Mike Jones Now Blog

Another trip has ended and I am on my way home. It was a rough day four, it started with a 600am wake up in Champaign, Ill then off the Chicago for my first hour and a half sit. We departed Chicago to Cleveland then on to JFK for another sit, three hours this time. After departing JFK it was off to Pittsburgh then back to Chicago. We landed at 830pm after eight hours and six minutes of flying for the day.

I jumped from the cockpit, grabbed my bag a ran to gate G14 for my 900 flight home. The last one out of O’Hare to Charlotte. If I am lucky, I should be home around 115am. At least I did make the flight and I am headed home after a long day! There have been days when I have ran a little late and taxied by my flight home as I was pulling in the alley where we park. Nothing else to do at that point, it is off to another hotel room for the night, except this time it is on my dime.

The company will not provide you a hotel room in your base, that is why it is so important for crews that commute to have trips that start late and finish early so we can commute in on day one and home on day four. It does not always work out that way though, there have been many times that I have commuted in on a day off or home on a day off because of my start or finish times. Once again when you are a junior crew member you have to take what your seniority will deliver. It could always be worse and it does get better with time.

I just keep remembering that wages will only make you a living,

profits will make you wealthy.

Profits are better than wages! Keep working that side business and keep building your fortune.

Work full time on your job if you have to, and work part time on your fortune.

Stay healthy and fly safe!

It is day two of a five day and we start the trip off with a two hour flow delay into O’Hare due to bad weather, good times! I have a line check scheduled today with a company check airman and it looks like the weather is going to be pretty crappy. I just completed recurrent ground school and a check ride in the simulator a couple of months ago, in addition to that, we have to be observed every 12 months on the line by a qualified line check airman.

It is just one of the many check and balances that are built into our training program. As airline pilots we are constantly being checked and evaluated just to make sure that we are operating the aircraft safely and that we are following proper procedures. It is a pain for us, but it should make the flying public feel a little safer.

I was listening to a great motivational speaker during my little sit and I was just thinking about everything that goes into doing my job and some days it does seem to be a bit much. The time away from home, the recurrent training every six months, the trip to the flight Dr. every six months, all of the drama that a four day trip can contain with weather and differences in personalities between crew members and he said something that hit home for me. He said do not wish for it to be easier, wish you were better. The same wind blows on us all and it is not the blowing of the wind, but the setting of the sail that determines your outcome.

There are days that I do not like my job, but I take comfort in knowing that I have something else going on in my life that will enable me to walk away from my job when the time is right. I am trying to set my sail in such a way that when I have had enough of this flying game and want to be home 24/7 instead of just 3 days a week, I will be able to do that. What are you doing to better your situation?

As a boy, like most, I have always had a love for airplanes, trucks, fast cars, boats or anything that made loud noises. My dad was a truck driver for most of my childhood, so he was gone a lot. He did try to make up for some of that time when he was home, but it is very difficult to do as I am finding that out first hand with my job. I do not recall a lot of my memories from early childhood, but I do remember one day in second grade my dad drove his company eighteen wheeler to my school for show and tell. Showing up in that big truck in front of a lot of second grade kids he might as well had an S on his chest. He was Superman always in my eyes, but that day he was Superman to my entire school. There were many other special memories that we shared, but that day seems to stick out in my mind as well as all of the Na scar races that we attended. I pray everyday that my son will see me in the same light as I see my dad.

My dad and I have always been close and I have the utmost respect for him and my mother. They have been the best parents that any child could ever hope for. They always set a good example for me and my sister. I know that was not always easy, but they never let either one of us down. I can appreciate what a difficult task that is now, since becoming a father myself. There is no job more important than being a parent, it is a job that I cherish and one that brings me the most joy.

The day that I decided that I wanted to become a pilot, my mother had received a call from a friend of ours from the church. His name was Danny and he was taking a couple of photographers up in his small single engine Cherokee airplane and ask if I would like to go. I was eighteen years old and had never been on an airplane. I immediately said yes and took off to the airport to meet with him. It was a very windy day and he was concern that I was going to get sick. Quite the opposite, it was the most incredible experience of my life up to that point. At the time, I was under the impression that if you wanted to fly for the airlines you needed to go through the military. Danny explained how I could pursue my dream of flying without having to commit ten years of my life to the military.

I remember driving home that day and could not wait to get home to tell my mom and dad that I had finally figured out what I wanted to do for a living. Their reaction was not what I had expected. I remember my mom looking at me and saying no, I don’t think so. I told them that I was going to do it no matter what, so they could help me or I would do it on my own. Initially I did, I went to the local community college and signed up for a private pilot class. I learned about an aviation college near by, so after that class I enrolled and started to learn about the flying business.

This book is not meant to be negative in anyway. Everyone that knows me will tell you that I am a very motivated, positive and hard working person and I try to see the good in everyone I meet and in every situation. I have strive my whole life to be successful and try to find that balance between personal and professional life. I feel that I am getting better, but still a work in progress.

I have had many challenges in my life, most seem to have occurred in the last few years. My intent of this book is to give the general flying public an idea of what it is like to be an airline pilot. So many seem to believe it is all g amour, good times and more money than we deserve, not true. Especially, since the experience of September 11^th. I love to fly airplanes, it is what got me into this business and I cannot wait to teach my son Breckan, how to fly one day. I will always encourage him to follow his dreams and will be there for him, just like my father was for me.

I hope after reading this book that you will have been entertained a little bit, but most importantly, you will have a better appreciation for the men and woman who are flying you and your family around the globe 24/7. I could write a book on all of the wonderful things that I have experienced as a pilot since I started flying, maybe next time? I want to give you a more real look at what we as airline pilots experience on a weekly basis. I truly hope you do enjoy getting a closer more in depth look.

I am in the process of finishing my last chapter, I welcome any comments or questions that you may have that I can address as far as flying in general, or flying for a career.

I hear this all of the time when I talk with people about starting a side business. I know that it seems we all so busy and most of the people that I associate with really are. Most have a full time job with one or more side businesses, kids and a home or two to maintain. Just how busy are you, how many hours a week do you spend in front of the idiot box (TV) ? For those that spend hours every day in your car commuting to work, do you spend that time talking on the phone or listening to music, why not listen to something that will educate or inspire you.

If you are in the minority and are happy where you are and with what you are doing in your life then that is great. I am trying to reach the other 99.9% that are not, the individuals that are not happy with what they are currently doing or just want to create some financial security in their lives. No job is safe today, so why not take action and do something that will create some security in your life for you and your family. I am sitting on an airplane on my way to work as I write this and I am listening to a song that have the words, live today like your dying.

I don’t know about you, but I suck every minute out of every day. Life is short and there are too many things that I want to see and accomplish before my time is up. As my son gets older I plan on throttling back a little, so I can spend more time with him. I love the saying, make hay while the sun is shinning. Make your mark now, don’t wait until tomorrow, tomorrow will never come for you procrastinators. Lets get started today and do something great with your life or shut up and quit complaining, just head to the store and buy another lottery ticket. Good luck with that!