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"We are the protagonists of our stories called life, and there is no limit to how high we can fly."


PHD. MBA. MHS. Type rated on A350, A330, B777, B747-400, B747-200, B757, B767, B737, B727. International Airline Pilot / Author / Speaker. Dedicated to giving the gift of wings to anyone following their dreams. Supporting Aviation Safety through training, writing, and inspiration. Fighting for Aviation Safety and Airline Employee Advocacy. Safety Culture and SMS change agent.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Aviation Challenges...

Take Commitment to Solve! 

"The World is a Dangerous Place, 
Not because of those who do Evil, 
But because of those who look on and do Nothing."

Quote found in Flight For Sanity, by Albert Einstein


Photo from Mark Restorick


Whenever an accident occurs, the industry blames the pilot. However, if we continue to blame the pilot then no one needs to be accountable for necessary improvements. In 2016, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) identified that pilots lack flight skills and have problems monitoring their instruments. Incidents and safety reports have identified confusion, lack of understanding, and mode awareness issues. However, I hypothesize: 

Pilots are not to blame, 
but a larger system may be accountable. 

Photo from Mark Restorick

As you know, I am working on my PHD in Aviation with a focus on Safety. This adventure was fueled by my One Wish For Aviation. The purpose of my research is to identify the relationships between safety culture, pilot training, understanding, aviation passion, and the impact on automation usage, in order to identify the root cause of performance issues, beyond pilot error.

Photo from Mark Restorick

Today I am getting on an airplane headed to Austin, for perhaps the last time in a very long time. My youngest daughter, and three of my grandkids, are moving to Seattle! I'm heading down to help with the final packing, and then we'll have house guests for a couple weeks while their new home gets settled. 

In the mean time, I am working diligently on my research. And, to no surprise, one of my characters in the novel Flight For Sanity, Kathryn Jacobs, is conducting the same research for the FAA, that I am conducting. In the novel, some people do not want this research to happen. Why wouldn't anyone not want research conducted to support pilot proficiency? Sounds like a mystery... and it is! 

Photo from Mark Restorick


I am looking for commercial pilots 
to participate in a survey. 
Your name will not be taken, 
Ensuring complete anonymity!

To qualify, you must be a commercial pilot (airline, charter, corporate), with a crew compliment of at least two pilots. You may also be retired, or between jobs, if you were actively employed under the above conditions within the previous calendar year.


Please spread the link to this post on your social media sites and provide my email address to the pilots you know, who want to join the effort. Email me at Karlene.Petitt@gmail.com with the subject Survey Participation, and when this project has been reviewed and approved by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Institutional Review Board (IRB), I will email you a link to anonymously go to another site to take the survey. 

THANK YOU!

Enjoy the Journey!
XOX Karlene

Monday, April 10, 2017

Aviation History Trivia

Nothing in Life Stays the Same

"What is something that is both a hope and a dream, 
Becomes a life choice, and is promised to last forever. 
But forever can mean a few years, a month or a day...
And then you wake up and it's all gone away..." 


Answer:  Aircrew Base
The above photo was taken not too long before the NWA Anchorage Base was closed down. My hubby and I drove our suburban from Alaska to Seattle (with a ferry ride for part of the journey) with Retired Captain Don Carlson and his beautiful wife Sue! Nothing ever lasts forever, especially a crew base.  But the memories we keep forever. 



TONIGHT

The EAL Radio Show, 
Episode 313 will be 
All about the Crew Base

Eastern Airlines had several pilot and flight attendant bases over the years. Tonights discussion, will have the “experts” on line to share their knowledge of these bases, the chief pilots who ran them, as well as the maintenance bases serving our great airline. If we could only have those days back.


Jim Holder, will discuss the crew bases and chief pilots. Chuck Allbright will talk about the maintenance bases. And they have a mystery guest who will fill in all the additional names and places they may have forgotten. 

Call in to listen about the history of a great airline!
Tonight, at 7:00 pm EDT. 

Call 213-816-1611 
to join us live…or 
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/capteddie

 Captain Neal Holland  ♦ Jim Hart 
*Captain Steve Thompson *Chuck Allbright
*Captain George Jehn*Dorothy Gagnon*Don Gagnon



Enjoy the Journey!
XOX Karlene

author of


Friday, April 7, 2017

Friday's Fabulous Flyer

My Partner in Life,  
My Husband of 36 years,
and My Best Friend...

