Auto Tune Mystery Solved!

Scheduling called! A red-eye and I'm back in Detroit. Remember that mystery picture...Westin Hotel. I couldn't give you the answer because I'd forgotten the room number. Murphy's Law... they put me in the same room! 213. Lottery numbers?

Answer to the Auto Tune in Ghana:  Before the Satellite would auto tune, it needed to know where it was. Before it would give us an align prompt... it needed a Satellite, because in Ghana we didn't have ACARS... which needed VHF. The chicken and the egg thing going on.

Solution. We gave it a Departure/Destination in the MCDU. That enabled the alignment prompt. Then we could select align. Once aligned, the plane knew where she was. We then used the SATCOM won't auto tune procedure. We cycled the data base to empty that data, after we were connected, and then were able to upload the accurate data.

Oh...the magic of the planes and the mystery of the minds operating her in the middle of the night on the other side of the world. Life is good!

 I'm off to Amsterdam...then Bombay! Another first.

~ Enjoy the journey!
Karlene

A330 SATCOM Question of the Day

News FLASH:  Writers success: Two 17 hour workdays... after a month of revising in hotel rooms, as I flew around the world... and I finished my novel! Completely done.  I wrote it in just under a year... my goal. Now, no more revisions until an agent says so, and the query process begins.

Back to Flying... something interesting happened the night we were scheduled to depart out of Accra Ghana...

Hurricane Danielle was looming in the distance, a man with an overcoat and wool hat boarded...80 temperatures, it was 0130 in the morning and SATCOM wouldn't connect.  This sounds like the making of an Aviation Thriller... 
SATCOM is a requirement for our departure, and we couldn't uploaded any of our much needed data.

SATCOM message: Log on Inop

After performing the "SATCOM did not Auto Tune" procedure... it still didn't work.

Log on wasn't really inop... it just wouldn't happen because it needed ACARS. In Ghana, there is no VHF to get ACARS... thus, we needed a Satellite.  We selected the correct satellite... but it still didn't work. We cycled the IRUs... and nothing...we didn't get the align prompt.

Do you know why this was occurring and what we did to solve the problem?
I'll be back tomorrow with the answer. But until then... I would love to hear what you think

Enjoy the journey!

~ Karlene

Flight Podcast Number 2!

August 2010, I have been multi-tasking to no end. My daughter’s wedding, deadline for my novel, podcasting, blogging, and flying 94 hours in three weeks! But doesn’t this make for excellent multi-tasking training for when the chips are down, and I have to fly the plane, handle the emergency, divert, work with the Flight Attendants, and talk to ATC … all at the same time?  It's 0200… yes, I'm up and working. 

Guess what? Flight Podcast 2 is up and running! You have got to check it out.
This week’s guests:

Kirsty Ferguson
New pilots, do you want to impress the heck out of your interviewer? You’ve got to listen to what our worldwide leading interview coach, Kirsty has to say. She is nothing short of phenomenal.  After 7 airline interviews myself, I thought I’d heard everything… I was wrong. Check out her checklist for success at Pinstripesolutions.com  If you want to secure a job as a pilot, you’ll want to add Kirsty to your toolkit.

Mary Kirby
Best known as Runway Girl… Mary is a senior editor at Flight International and aviation blogger at  FlightGlobal.com She focuses on in-flight entertainment, connectivity, regional aircraft programs and aircraft interiors. An awe-inspiring woman that will dazzle you with her brilliance.

Andrew Thorley
Almost 10 years ago to the day, Andrew was ferrying a Lightwing ‘sport’ ultralight from Ballina (on the far north coast of NSW) to the Oaks west of Sydney. Due to numerous circumstances Andy found himself over the suburbs of Sydney with low fuel… at night. He suffered fuel starvation and was forced to make a landing in a suburban soccer field. This is the first time he’s spoken of the incident. He’s quite candid with the mistakes he made for the betterment of aviation safety, and something you won’t want to miss.


