doctors, new schools for children, new job for the spouse.
So let’s take a few minutes to honor aviation spouses this holiday period.
My military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and civilian moves:
The above list does not include Temporary Duty (TDY assignments, some lasting for several months.
Justin A. Schlechter is an aviation professional focused on leadership, safety, efficiency, and airmanship. He is an A319/320/321 Captain for Delta Air Lines, the Top US Airline of 2017, as recognized by The Wall Street Journal. Justin has a unique blend of airline and general aviation experience and has served in various positions with both growing aviation educational institutions as well as leading global airlines. He is an expert in airline operations, best safety practices, and crew resource management techniques.
Prior to Delta Air Lines, Justin served as a Relief Commander and First Officer with Cathay Pacific Airways, flying B747-400 and B747-8F aircraft worldwide. During this time, Justin represented his peers as a Member of the General Counsel of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officer’s Association. In this role, Justin was responsible for representing the interests of his fellow airmen and was directly involved in the collection, analysis, and presentation of industry wide pilot compensation data for use in negotiations with upper level management.
Justin is passionate about aviation education, and has been an active Flight Instructor for over seventeen years. He has taught aviation coursework as an Adjunct Professor of Aeronautics at Jacksonville University, where he was also a Flight Instructor and Standards Pilot. In addition, he was responsible for the development and implementation of the first Safety Management System put into use in the Aviation Department at Farmingdale State College in New York. Since 2003, Justin has served as a volunteer educational consultant with Barry Tech and the Nassau County Board of Cooperative Educational Services Aeronautics Program. Through this role Justin serves as a mentor to high school students pursuing careers in aviation as well as providing lifelong guidance and mentorship for graduates of the program as well.
Justin holds a BS in Aviation Operations and Management from Jacksonville University.
Will the future of travel be new airline seats spaced out with hygienic barriers, or saddle-style standing seats to cram more passengers on a flight?
Cleaning and social distancing have turned from health necessity to lifestyle trends, and companies are seizing the moment – but not the logic. The latest is conceptual passenger seats for airlines in a post-COVID world. The proposals are different from any economy class offering today.
Janus seat concept from Aviointeriors AVIOINTERIORS
The Janus (above) wants to introduce quasi-isolation by proposing every middle seat face backwards with shields installed between seats. The Glassafe seat (below) proposes installing a transparent plastic hood around each economy seat to limit germ flow.
Glassafe proposal from Aviointeriors AVIOINTERIORS
Don’t expect either seat to be on a plane. They appeal to current impulses but not long-term needs.
These attention-getting concepts are the norm for their designer, Aviointeriors. It’s the same company that proposed the below “SkyRider” saddle-style standing seats, which garnered global attention but not a single sale. There are doubts if regulators will even permit them on an aircraft.
As a smaller vendor, publicity raises awareness for Aviointeriors’ more ordinary seats: slim padding, little legroom, and no head rest or TV screen.
Airlines like Air Niugini and defunct Transaero use seats from Aviointeriors while Alaska Airlines, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and others select seats from Recaro, which also makes car seats and baby strollers.
The aviation industry jokes that the German manufacturer is so in demand that airlines don’t choose Recaro – Recaro chooses them. Safran is another common supplier.
They skip whimsical concepts for practical developments: lighter but stronger metal alloys, new cushion materials, and better lighting.
Less radical concepts have failed to catch on. Air New Zealand’s “Skycouch” only found one other buyer, China Airlines, which later discontinued it. Delta Air Lines DAL was going to install the “Cozy Suite” on dozens of 767s and 777s, but cancelled the idea. It put the prototype seats up for sale last year.
Even if these new concepts were to be on an aircraft, it surely wouldn’t be before 2022. Aircraft seats have to undergo rigours strength and flammability testing to ensure they can protect passengers in a crash and withstand fire. That testing could raise problems with the seat concepts.
New aircraft seats have to withstand a 16g dynamic force. A roller coaster has forces about 4g and a Formula One car 6g. The plastic barriers have to be strong enough to remain intact, but not so hard they could cause injury if a passenger’s head suddenly crashes into it.
