Commitment to Create Change

Happy New Year 2016 

This is the year to Find Courage,

and Commit to taking that Leap!

Each year I write many resolutions. 2015 brought a new book, Flight To Success, Be the Captain of Your Life, and I finished the third novel of a series: Flight For Survival, and a children's book: I Am Awesome, the ABCs of Me. I also finished a full year of school. But what happens next, in 2016, will take courage.

My friend sent me this picture of her jump off the tallest building in the world. She amazes me at her fearlessness, and her strength in all that she does. When I told her as much she said...

"Sometimes it is better NOT to look before you leap!

  You just have to commit and go for it."

I always wondered what propels someone to jump off a building, I learned it takes courage. Sometimes that proverbial building is the courage to face your fears such as publishing a book, investing your life savings in your dream, quitting your job to follow your passion, public speaking, or taking a stand for what is right, because nobody else will. Jumping off the building means doing those things that create fear, despite the fear.

As I re-read the commitment chapter in Flight To Success, Be the Captain of Your Life, I was reminded that commitment is a choice, and follow-through is an action. By harnessing the energy of both, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. But it takes facing our fears to find courage to jump. Fear happens to be the first chapter in this book, but also the first chapter in life. To create change often takes facing your fears.

As many of you have read my post, If I Had One Wish For Aviation, I am on a mission to support our industry. Addressing the pilot shortage, and creating sustainable pilot jobs worth having, is key to safety. This means encouraging the best of the best to join the field of aviators. We must realize that pilots are people too, and people with lives in their hands during their daily work. Positive mental health cannot be overlooked.

Pilot training is essential to safe operations. Technological advancement has brought reduced training due to aircraft automation, because our aircraft self report, and operate with computers. However, the pilot must know more, not less, with automated aircraft when the aircraft breaks. While training is expensive, technology has created opportunities to improve learning, and should be used. 

NextGen is on the horizon where new threats are looming. Added complexity, and pilot managed separation will create potential for error. SMS- Safety Management Systems- are mandated to be in place by 2018, and yet safety culture is an essential ground floor requirement. We have new threats with drones flying in our airspace, and the next level of terrorism. What we can control is how we manage our safety systems and processes within our airlines. 

This journey has taken me to earning a PhD in Aviation with focus on safety. What needs to be changed? This year take time to read all three novels in the series. You will understand the challenges. True courage will come when I publish the non-fiction book. The essence of which may be woven throughout the pages of these novels.

I will have the courage to stand up for what is right, despite the fear of what may happen. Besides, experience creates resilience and safety management systems are designed to be proactive. There is no excuse to not do the right thing.

  

This is the year that I push through 

the doors of fear, and create change necessary to improve aviation safety!

What is your resolution?

If you don't have one, or want another...

commit to joining me on 

the Fight For Safety!

What about the Future?

World change comes from education

and inspiring our children. 

  

Health and Happiness 

throughout the New Year!

Enjoy the Journey!

XO Karlene

A330 and Honest Fiction

As I edit Flight For Safety, I am reminded how much we can learn from honest fiction. Honest Fiction? Sounds like an oxymoron. But there is more truth that you know, and we can learn from it. 

Long-term memories are made when emotion is involved. When we see the action verses hearing or seeing the words, we remember. I am willing to bet that all of you can remember a highly emotional situation, no matter what it was, that you were involved in.  Imagine if you could read a a fun story and learn something that will stay with you forever. Perhaps save your life, and those of your passengers. My goal is to take you into the story so you feel the emotion.

 

For those of you who know me, I have spent 22 years instructing on many different Boeing aircraft. Now I am on the Airbus A330, and I'm writing fiction. What do you think is going to happen in Flight For Safey? You just can't take the teacher out of the pilot once it has been ingrained. 

I am taking you into the flight deck of another world and you will learn many things the easy and fun way. After much research and a huge thanks to the assistance of my technical editor, Bill Palmer (the pilot who wrote the systems manuals and help to put the A330 into service at Northwest Airlines),  every detail will be accurate. The story will take you to the next level of understanding, and a greater level of fear.

Not a pilot? Who cares. Flight For Control pulled everyone into the story for one heck of a ride. With powerful characters, strong women, an important message, and a little sex... what's not to love? 

Teaser Alert~ 

Rain streamed up the windshield. Darby had never seen such a thing. The outside air temperature was -50C and the total air temperature was -21C. Was it possible to get liquid water at these temps?

