This past weekend as I paused to think about all of the sacrifices made to make our country what it is, I was reminded of my days flying for the Civil Reserve Air Fleet. It was an amazing experience I will never forget. I actually got my first taste of international flying when I wasContinue reading “Things You Don’t Always See…”
Category Archives: On the Fly
New Day, New Flight Plan
After an amazing 24 hours in Rome where I fell in love with Italy, Italians, and international travel it was time to get down to business. Let me put this in perspective for you, in case you wonder if your cool crew that looks like they have been there and done that forever, everContinue reading “New Day, New Flight Plan”
Boots On The Ground
After we delivered our precious human cargo at the destination in the Middle East, we pretty much hung around for the next four hours while the troops unloaded all of their gear from the cargo hold. As expected it was a well-organized military operation performed with precision. Our job was primarily to stay out ofContinue reading “Boots On The Ground”
Shock and Awe
We landed back in Rome and left the airport quickly after a 24 hour night, anxious to get back to our hotel. We didn’t really stop along the way to chat or notice much, we kept to ourselves and our own thoughts. The bus driver was quiet. Traffic was crazy that late afternoonContinue reading “Shock and Awe”
Got Jumper Cables?
The day finally came. This is what I had been waiting for from the day I started those missions; the day we would start bringing those soldiers home. It felt odd to us to deadhead over to Rome and then fly a huge empty MD11 the 10 hours down to Kuwait. We were excited. TheContinue reading “Got Jumper Cables?”
Homeward Bound
Finally with a fresh new battery on board and a planeload of tired, spent soldiers we were ready to point our nose towards the long journey home. Things were different than we all imagined right from the initial boarding process. Our crew was in full pep rally mode and had the aircraft decorated to welcomeContinue reading “Homeward Bound”
The Show
The Gulf Wars took their toll on the airline industry and the infrastructure was adjusted such that it was no longer easy to commute from Montana to Salt Lake City, so I finally bit the bullet and changed my base to Atlanta and headed south. In this way the aviation industry is a lot likeContinue reading “The Show”
Fridays in Tel Aviv
My next stop on the international educational tour was Tel Aviv. It just felt easier. The irony of that was not lost on me, what with attacks from Gaza on a regular basis and a new crew hotel because the old one got shelled… I just grew weary of having to use bottled water toContinue reading “Fridays in Tel Aviv”
Yabba Dabba Dubai!
Ultra long range flying is attractive to flight attendants because we are only paid for the time after we push back from the gate until we land. We get a base rate of pay (less than minimum wage) and then we make an hourly rate per flight hour based on our seniority. A lot ofContinue reading “Yabba Dabba Dubai!”
Coffee, Tea or Farsi?
I was reminded by a close friend of the subtle differences between life in the UAE and what we are accustomed to. Her observations were quite astute and things that had struck US flight crews immediately. The sheer beauty and elegance of an Emirates flight crew in motion, particularly in the UAE, was notable. Continue reading “Coffee, Tea or Farsi?”
Whitefish Dog and Home 