The barriers also add what airlines and seat manufactures always want to reduce: weight. Even a lightweight barrier adds costs when multiplied across hundreds of seats on hundreds of planes.
The barriers could impede an emergency evacuation. Regulators require passengers be able to get out of an aircraft in under 90 seconds in darkness.
There are practical problems. Will oxygen masks be harder to reach in an emergency?
Germs can move over and under barriers. Face masks are arguably more effective.
Aircraft already have better circulation than is commonly thought. Airflow on an aircraft is vertical, reducing the number of people it comes into contact with, unlike a typical air conditioner that blows air horizontally across many people, picking up and moving their germs along the way.
Airlines have a poor track record cleaning the small tray table. Will they sufficiently and regularly clean all of the new surface area the barrier introduces?
The reversed middle seat is supposed to create privacy, but passengers will face each other and there will surely be awkward eye contact, a complaint of British Airways’ former “ying-yang” business class layout.
From Wikipedia:
A native of The Bronx, New York, Tengesdal is a graduate from the University of New Haven with a Science Degree in electrical engineering. She was one of three women to make it through the program. After Officer Candidate School commissioning, she began a career as a Naval Aviator by flying the SH-60B Seahawk Helicopter at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. During that time, she deployed on two long cruises and multiple short cruises to the Middle East, South America and the Caribbean. After a three-year sea tour in helicopters, Colonel Tengesdal went on to become a T-34C and T-6A Instructor Pilot. After completing T-6A Instructor Training, she became one of four Navy T-6A Instructors to train Navy and Air Force students at Joint Student Undergraduate Pilot Training (JSUPT) at Moody Air Force Base, GA. Her former Navy flight instructor, Commander Ron Robinson, has said that Merryl David (maiden name) “was one of my best flight students, and it doesn’t surprise me that she’s doing so well.”
Once she completed her Navy obligation, she continued her military career by transferring over to the Air Force to fly the Lockheed U-2S Dragon Lady at Beale Air Force Base in Northern California. Tengesdal was deployed to multiple locations in support of Operations OLIVE HARVEST, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and HORN OF AFRICA. While stationed at Beale AFB the first time, she held the positions of 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9th RW) Chief of Flight Safety and 9th Physiological Support Squadron Director of Operations. After her tour at Beale AFB, Tengesdal continued her career by becoming the Detachment Commander of Detachment 2 WR/ALC Palmdale, California where she was in charge of flight test and Program Depot Maintenance for the U-2S aircraft. Thereafter, Tengesdal worked at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) J8 staff. As Chief of Studies and Assessments Branch, she was responsible for developing the Command’s position on capability gap assessment(s), development and integration for senior-level documents submitted to the Joint Staff. Colonel Tengesdal returned to Beale and held the positions of Deputy Operations Group Commander and Inspector General, 9th RW, Beale AFB, CA. Tengesdal’s final duty was as the Director of Inspections for The Inspector General (TIG) of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington DC. The Inspections Directorate develops, revises, coordinates, and implements Air Force inspection policy, and provides oversight and reporting of inspection programs to TIG, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Secretary of the Air Force on the readiness, economy, efficiency, compliance and state of discipline of the Air Force. Tengesdal is also the Executive Secretary of the Air Force Inspection System Council.
In 2017, Tengesdal retired from Air Force as a Colonel.
On the Ready For Takeoff Podcast web page for free videos, we are offering a great selection of FAA-produced videos, which normally sell for $24.95. These videos are available for free streaming, not just for the duration of the COVID pandemic, but FOREVER!
Steve planned to be a professional baseball officer, but met a navy recruiter and was recruited to be an anti-submarine officer on the P-3 aircraft.
After four years as an enlisted crew member, he was commissioned and attended training in Pensacola, flying EA-6Bs.
In 2012, Steve was the Chief of Staff of a Naval Strike Group, with 33 years in the navy, and then became a teacher after his retirement. He also remained as a navy instructor in graduate school.
He also had two tours of duty in the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) environment, working alongside air force personnel.
Steve now serves as an electronic warfare Subject Matter Expert (SME) at Nellis Air Force Base.