            “Beep. Beep. Beep. Ding. Ding. Ding.” The master warning and master caution lights flashed, and the airplane cried warning. The autopilot and autothrust had both disconnected.

            Their airspeed indicators rolled back to 65 knots. The flight directors disappeared. A roar like machine gun fire attacking the plane, vibrated in the flight deck. Messages displayed rapidly across the ECAM—Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor, and were being replaced by others faster than she could see what they were.

             “Jesus fucking Christ!” Keith yelled. One hand grabbed for the thrust and his other grabbed the stick. 

            “Don’t do anything!” Darby yelled over the noise. “Let the plane fly.”        

            “Stall! Stall! Stall!” The plane cried.

          “We’re not stalling,” Darby yelled. “Look at our ground speed," She said pressing the data button on the MCDU and then selecting GPS data. “Here ya go…We’ve got a ground speed of 486 knots.” 

            “Ding.” The plane warned them that the autothrust was disconnected, and would continue to scream every five seconds until they acknowledged it. But if they left the thrust levers alone the power would remain in the last setting. If it were good enough before, it was good enough now—and one less thing to worry about.

            Darby looked back at her PFD. Their pitch was supposed to be at 3 degrees for level flight. 
They were at 10 degrees and increasing! What the hell?

            “Stop climbing,” Darby yelled. The A330 could pitch up to 10 to 12 degrees very rapidly 
without much effort. 

            “What?” 

            “Don’t climb. Bring the pitch down to three degrees.”

            “Ding.”

            “But I let go of the stick.” Keith yelled. “It shouldn’t be climbing.”

            “It's going where you told it to go,” Darby shouted, as she pushed the stick forward. “We have to put it on 3 degree line.” 

            “DUAL INPUT!” a synthetic voice blared over the speakers. Keith was back on the controls—they were both flying the plane. She focused on the goal of level flight, and her hand hovered over the stick.  Once stable, she removed it, but kept a watchful eye on the pitch attitude. 

            “Ding.” 

             Unlike the Boeing, the A330 trimmed to relieve elevator pressure for whatever pitch attitude the pilot wanted without the pilot's help. When Keith had let go of the stick, the stick had moved to neutral but the nose stayed pointed up because he had put it there. 

            "Ding." 

            This was the first plane Darby had flown that the pilots did not trim. It took an effort to pull a Boeing into a stall with cruise power and not touching the trim. Not the Airbus, because it trimmed itself. The A330 was smart. But not smart enough to out think a pilot who screwed up when the plane was in Alternate Law. 

             “Shit. What the hell is this?” Keith said, breathing rapidly. Almost hyperventilating.

            “Ding.” 

            “You’re in Alternate law. Just fly what you’ve got.” But he had a death grip on the stick and worked it hard. “Just little pressures to keep her level. You’re not whacking off, just flying a plane.” 

            “Ding.”

            “What about our power? I…I think the autothrust is off.” The plane bounced and rocked.

            “Ding.”

            “Don’t rock the wings, you’re inducing instability,” she said. “Your autothrust is off. Don’t worry.” 

Today I'm in Atlanta doing a recency. Tomorrow we'll talk about Positive Dynamic Stability and answer the questions below.

Test your A330 (and story) knowledge:

1. Why did they get a stall warning if they weren't stalling?
2. Why did the plane stay pointed up if Keith put the controls back to Neutral?
3. Why is it easier to stall an Airbus while in Alternate Law, than a Boeing?
4. Why is it easier to stall a Boeing than a Airbus in Normal Law? 
5. Why did Darby say put the plane on the 3 degree line?
6. What was that ding, and how can they make it stop?
7. Why didn't Keith have to worry about the autothrust being off?
8. Is Darby a Captain or First Officer?

Enjoy the Journey!  Remember to get your copy of Flight For Control so you'll be ready for the continuation of the drama...

Please take a moment to LIKE my Facebook page and see what is in store for 2025! 
  

XO Karlene 
  

NOTE: Bill Palmer: A330 Check Airman who wrote the systems manuals for the A330. He has a book coming soon that you won't want to miss. Until then follow him on Facebook: And Twitter @WFPalmer  Whenever I have a technical question... he's my go to guy, and yours too.   

