Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Hindsight Post

HI!!!! To all those that still read my blog - I am totally sorry for the complete lack of posts in the past year. I get a bit paranoid about posting things these days. As some of you would be aware i have been very into my videos and GoPro youtube channel - which replaced my blogging. I absolutely love filming and the editing, but alas i have also taken these down for a period of time due to people posting them to Facebook.

I'm writing this post to just express some thoughts. I am still an FO on the Q400. Had i stayed on the classic 200/300 i would have been a captain 6 months ago. Now i am stuck in the right seat for probably at least the next year. That was a big decision i knew i was making, and i guess the reality didn't really hit home until now. But i do love the Q400 and i guess overall i am happier flying a big turboprop - which literally does haul ass.

I am also writing because i have friend who have recently started their first airline job and are telling me what they are going through with learning the drills, the recalls, the procedures - all while being trashed in the sim at back of the clock sessions which take a toll on any person. It is not an easy process to learn multi-crew flying, and it's probably the hardest thing i have learnt in flying to date.

But i write this in hindsight - right now my job is easy, even complacent at times. I fly from the right seat confidently in knowing what my job is, knowing what it involves and knowing that i am in fact good at it. I know what my responsibilities are, i know what i can and cannot do, and i know that on a given day i will learn something, make a mistake or even teach someone something. I know i will push the boundaries at times - flying fast to an approach and learning how to rectify it, or rather, i KNOW i can rectify it and make it still work to company SOP's. I know i can adhere to SOP's without thinking about the SOP's, i know i can grease a landing on the tarmac without particular care anymore. I know i can do a simulator session and be told that i know what i'm doing and that as a support pilot or pilot flying that i'm doing my job correctly.

All these things are fantastic and i am satisfied i have learned my role. There is still more to learn no doubt, and there is a never ending facet of knowledge i can put myself through. The job is dynamic no matter what repetition the job actually is. Weather changes, the airport runways changes, the registration of the plane changes, the crew changes, the controllers change... It is a never ending endeavour to learn. I love this aspect and i cherish it.

I recently turned down an actual start date on a 737 jet. It makes me wonder on why i did this? I don't even have a correct answer to a lot of people, but for some reason i know it was the correct one. Potentially this command will come and that experience will be worth its weight in gold. I will learn even more, i will experience even more, and the glass ceiling will be lifted once again.

I write this in hindsight, some thoughts which have been going through my head of recent times. I love flying, and its the only thing i have ever wanted to do. I write this post as something of a retrospect that i'm still doing what i love. I'm still chasing the bigger dreams of a jet job, and i'm still chasing the dreams of sitting in the left seat. But to be good at any other role, you need to learn your role first - and that quest of knowledge really is never ending. I guess talking to my friend and his first airline role - being scared of his first flight.. not being confident of knowing his procedures... of lacking the skills and the captain might think ill of him... the knowledge to KNOW, that you are the one for the job and that no matter how hard you find it - you will always learn and you will always progress.

Was not my intention to have a big motivational speech.. Anyway, i will try blog some more and regularly in the future.

Cheers, Mike

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

You get some amazing shots flying. I guess that's the second biggest perk of the job! With number one being i get paid to do what i love. There aren't to many jobs around where people bring cameras to your place of work and take photos of you working. I guess i share their passion, except i get to take the photos from inside the flightdeck. So this is my second favorite part of my job, being able to take photos of the amazing things i see.. unfortunately a lot of scenes just aren't easily captured by a camera. Sunrise and sunset in particular. Maybe when i fly a bigger plane with longer sectors i will bring my big SLR to work and try capture some more. Until, i have only these.

Once again i thank everyone who still follows this blog. I know i don't post anywhere near what i used to, but i have to be careful in the day and age of social media and what is acceptable at my work and what isn't.



Until the next post, enjoy sunrise from FL190.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Well.. i haven't blogged in a while.. I didn't really know what to write.. but here are some pictures in the mean time!

For those who read this still (if there are any) i recently flew a Sydney to Gladstone routing, which is a long way, but had solid loads which was good to see.. Here are some photos from that.

For those other readers, Gladstone is 50nm south of Rockhampton in North Queensland. I didn't really realise how far away it is, and really is too long for a turboprop, even one with 'jet like speeds'. But i'm sure those who need to get to GLA without the need to transfer through Brisbane, would be a big time saver.


Northbound to GLA, Flightlevel 240





Various FMS shots on our 610nm epic journey!


Finally, landed at GLA.. Token prop shot from the foward door


Night time shot from cruising level FL250