This week we continue with our offer of FREE aviation videos. Here you will find videos that will help you prepare for a career in aviation or help you prepare for your airline checkride. These normally sell for $49.95 and, once again, you can stream these for free for the duration of the pandemic.
The subjects are
On to another subject: the topic of RACE, especially as it applies to African-Americans, is occupying the news. According to OBAP, African-Americans are 13 percent of the American population but only account for 3 percent of professional pilots.
Of the approximately 200 aviation professionals interviewed on the Ready For Takeoff Podcast, 18 of my guests have been African-American. That comes out to 9 percent. It’s less than 13 percent, but a LOT more than 3 percent, and I feel really blessed to have connected with these professionals. Here’s the list of the episodes, which include 2 Tuskegee Airmen.
366 Walter Watson
298 Keith Reeves
292 Gregory Poole
267 Beth Powell
266 Jason Harris
241 Frank Macon
240 Willie Daniels
190 George Hardy
139 Otis Hooper
109 Todd Curtis
073 Brian Settles
068.5 Karl Minter
045 Dick Toliver
017 Donnie Cochran
015 Brenda Robinson
These are some amazing people, who in many cases overcame extreme prejudice and hardship. Do me, and yourself, a favor and pick one or two of these episodes to listen to this week.
If you want to reach out to any of them, you can send an email to george@readyfortakeoffpodcast.com and I’ll forward it for you.
Here’s a link to what should be an excellent town hall at 1500 Eastern Standard Time today.
Having the desire to fly fighter jets since seeing the movie “Top Gun,” Chandra Beckman became part of the elite group of women who have flown United States Air Force fighter jets.
Chandra started her AF career in ROTC in 1993, the same year the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women flying combat missions, which opened the door for women to fly fighter jets. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Arizona State University in 1998. After a delay due to an unexpected pregnancy, she attended USAF Pilot Training where she earned an assignment to fly the F-15C Eagle, and was the first woman to fly that aircraft as a mother. During her time flying the F-15C, Chandra supported the defense of the homeland through Operation NOBLE EAGLE and flew combat missions during the opening weeks of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
Following three years flying the F-15C, she was one of only 3 women assigned to fly the first stealth fighter aircraft, the F-117A Nighthawk. During her time flying that aircraft, she deployed in support of security operations to the Korean peninsula, coordinated with media groups to showcase the final F-117 RED FLAG, and mentored school children and Airmen of all ranks.
Taking a break from flying, Chandra was stationed in the Republic of Korea where she was assigned to the Combined Air Operations Center. While there she developed and implemented the first Operations Center training program for new personnel and worked jobs in both offensive and defensive combat training roles. Chandra then went on to be an Instructor Pilot at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program. However, health challenges that had begun while she was stationed in the Republic of Korea finally grounded her from flying.
From 2009-2017, she earned a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Science and held multiple jobs which included: Director of Staff for the 82 Training Wing, an organization with a permanent staff of over 3,000 people worldwide serving a student population of almost 80,000 annually; and Director of Operations for RED FLAG, the organization responsible for establishing the framework to train US and coalition nation members in the world’s most realistic air combat scenarios.
Retired from active duty, Chandra enjoys having the freedom to travel the world with her husband and be available for her children whenever and wherever they need her to be. She is a member of the Veteran Advisory Team for the National Foundation for Integrative Medicine and looks forward to helping others in that capacity.
After finishing my second combat tour in Vietnam, I left the service to become an airline pilot. By 1979, I was a Systems Instructor for United Airlines with an underground following for my teaching style. With the introduction of the home VCR and video camera, one of my students approached me with the idea of creating Systems Reviews for pilots to help them through ground school — a first of its kind.
This was the genesis of the Aviation Training Video Industry. What started as a small ad in the back of Air Line Pilot Magazine grew into a million dollar company within the span of a few years. The courses ranged from Systems Reviews, to Test Preparation, to How to Get an Airline Job — all created on the latest video technology from 1979 to 1983.