Prevention of Accidents: CRM

CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:

As you know I am working on my second novel, Flight For Safety, the sequel to Flight For Control.  While many of us are impatient for the release, myself included, I cannot rush this novel. The message is essential.  

The Theme: Aviation Safety.  

Something not only pilots should feel passionate about, but passengers as well.  

Please welcome Captain Adelsohn once again, on  CRM:

"The Learning method in our every day job functions every day is a constant process that never ends.

 

As a professional  in our particular duties as Pilots, Flight Attendants, Maintenance etc., we must be constantly able to work together in a safety environment. This is even more important when you consider that this efficiency may depend our lives and the lives of others when we flying an airplane. 

 

Being updated every day as a Crew implies learning.
 

 

Today the constant development of aviation brings several extremely high loads of new responsibilities and tasks for those directly involved in the operation of an aircraft from the crew on board and ground maintenance personnel to air traffic controllers, to many others.

 

Aviation is not just boarding a plane, but also is to understand the principles that allow an aircraft to fly, but do safely. It is very important to understand the ability to understand the knowledge, as an airmen, why your aircraft fly, this emphasize how important it is that flight crews receive proper training and appropriate, not only to fly the aircraft correctly it is also to be prepare for any situation you will expect and resolve in any abnormal situation or circumstances that we can have during the flight.

 

From the beginning CRM, initially recognized as a Cockpit Resource Management. This concept after some years become much wider doctrine, being known until today as Crew Resource Management.

The CRM emphasizes the importance of using all available resources effectively to achieve air operations safer and more efficient. The goal of CRM is to improve every day the ability of the crew in a decision-making, administration and management of the resources available and have a good communication with the rest of the crew and other elements involved in the safest operation of the aircraft.

 

But CRM does not end here, because the operation is more deeply involved with two other important aspects in the training of flight crews, human factors and the organizational culture ,it is very important issues.

Statistically, the vast majority of air accidents occurring at present point one of the main cause are 80 % sometimes described as a Pilot Error. All of us in the aviation environment related or not specifically, when a plane crash we wonder many things and questions, when we read in the newspapers or listen to reports on the media the phrase that summarizes what happened  when an airplane crashed we think was a pilot error????? . Not necessarily incompetence or lack of experience. Some factors influencing a decision-making, that overload the workload and that in many cases inevitably lead to the accident.

 

In the meantime the organizational culture, which reflects the regular of social and intellectual expression of a group or organization that determines the assertiveness of all the members working together to prevent incidents or accidents. We need to focus and have a good safety business plan in the organization, defining a good Safety Program and the Safety Management System that includes the safety policies and objectives, Safety Promotions, Safety Assurance, and Safety Risk Management.

 

A change in the attitude of the group is reflected in a change in the attitude of the individual.

 

Today all this reflects that CRM tries to change the attitude in making decisions based on custom and culture, emphasizing the importance of knowing how to handle the resources and skills of the crew.

 

Today I am sharing this article and this reading to know a little more of this doctrine, to understand more deeply the importance of constant training and updated and motivated me to write these words, which targets to encourage everyone to read and share with others in the aviation community to learn to do the same. To be UPDATE, implies learning, Aviation Safety is a commitment. Safety First.

 

Eliminate cultural barriers it is very important for crews and safety, also establishing the importance of everyone’s contributions. Creating a spirit of shared commitment recognizing cultural differences and reinforcing a positive safe behavior. Remember always, upon you think you do not learn more of aviation, it's the time to retire because you're about to make the big mistake of your life."

Luis Adelsohn

What are you doing to improve Aviation Safety?  

Enjoy the Journey
XO Karlene

NWA Key Chain Giveway!

I have 7 NWA collector Key Chains that I would like to gift to 7 lucky Aviation Enthusiasts during this holiday season. One of these could be yours!

For the month of December, all autographed book sales for Flight For Control off my blog, will be entered into a drawing to win one of these memorable key chains. For all of you who have already ordered in December, you are automatically entered into the drawing. Winners will be announced January 1, 2013.

If your book purchase is a gift to someone please note in the comments. I will autograph, wrap, and ship for free.

Happy Holidays!

Stop-Over Store NEW ITEM

Guess who is sitting on the shelf in the Stop-Over Store in the St. Paul Minneapolis (MSP) Airport?

Will you spread the word?
Thank YOU!!!

XOX Karlene

FLIGHT

The Movie 

I've been sitting on writing anything for a few weeks because I did not want to give a spoiler alert. But I feel compelled to speak out about the movie Flight.