Chris Williams
Chris is the director and technical lead at Command Software Pty Ltd. Command Software  is best known for their popular flight planning software, Command Flight Planner. Most appropriate for Australian listeners… We have a FREE copy of Command Flight Planner to give away to the value of $400. Did I say FREE? And… you don’t have to wait until I’m published to win it!

Listen to FlightPodcast  today! And tomorrow... you won't be sorry you did.

Follow us on:
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Thank You Marty, Ken, and Adam for your patience and working with my very crazy schedule this month!

Enjoy the journey!
~ Karlene

FLY For MS! Friday's Fabulous Flight!

This week’s Friday Flyer is unique. Please join me in honoring two pilots, Keith Siilats and Andrei Floriou, who will be departing on a unique mission, as they fly across the world to make miracles happen. Today is all about Friday's Fabulous Flight.

Keith Siilats and Andrei Floriou

Andrei, born in Romania, is a private pilot. Single and multi-engine rated, he is also an entrepreneur, and former Wall Street investor who’d been focused on biotechnology companies developing Multiple Sclerosis drugs. It didn’t take him long to realize how little people knew about MS.

Andrei Floriou

Keith Siilats, born in Estonia, is no stranger to crossing the Atlantic in a small airplane. He’s a multi-engine, instrument rated and a CFI too! His 2009 trans-Atlantic flight inspired Andrei, and in July this year, they pulled together a team for their mission.

Keith Siilats

Fly for MS

Fly for MS is an unprecedented endeavor meant to raise global awareness for Multiple Sclerosis.

On August 30th 2010 their team will take off from New York aboard a small plane for a 29,000 mile (47,000 km) trans-Atlantic, trans-European journey with stops in 30 countries over 60 days.

During the voyage they will fly needy sufferers for treatment to distant MS hospitals, share the joy of flying with other people with MS, and fly MS specialists to financially-strapped MS hospitals.

The distance they’ll cover is almost enough to circle the globe, making the trip one of endurance for both man and machine. Fewer than 300 people have ever flown a small plane for such a distance on a single journey, versus 4,100 successful climbs on Mt. Everest.

Their Mission

They will use the attention drawn by the boldness and record-making magnitude of our undertaking, which fascinates and fuels the imagination of people not previously familiar with MS, to inform them about the disease and the lives of those touched by it, their hopes and despairs, their challenges and unbelievable strength.

Their target audience is the biggest ever for a single event: the 30 countries they will visit have a combined population of 1.2 billion and account for 1.4 million people with MS, 70% of the total worldwide.

Besides raising awareness, they will impact directly the lives of over 100 people with MS, and through them give hope and inspiration to most of those touched by MS. Additionally, in each country they will deliver a message with the key issues affecting the local MS community along with concrete suggestions for addressing them.

The entrepreneurial, spontaneous nature of their effort, conceived and implemented by a small multinational team, will inspire others like them. They are the example that you too can make a difference!

Face Book Page

Meet the entire Team
Don't forget to send me pictures from their visit to your city!