The Nolly Productions Systems Review Courses are now available free of charge during this global pandemic. These courses normally retail for $79.95, but I am offering them for FREE streaming for the duration of this pandemic. You can stream aircraft systems courses for:
Erik Lindbergh, a commercial pilot and certified flight instructor, is the grandson of Charles and Anne Lindbergh and son of Jon Lindbergh and Barbara Robbins. As 2002 marks the 75th anniversary of his grandfather’s Spirit of St. Louis transatlantic flight, Erik Lindbergh will recreate this 1927 milestone, illustrating the human spirit’s ability to dream, innovate and achieve one’s goals against many odds.
Though he leads an active lifestyle, Erik also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a progressive autoimmune disease marked by pain, tenderness, and inflammation of the joints, that nearly caused him to give up his passion for aviation when he was diagnosed at the young age of 21. RA crippled Erik for 15 years and only recently has he been active again. During his worst years with RA, Erik was forced to use a cane due to the severe pain that made it almost impossible for him to walk. Today, with the help of a breakthrough biotech drug, Enbrel, Erik has his life back and is in pursuit of his dreams. Using his experience with RA, he now serves as a spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation, working to educate others about RA.
A graduate of Emery Aviation College where he received his Aeronautical Science degree, Erik serves as a Trustee and Vice President of the X PRIZE Foundation, a non-profit organization that stimulates the creation of a new generation of launch vehicles designed to carry passengers into space. The X PRIZE is fashioned after the Orteig Prize, the aviation incentive prize won by Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight in 1927, which created the now $250 billion aviation industry.
Erik is also a Director of the Lindbergh Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering his grandparents belief in creating a balance between technological advancement and environmental preservation. The Foundation promotes gives grants, does educational programs and gives the Lindbergh award each year for work dedicated to “Balance” concept.
Aside from aviation, Erik is an artist and owner of Lindbergh Woodworks, which creates unique furniture and wood sculptures. He is known for his sculptures of rustic planets, spacecraft and aircraft within the community of astronomy and aviation.
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind:
Many of us have faced, or will soon face, employment disruptions, layoffs and job insecurity. No one can forecast what the aviation industry will look like in the future. In the short-term it will undoubtedly be different. It may be that airlines and employers go out of business, and your dream job no longer exists.
At this critical juncture, don't lose sight of what is important in your life. Your loved ones will stand by you long after your employer has cast you aside.
If you are considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255.
If you are a veteran considering suicide, visit here.
It takes an entire crew to get an airplane aloft. Don't handle this alone.
Judy helps coach pilots as they transition in their airline career paths. She has been successfully conducting interview preparation services for 17 years, including 10 years as Lead Interview Preparation Coach and Vice President, Global Strategies at FAPA.aero.
For over 40 years Judy has worked as an aviation consultant, writer and speaker specializing in the field of pilot selection and recruitment. Her career started with a American Airlines where she was responsible for facilitating the hiring of over 7,100 airline pilots. From AA, she was employed for six years as the President of a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Air Line Pilots Assn. (Universal Pilot Application Service). Since that time, she has consulted with several major air carriers along with government and industry aviation associations. She has been on two FAA Aviation Rule Making committees on pilot selection and has presented before organizations such as the NTSB, FAA, DOD and DOJ.
Author of Expert Witness: Wrongful Death and Flight Plan to the Flight Deck: Strategies for a Pilot Career and several magazine articles that have appeared in Aviation for Women, Flight Training, Air Line Pilot and Airline Pilot Careers.
Armed Forces Code of Conduct:
Article I:
I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
Article II:
I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.
Article III:
If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.
Article IV:
If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.
Article V:
When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
Article VI:
I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.
From https://www.almanac.com/content/when-memorial-day:
On both Memorial Day and Veterans Day, it’s customary to spend time remembering and honoring the countless veterans who have served the United States throughout the country’s history. However, there is a distinction between the two holidays:
Five thousand feet up, pilots are flying some very important cargo across the country. It’s not people or packages these men and women have loaded into the back of their planes: It’s puppies – squirmy, soft and sometimes sad homeless animals who need a new leash on life.