This movie was not what I was expecting. I was thinking more aviation. However, it was a substance abuse movie. They did an excellent job from the perspective of an addict. Could a pilot be an addict? Or course.  The believability of the plane flying upside down with a broken jackscrew was a stretch. But with most movies, and stories, we need to remember that they are entertainment and liberties are taken for added drama.

The reality of truth is woven through the story.

 

During the crash scene, I was very uncomfortable. I squirmed in my seat, closed my eyes, and covered my ears once. This was a powerful few minutes. I'm wondering if non-pilots had the same visceral reaction. The impact of the crash brought tears. Just as Kathryn had said, in Flight For Control, "It's the silence after the crash that is the most painful."

This flight had the same problem that caused Alaska Airlines' Flight 261 horrific crash in January of 2000, and it's said to be representing that flight. One of my sisters is a Flight Attendant at Alaska and she lost friends and coworkers, as did many. Entire families perished together. Until you're living there, you cannot imagine. Please join me for a moment in memory of lives lost.

 

Back to the movie.

A few technical details were in error. But to make it larger than life for the screen, most people would not notice. The errors made the drama more real to the general public. The writers made the captain a normal person with human problems. Pilots are not Gods and this movie displayed that truth.

The movie got panned because they say it was not believable due to the substance abuse of the captain. Maybe today this type of behavior is not as prevalent with flight crews, on the job, but it was. And many pilots still drink. Every once in awhile they catch one going through security. And when there is a problem, they hide it. This is a very human issue.

Pilots bathe in large amounts of stress daily, and they all deal with it differently.

The interesting thing is that the word in the sky is that our union 'ALPA' is very upset with the movie because it "made pilots look bad." Personally, I didn't think it made the pilots look bad, it made the union look bad. You will have to see the movie and make your own decision on that. The funny thing is, I hadn't thought anything unusual about their behavior until my husband and I were discussing the movie and he pointed out how it did make them look less than stellar.

Should you see it? 

Most definitely. 

The million dollar question is...

Could you see Flight For Control as a movie?

If your life touches the airline industry, and you want to be in the movie, email me at FlightForControlTheMovie@gmail.com and tell me who you are, and that you want to be in the movie. We are going to cast the memorial scene with real airline people. And those who love planes, we'll sneak you on the set too!

Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene

Friday Flyers in NYC

Many months ago I held a Flight For Control contest, and Jeremy Carlisle was the winner. But in reality, I was the real winner. I won the opportunity to meet a fantastic group of people in N.Y. at our Flight For Control Book party last Saturday.

From left to right in the front: Robert, Eyal, me Cecilie, Molly

Up the stairs: Yossi, Natan, Jeremy

In the beginning...

Jeremy had received five books as his gift. He just didn't randomly gift them out to others, but gave it great thought and this is what he sent...

1. Natan - best friend, classmate.  All of my success in flight school is the reflection of him and my instructor as they are both very patient and he has helped me in countless ways.

2 - Robert - My CFI. Former pilot in the Israeli Air Force pilot and current ATP.  He is a very tough and thorough but also very patient. He knows what I need to succeed and has been a tremendous asset to my aeronautical education.

3 - Chaim (pronounced "Hi!" - Eem Altogether) - Friend, Recently graduated from Vaughn College of Aeronautical Science in the ATC program hoping for an opening in the field. In the mean time, he is taking lessons from my flight instructor to work towards his PPL and I believe ATPL.

4 - Yossi (pronounced "yuhsee") - Aviation fanatic, world traveller, and whether it's relevant for this or not, his cousin is also an ATP for the same airline as you.


5 - Evan (Kisseloff) - the sole survivor of the PA airplane crash that I wrote about from The Long Island Newsday that I picked up the Friday evening after. (Ironically, after having come back from JFK to meet you at the gate.) 

Jeremy put a great deal of thought into his selection. And the power of giving continued...

Natan's family hosted the party in their home. A home filled with love and extended family, as Grandmothers from both sides of the family live with them. Lori and Roy Hoffman, Natan's parents, also had thirty people living with them because of Sandy. They opened their doors to strangers who were homeless Who does that? The Hoffmans.

The Party:

Let me tell you a little more... Cecilie, from Norway, flew into town to join us. And she met her 3rd cousin, Molly, whom she had not seen since she was a one-year-old. And guess what? We were whisked away in a LIMO!