Is 76 Years-Young Today! 


Happy Birthday Dick! 

Life is an Adventure ... 


No Matter Where it Takes us...


And the Blessings we share... 


Our three Beautiful Daughters... 


  Eight Incredible Grandkids... 


We are Celebrating Life!
and Today
We Celebrate
A Happy Birthday! 

Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene


Thursday, April 6, 2017

Happy Hour

Pilot Style! 

"Four retired guys are walking down a street in Miami, Florida. They turn a corner and see a sign that says, "Old Timers Bar - ALL drinks 10 cents." They look at each other and then go in, thinking, this is too good to be true.

The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the room, "Come on in and let me pour ya one! What will it be, gentlemen?"

From WiseGeek.org

There's a fully stocked bar, so each of the men orders a martini. In no time the bartender serves up four iced martinis - shaken, not stirred - and says, "That'll be 10 cents each, please."

The four guys stare at the bartender for a moment, then at each other.

They can't believe their good luck. They pay the 40 cents, finish their martinis, and order another round. Again, four excellent martinis are produced, with the bartender again saying, "That's 40 cents, please." They pay the 40 cents, but their curiosity gets the better of them. They've each had two martinis and haven't even spent a dollar yet.


Finally, one of them says, "How can you afford to serve martinis as good as these for only a dime apiece?"

"You see I'm a retired tailor from Atlanta," the bartender says, "and I always wanted to own a bar. Last year I hit the lottery jackpot for $125 million and decided to open this place.  Every drink costs only a dime. Wine, beer, liquor - it's all the same."

Wow, that's a great story one of the men says, as the 4 sip on their martinis. They can't help but notice 7 guys just standing at the other end of the bar. There's no drinks in front of them and haven't ordered anything for the whole time they've been there.


Nodding at the 7 at the end of the bar, one of the men asks the bartender, "What's up with them?"

The bartender says, "Oh, they're all former Eastern pilots, just waiting for Happy Hour to begin when the drinks are half-price."

Enjoy the Journey!
XOX Karlene





Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Trust But Verify

The Pilots' Golden Rule... 



There was a big fire in the mountains and a CNN reporter requested permission to fly over it to get some pictures to cover the story.

His request  was approved, and he quickly called the local airport to charter a flight. He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger. He jumped  in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, "Let's go."


The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, "Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides."

'Why?' asked the pilot.

"Because I'm a photographer for CNN" , he responded, "and I need to get some close up shots."

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, "So, what you're telling me is . . . You're NOT my flight instructor?'



Enjoy the Journey!
XOX Karlene




Tuesday, April 4, 2017

History of Music

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED

My friend sent me the following video. The music was great. Memories were real. This is a must watch.... and crank up the volume!

"We have listened to the words to American Pie for years and thought we understood everything that was being sung about. However, when the words are put together with pictures and film clips, the song becomes even clearer. This video is well done and took imagination to write it, and a lot of work putting the images together."


Enjoy The Journey 
XOX Karlene


Monday, April 3, 2017

Life Is Flying By!

Happy April! 

"Change doesn't take time, 
It takes people willing to 
step outside their comfort zone to 
grow and improve." 


It's hard to believe that another month has passed us by. Today brings a Happy Birthday to my middle daughter, Kayla. Thirty thirty-two years ago, I was in the hospital giving birth to her. Eleven years ago I was in the hospital and told she may never walk agin. Today she she is a mother of two incredible kids, holds her PhD in Anthropology where she specializes in zooarchaeology (identifying bones), and she started a non-profit organization:
Focusing on STEM 
(Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). 


If you want to send Kayla a gift
help us find someone to donate enough
to buy the museum a permanent location 
they can call home!

Kayla has also designed all the covers on my novels:



And She illustrated I AM Awesome! 


 Her newest adventure with 
has taken Flight! 



A life worth living 
is never the easiest path...

Happy Birthday Kayla! 


TONIGHT.... 

The EAL Radio Show, 
Episode 312 will be Part II, 
Conclusion of the 
Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport 
at 7:00 pm EDT. 
If you have a story about the airport please call 

Enjoy the Journey!
XOX Karlene

author of