In recent years, rescue-pilot programs have taken off in the South and Northeast. Pilots, almost all of them volunteers who give their time and money to the cause on the weekends, shepherd homeless animals from high-kill shelters in states where adoption rates are usually low, like Alabama and South Carolina, and fly them miles away to animal rescues in the northeast or Central Florida. The animals, many of them young dogs, are adopted or fostered in places where more people are looking to find a furry friend to take home.click to enlarge
Given their wings and the selfless mission to save lives, it might seem apt to compare these pilots to angels. But Michael Young, an Orlando rescue pilot who’s been transporting dogs via plane for the past seven years, says it’s all in a day’s work.
“It’s a chain of people working together and us pilots are just one cog in the big wheel,” Young says. “We’re not the angels. We’re just the bus drivers. The angels are the people who pull the dogs and the people who foster the dogs and put them up for adoption.”
Young has transported almost 1,000 dogs as a volunteer, flying the animals from Alabama to rescues around Florida. It’s a labor of love – one that doesn’t come cheap.
Pilots usually end up spending $10,000 to $12,000 a year maintaining their planes, and Young says it costs around a dollar a mile to fly due to fuel costs, although many of the expenses are tax-deductible because of the charitable cause.
Despite the cost, Young says it’s worth it to save the lives of animals who might otherwise not have a chance. Young says he even adopted two of the dogs he’s flown.
It’s this type of dedication that Kate Quinn, executive director of Pilots N Paws, a South Carolina-based organization that connects pilots with shelters looking for volunteers to transport animals, says she sees in all her pilots.
“These people are huge animal lovers. They’re so concerned with the animals and making sure they’re comfortable,” Quinn says. “We’ve learned that pilots are looking for a meaning to their flights. They’re looking for a reason to fly.”
Saving the lives of 4 to 6 million animals that would otherwise be euthanized every year sounds like a pretty good reason. Quinn says that without the planes swooping in to pick up the animals at the 11th hour, many of them would have to be put down.
There’s also an advantage to using planes as opposed to ground transportation to move the animals. When there are no pilots to help, dogs must be transported in car relays, constantly switching drivers and traveling in crates. On the planes, many pilots allow the dogs to roam freely. The trip by plane is much more consistent and comfortable for them.
“The animals do really well,” Quinn says. “People are surprised to hear how well they do in the plane. The sound of the engine seems to lull them to sleep.”
While the plane experience is better for the animals, the trips do present their own unique challenges, especially in Florida.
“Flying in thunderstorms during the summer here is a challenge. It’s like Florida has the measles if you look at the weather radar, with all the red pimples,” Young says. “But I’ve learned to do it. The best analogy is like a soccer field full of snapping turtles. … We go fast. We go around it. We don’t go through them.”
That’s not the only obstacle to getting the job done. Quinn points out that it takes a lot of hours and a lot of people working together just to save one dog.
To improve the process, Milwaukee rescue pilot Chris Roy invented a software platform to connect animal rescues with volunteers.
Doobert, named after Roy’s cat, includes a smartphone app to connect ground and airborne volunteers.
“The idea came to me because it was so difficult to keep track of which transport requests I was involved with, which animals were on which transport, and who to contact,” he says. “I kept thinking there has to be a better way to do this, and so I decided to create it.”
Even though he also works during the week as an IT project manager, Roy says that there is a major reason he and the other pilots give up their free time for this cause – to spread the puppy love.
“The pilots and ground volunteers donate their time, vehicles and gas because they know that these animals deserve a chance at a better life,” he says. “They don’t ask for anything in return.”
Young and Roy agree that the joy in the job comes from the love they receive from the animals they’ve saved. The thanks they get is spoken in the universal language of a wagging tail or a slobbery grin.
“Many people may think I’m crazy, but these animals in a rescue-relay transport know you are saving them and bringing them to a better place,” Roy says. “You can see the look of relief in their eyes, and see the smiles on their face when they meet you.
Many have called her a vanguard as one of the first women fighter pilots for the United States Air Force and the first woman to fly in the elite USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the “Thunderbirds”. Titles and accolades aside, Nicole Malachowski has lived life according to a simple mantra – “Live an unscripted life.”