The party had started and who should Join us? Alex from Brazil! He was on Skype on the cell phone. How in the world can you ride a limo in NY, while in Brazil? Technology. You've got to love it. And you have got to love Alex too. While he couldn't make it to the party in person, he was actively supporting the party, and with us all the way. Check out his Aviation Center. Using creativity to bring his message to the world via video. He is currently studying hard for his tests.

Special Guests...

No... this is not our little biscuit. But his twin from across the country... Coco. The night was filled with great food, a musician and wonderful people~ 

Sushi in the form of a plane. Oh...and it was so good!!!

Amazing Magic by Mike

Does the world get any smaller?

I met Jeremy because of his reaching out after reading Flight For Control. 

He wrote the most heartfelt letter. We never know what strikes a note, but there were many life connections with Jeremy, myself and my novel. Airline crashes, sitting at the deathbed of those we love, and even a cat named Princess. The list goes on. Jeremy also had a great grandmother that he was very close to and her name was Karlene. Her and her family came from Darmstadt, Germany.

What I did not know, is that all these fabulous flyer friends found each other on Facebook! I met Jeremy via Twitter, then was connected to his friends. I met Cecilie, and Alex on Twitter. And Marc Medely, which I am so sad to not get a photo and is an amazing man: the host of the Reading Circle, principal, lover of aviation, met me for a bowl of soup in a little cafe before the party.

Sometimes we think social media is a time sucker, but in relationship the people I have met, who have rolled into life-long friends... I am grateful. 

Jeremy defines friendship.   
He and Natan had sent the most beautiful fruit basket when my husband was in the hospital.

I cannot thank Jeremy enough. Natan and his family went overboard. This group of friends are amazing people. Cecilie coming from Norway... and Molly ordered a book and said, "Cecilie sent me." 

My team. My friends. My strength when skies grow dark. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You are the best!!! And all Fabulous Flyers.

For more photos and a great recap of the party, 
please check out: Jeremy's Flight Deck. 

Where have I been the previous few days? On a ladder until the very early hours in the morning. I usually get up at 330-0500. Lately, I'm going to bed at those hours. Photos tomorrow! 
 

Enjoy the Journey...

XO Karlene 

Oh...and Sandy? What was NY like? Manhattan was alive and bustling. Strength is the word I give to the people of New York. They are survivors. 

Book Party In New York City!

Monday Motivation: 

"The power of a future provides more than hope, 

it's the fuel to keep you going." 

We all need something to look forward to. A reason to wake up. Something that can keep us motivated and going forward. A new type-rating, a job, a birth, publishing your book, a wedding, a date, graduation, starting school. Some people think looking forward is living beyond the moment. But the power of having something to look forward to, brings power to the moment. It creates energy, joy, and an reason to wake up. 

Jeremy Carlisle is giving us all something to look forward to in November.

 

Flight For Control in New York! 

I will be joining Jeremy Carlisle in New York City on Saturday night, November, 10th, 2012, and we want you to join us. 

 

Jeremy won a contest many months ago and received five copies of Flight For Control, and a book club visit. What impressed me about Jeremy, among so many other things, was his careful selection of whom he wanted to give the books to. He is truly someone who gives from the heart. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a friend like Jeremy. And someone will get to meet him. 

Jeremy is running a contest, open to the public for one lucky winner and a guest to Join us at this special event. I will be flying in on the 9th. Party on the 10th. I'll travel out on the 11th.

Invitation from Jeremy: 

Saturday nights in NYC tend to be very crowded and I know that not all 8+ million of you do not have a copy of this literary masterpiece. And there is more on the way!

Here is what you need to do to enter in a drawing to win a place at this event:

• Schedule to be in New York City on the weekend of November 10th, 2012

 

• Purchase a copy, or if you wish to increase your chances of winning, copies, of Flight For Control via Paypal through her website.  The purchase area is located on the left hand area of her main page.

• Must include the hashtag #JeremySentMe in the comments area or let Karlene know that we sent you. This is how we enter you in the drawing.

• Log on to www.captainaboard.com and click "follow" on the right hand side as we will be announcing the winner on this site on November 1st. 

Please spread the word. 

Select "share on Twitter" above, 

share on your facebook, tell your friends. 

I hope to see you in New York City!

Enjoy the Journey!

XO Karlene