What sounded like a great idea at the beginning of a
12-day-trip, was looking pretty bleak on the last day when I missed my commuter
flight to OKC and the next flight left 4 hours later. I watched the Seattle
flight depart and told myself, “It’s a good thing I honor my word, or I would
be on that flight home.” Instead, the hours rolled into a 22-hour day.
Operating on 5 hours of sleep, my alarm rang as I was
getting picked up at 630 for my adventure at the FAA training center.
What was
I getting into? I had no idea.
However, I am so glad that I went!
There are studies going on behind the scenes that impact us
all. While I can’t tell you specifically what we did, I can tell you I did more
approaches in four hours than I have in a year on my plane. This study
tested decision-making, and that’s all I’m going to say in the event that
you’re a pilot and want to partake. I found it fascinating, on so many
levels.
What I will say is I would highly recommend you getting your
name on the list of volunteers. The $400, $99 perdiem, plus hotel expense, was
an added plus. The testing is deidentified. Non-threatening. Non-actionable.
Not only will the data be used for new technologies, procedures, and standards,
but this testing can provide insight into your
thought process.
Like all tests, I learned a lot. I participated in a good thing, and everyone
was accommodating to get us out on the next day to make our flights home. A
great group of guys organizing, participating and discussing from every aspect
of the decision making process.
If you would like to be part of this, or future studies, and
you fly an Airbus or B737, please contact:
Brian Townsend at: townsendbd@gmail.com
or Derric Hedrick at: Derric.CTR.Hedrick@faa.gov
Tell them what position you fly, for what airline, and on which aircraft type. You'll be glad you did.
If you want to be an extra in Flight For Control the movie...
send an email to
FlightForControlTheMovie@gmail.com
Enjoy the Journey!
XOX Karlene
Some good news about airline safety--I love it! So glad they are doing this. Even though it's a mystery, I can tell from your post that it's a very, very good thing. Hooray!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda, it was great. We'll talk when we have lunch. :)
DeleteI am glad the training was worth the time and that you had the opportunity to acquire this new information.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeremy. I think anytime we make the time, we will get something out of it. It's all about caring about what you're doing, and wanting to make life better. One flight at a time.
DeleteFLight For Control is going to be a movie? Wow! I'd love to see the star cast :)
ReplyDeleteYes... it's going to be a movie. You must be in it!
DeleteHehe that will be nice..as an extra in the background? :)
DeleteYep... extra in the background. Will be fun.
DeleteWhaawhooo... Awesome.. Yes I signed up.. Pick me Pick me.. lol.. and I put my app in for Darbys Boyfriend too.. LOL ..... congrats Karlene...
ReplyDeleteGreat. I'm still trying to think how to run a contest for Darby's boyfriend in the next book. Could be fun. Thanks for your comment. Yes, you're in when the movie goes for sure.
DeleteKarlene! That's great. I think most pilots are not completely positive to these kind of tests, because they are worried about their job. Which is very understandable. To have the FAA conduct tests like these, non-threatening, is, to say the least, fantastic. Let's hope this starts a trend. Can't wait to here more about it!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'm back from D.C. I always question my self, especially when flying back from America to Europe "and I pay to go through all this pain?" (with regards to jet lag) At least commercial pilots GETS paid for that type of pain! Haha :)
Thanks Cecilie, I too believe that we should partake in more tests like this. I had people say, "I don't want to embarrass myself." But my thoughts were, heck, I haven't flown, I'm on the end of a 12 day trip, major jet-lagging. Let's see what happens.
DeleteWe need to go with more focus and less fear in life.
Funny you say that about paying for the pain. Whenever I see someone lifting bags, or doing some physical labor job, I say, "And to think you get paid to do this. The rest of us pay to go to the gym." The same principle I think. :)
Welcome home!