Throughout her career ranging from combat fighter pilot to commander, to White House Fellow, and duty as a personal advisor to the First Lady concerning military service members, veterans and military families, Nicole sought opportunities that she had passion for, rather than ones that followed the expected progression in her career field.
While that passionate, adventurous us spirit yielded a successful military career, Nicole’s flight path was not always smooth. Along the way, she learned how to use undaunted determination to overcome adversity, break some barriers, and live with a higher compassion for humanity. Sometimes you have to yield to a big obstacle in order to be able to overcome it.
Nicole is a leader, an igniter of passion and purpose. She is an advocate for those who have chosen to serve their country and for those who have endured personal challenges, to include complex medical journeys.
In this new chapter of her life, as a retired Colonel from the U.S. Air Force, Nicole looks to share her stories and what she has learned, to help others find and ignite their own unstoppable spirits in order to succeed far beyond what they had dreamed.
When you apply for a medical certificate, you are required to complete FAA Form 8500-8. Falsifying any information on this form can subject you to a five of $250,000 and five years in prison. If you have concerns about your ability to obtain a medical certificate, I recommend consulting an advisor before applying for your medical. One such advisor is David Hale, who you met in RFT 364.
There are several situations in which a pilot can find himself/herself without a medical certificate. One such case could be where the pilot has simply allowed his/her medical certificate to lapse. Another case could be where the pilot applies for a certificate and is denied due to a medical issue that the FAA considers disqualifying. In that case, the pilot may not use any of the other strategies, such as BasicMed or Sport Pilot medical.
Even with a denial, the pilot may continue to fly with a certificated pilot acting as Pilot In Command (PIC), as long as the aircraft does not require a copilot. The pilot may operate the controls, from either seat, but the pilot without a medical is officially a passenger. Many aircraft owners who have lost their medicals use this strategy.
If there has not been a denial from the FAA, there are other avenues available to General Aviation (GA) pilots. The pilot may operate as a Sport Pilot, flying a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). An LSA is an aircraft that:
Has a maximum gross takeoff weight of 1,320 lbs.
Has a maximum stall speed of 51 mph (45 knots)
Has a maximum speed in level flight of 130 mph (120 knots)
Has two-place maximum seating
Has single, non-turbine engine, fixed propeller, fixed landing gear.
With a Sport Pilot certificate, the pilot may use his/her driver’s license in place of a medical certificate. See more at https://www.flysportusa.com/med_cert.php.
One step up from the Sport Pilot medical is BasicMed. Under BasicMed, pilots can get an authorization from their personal medical providers rather than from FAA Airman Medical Examiners (AMEs). The pilot completes a BasicMed Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklistand gets a physical exam with a state-licensed physician. The pilot then completes a BasicMed Online Course. That’s it – nothing else required.
Under BasicMed, the pilot may operate an aircraft with:
a maximum gross weight of 6000 lbs
up to 6 seats
capable of flying at a maximum speed of 250 knots
maximum altitude 18,000 feet
VFR or IFR
Using BasicMed, the pilot cannot operate for compensation or hire.
One additional avenue for a pilot is to fly a glider, since no medical is required to fly a glider.
Above all, common sense should prevail – if you’re not healthy enough to fly (whether or not you have a medical), don’t fly!
Captain Pamela Carel, a Dallas, TX, native, graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, in 1986 with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Commissioned in December 1986, she was designated a Naval Aviator in 1988. She holds a MBA of Business and Management from Webster University, St. Louis, MO., and a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from Naval War College, Newport, R.I. She completed Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) I with distinction through the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, 2008, and JPME-II at the Naval War College, 2011.
Captain Carel completed her first assignment as a Selectively Retained Graduate (SERGRAD) Instructor Pilot with Training Squadron (VT) 23. Her next two operational assignments were with Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 34 and Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, flying the A-7E and F/A-18C, becoming the first female to qualify in combat in the F/A-18C. Operational tours included deployments in USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and USS Kitty Hawk(CV 63) for combat Operation Southern Watch.
Captain Carel served two shore tours as a flight instructor. She transitioned to Selected Reserves in 2001, serving tours in Mine Counter Measures Squadrons (MCMRON) One and Two and as Officer in Charge (OIC) of Naval Information Bureau Detachment 310. She returned to active duty for Commander, Navy Region South (CNRS) as OIC and Battle Watch Captain in support of JTF KATRINA and HURRICANE RITA (2005), subsequently serving as Commanding Officer (CO) of CNRSE ROC (West), 2006. She reported to NR COMSEVENTHFLT (C7F) where she served as OIC of Manpower and Readiness; OIC, Intelligence and Information Operations, and directly supported C7F as Maritime Operations Center (MOC) Chief in USS Blueridge (LCC-19) 2007-2010. Captain Carel completed her in-residence Master’s degree at the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, R.I. Captain Carel then served as Chief Staff Officer of Naval Reserve Naval Mine and Anti-submarine Warfare Command 0194 in San Diego, CA. 2011-2014. In her final assignment, she served as MOC Chief for COMPACFLT, Pearl Harbor, HI. Captain Carel retired 1 January, 2017.
Captain Carel accumulated over 3400 flight hours and 352 carrier landings in Navy aircraft. Her awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (3), Combat Strike Air Medal (2) and Navy Commendation Medal (2).
Leeham Co LLC was formed by Scott Hamilton in 1999 after the sale of the company he co-founded, Linkraven Ltd. Linkraven was formed in 1989 and published Commercial Aviation Report and Commercial Aviation Value Report and produced global conferences under the name Commercial Aviation Events. Commercial Aviation Report quickly became a leading source of news in airline and aircraft finance while Value Report brought to the forefront the world of aircraft appraisals. Events produced 60 conferences in 10 years, including the first aviation finance conference in Eastern Europe following the fall of the Iron Curtain; the first in Moscow; and the first in Beijing.
Leeham is a globally recognized expert in aerospace issues, focused on the Big Four airframe Original Equipment Manufacturers (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer) and the engine OEMs. Leeham provides aviation consulting focusing on business strategy, competitive intelligence. Clients seek industry trends and forecast for their strategic planning. The Washington State Dept. of Commerce retained Leeham in 2009 to create an aerospace policy. Leeham Co. services only the aerospace industry.
Hamilton was on the Board of Directors for the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, Seattle, from 2010-2013. PNAA is a supplier trade group servicing Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia and Alberta. Hamilton created PNAA's first Business Plan that enabled the group to increase its revenues and cash position by 1,000 percent in three years and position the association to employ its first executive director. The annual conference attendance increased by 300%.
Leeham Co. (www.leeham.net) also publishes Leeham News and Comment (www.leehamnews.com).
When Jessica was born, both of her parents were shocked to find out that their baby did not have arms. They had no idea that she would be born differently because the pregnancy tests all showed average results. With the shock and unexpected news, Jessica’s mother Inez had a tough time accepting the truth and became quietly anxious about Jessica’s future.
Jessica’s parents decided to integrate her into a regular environment as much as possible. She was enrolled in a public school, not a private or special needs school. Never thinking she was different, she did whatever the other children would do. But on the playground during recess, Jessica felt limited as people around her were overprotective and prevented her from climbing up the slide. In anger and frustration, Jessica sat on the swings dreaming of flying.
Jessica graduated from the University of Arizona with a
degree in Psychology and Communication. From the challenges she has overcome, she became an inspiration to many. Jessica realized her words and experience are a natural source of encouragement and optimism for many, which gave rise to her motivational speaking business. Around the same time, she decided to pursue flight lessons to overcome her greatest fear: flying. After an arduous three years, Jessica became a certified pilot, earning the title of the first woman to fly an airplane with her feet.
For almost 20 years, Jessica has initiated many inspirational connections with people with disabilities, especially children, through one-on-one mentoring and more recently through her YouTube show Toe Talks. To date, Jessica has personally mentored over 100 children with disabilities and touched more than half a million people with Toe Talks. In January 2017, the US government legally recognized her efforts with the approval of Rightfooted Foundation International (RFI) as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.
The aviation environment is now flying in uncharted territory. Many airlines are flying empty airplanes and losing millions of dollars every day. Some will go out of business, and at others may enter bankruptcy. The airline landscape will surely look different this time next year.
During the past year, airline hiring was going gangbusters. Many of these same new-hires will find themselves receiving furlough notices. At the same time, pilots are retiring at record numbers. this will result in numerous upgrades at the airlines that survive.
General Aviation(GA) flight training has dried up as student pilots are either sheltering at home or social distancing, which precludes sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in a GA airplane. Flight Instructors are finding themselves without students, and without anyone to train they have no income.
These are tough times. And it's going to be stressful for a lot of us in the aviation community.
In 1967, Holmes and Rahe developed a Table of Life Stress Values. The table attempts to assign numerical values to potential life events, with higher numbers representing greater stress. For example "death of a spouse" is 100 points. If you look at the table in our Show Notes you will see numerous potential stressors for people in the Aviation industry.
If you get furloughed, you will get 47 stress points for losing your job (item 8). Additionally, you will probably be "changing to a different line of work" (item 18) for 36 points. There's a good chance you will have a "major change in living conditions" (item 28) for 25 points and "major changes in working hours or conditions (item 31) for 20 points. Look through the table and you may find other stressors.
| In 1979, I left the Air Force and was teaching at a major U.S. airline when a student approached me to create a home video ground school. At that time, traditional ground schools cost an arm and a leg and took a month of your time. The release of 727 Systems Review spawned the beginning of the Aviation Video Industry. This current pandemic has forced us to re-evaluate the Aviation industry business model. There will be layoffs. There will be cutbacks. Robust skillsets become valuable commodities for businesses that are forced to take on fewer employees. I have decided to release the entire archive of Nolly Productions training videos at no cost during this crisis. These videos were created between 1979 and 1991. Video technology has changed a lot in the last 40 years, but the fundamentals of Aviation are still the same. I will be releasing three series of courses in the coming weeks at Ready For Takeoff Podcast. |
| Today, I will be releasing our Career Path videos (originally $49.95 each), which will cover how to enter the Airline Industry and take your first career steps. |
| Next week, I will be releasing the FAA Collection (originally $39.95 each), which will cover General Aviation knowledge from how weather affects flying conditions, to how altitude affects response time. |
| And finally, starting in May, you can access our highly-acclaimed Systems Review Videos (originally $74.95 each), which offer much more comprehensive training for jumping into new equipment or preparing for your Proficiency Check. |
| These videos will be available to stream at your own pace for the duration of this crisis. In times like these, staying safe and investing in your education is the best way to prepare for the future. |
Colonel Scott C. Campbell is the Assistant, Manpower and Operations, Headquarters, United States Air Force Academy where he assists in the oversight of aviation and summer programs, cadet assignments and course of instruction development.
Prior to assuming his current assignment, he served as Commander of the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. He was responsible for one of the largest installations and flying operations in the United States Air Force, with more than 7,500 Airmen, 3,000 civilians, and more than 100 aircraft. He was responsible for organizing, training, and equipping a wing comprised of 20 squadrons, two of which were fighter squadrons. The wing provided A-10C aircraft for close air support and forward air control, combat support, and medical forces for combatant commander requirements worldwide. The 355th Fighter Wing was also responsible for training A-10C pilots for the entire Total Force and was the Air Combat Command executive agent for Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces and Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty compliance.
Colonel Campbell earned his commission in 1995 from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He has commanded at the group and squadron level, and served as an Aide-de-Camp and weapons school instructor. Colonel Campbell served as the Afghanistan Country Director in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.
Colonel Campbell is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours in the T-34, T-38, A-10 and MQ-9. He has flown in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
If you plan on having a career in Aviation, it would be a wise move to have an alternate way of generating income, a Plan B. In this episode, General Borling shares an aviation story of his Plan B during a challenging overwater flight. One possible avenue of additional income is through the SOS America program of County Chairmen. General Borling explains how the program works and describes the potential for an additional source of income.