Country City Airport  Flt. Time  Arrival  Departure

US New York KFRG 31-Aug

US Westfield KBAF 0:33 31-Aug 31-Aug

US Aroostook KFVE 1:57 31-Aug 31-Aug

Canada Schefferville CYKL 2:57 31-Aug 31-Aug

Canada Iqaluit CYFB 2:56 31-Aug 1-Sep

Greenland Kulusuk BGKK 4:19 1-Sep 2-Sep

Iceland Isafjordur BIIS 2:08 2-Sep 2-Sep

Iceland Reykjavik BIRK 0:44 2-Sep 3-Sep

Iceland Vestmannaeyjar BIVM 0:24 3-Sep 3-Sep

Norway Stavanger ENZV 4:27 3-Sep 4-Sep

Denmark Tirstrup EKAH 1:18 4-Sep 5-Sep

Denmark Copenhagen EKRK 0:45 5-Sep 6-Sep

Norway Oslo ENGM 1:28 6-Sep 7-Sep

Sweden Norrköping ESSP 1:08 7-Sep 7-Sep

Sweden Stockholm - Bromma ESSB 0:49 7-Sep 9-Sep

Estonia Kardla EEKA 0:48 9-Sep 9-Sep

Estonia Tallinn EERA 0:22 9-Sep 11-Sep

Russia St. Petersburg ULLI 1:02 11-Sep 12-Sep

Russia Moscow UUWW 1:57 12-Sep 14-Sep

Ukraine Kiev UKKM 2:11 14-Sep 16-Sep

Moldova Chisinau LUKK 1:21 16-Sep 17-Sep

Romania Iasi LRIA 0:21 17-Sep 18-Sep

Romania Tulcea LRTC 0:47 18-Sep 19-Sep

Romania Bucharest LRBS 0:41 19-Sep 21-Sep

Poland Warsaw EPBC 2:47 21-Sep 23-Sep

Czech Prague LKPR 1:37 23-Sep 25-Sep

Slovakia Bratislava LZIB 1:11 25-Sep 26-Sep





Country City Airport Flt. Time Arrival Departure

Croatia Zagreb LDZA 0:53 26-Sep 28-Sep

Turkey Istanbul LTBA 3:27 28-Sep 30-Sep

Israel Tel Aviv LLBG 3:27 30-Sep 2-Oct

Israel Jerusalem OJJR 0:25 2-Oct 3-Oct

Greece Athens LGAV 3:36 3-Oct 4-Oct

Italy Milan LILG 4:27 4-Oct 6-Oct

Switzerland Zürich LSZH 0:37 6-Oct 8-Oct

Austria Vienna LOWW 2:01 8-Oct 9-Oct

Germany Munich EDDM 1:17 9-Oct 10-Oct

Germany Berlin EDDT 1:38 10-Oct 12-Oct

Netherlands Amsterdam EHAM 1:43 12-Oct 14-Oct

Belgium Brussels EBBR 0:54 14-Oct 15-Oct

France Paris LFPB 0:51 15-Oct 17-Oct

Spain Barcelona LEBL 2:28 17-Oct 18-Oct

Spain Madrid LEMD 1:28 18-Oct 19-Oct

Spain Malaga LEMG 1:22 19-Oct 20-Oct

UK Gibraltar LXGB 0:19 20-Oct 20-Oct

Portugal Lisbon LPPT 1:19 20-Oct 22-Oct

UK London EGSS 4:51 22-Oct 24-Oct

UK Edinburgh EGPH 1:35 24-Oct 25-Oct

Ireland Dublin EIDW 1:12 25-Oct 27-Oct

Iceland Reykjavík BIRK 4:30 27-Oct 28-Oct

Greenland Nuuk BGGH 4:05 28-Oct 29-Oct

Canada Goose Bay CYYR 3:45 29-Oct 29-Oct

Canada Montreal CYUL 3:43 29-Oct 30-Oct

US Atlanta KATL 4:35 30-Oct 31-Oct

US New York KFRG 3:35 31-Oct 31-Oct

SLAM CLICKER....

Layover maneuver…To close the door firmly, turn the lock, and hide from your crew.

ROME: Slam click! I worked on my novel all day. I emerged from my cave at 6 p.m. for a glass of wine, a few laughs with our flight attendants. They went to dinner, I returned to my room. Slam click! Wine in hand, I took Lisa Gardner and Live to Tell to a bubble bath.

ATLANTA: Slam click! A late arrival and I napped for one hour. Then awoke at 9 p.m. and worked on my novel until 0600 the following morning. An 11 hour sleep and I was off to the airport.

Time enroute: 11:30 Destination: Ghana. During my 3 hour break… I finished 3 more chapters. Yeah! Along the way, we dodged thunderstorms. It's just that time of year.

Taken at FL410 somewhere over the Atlantic

GHANA: A full van to the hotel....

Pizza and sodas at the pool...

The feet with the pink toes is me :)

And then… SLAM CLICK! The crew is on a tour and I'm working on my novel.

Goal… to finish the final revision to Flight For Control. Yes, I will do it!

Enjoy the journey!

~Karlene

Scheduling Calls!

Arrival into Seattle!

Just after 0500, August 20th, and I had just fallen into a wonderful REM type of sleep when the phone rang. Scheduling calls! "Could I do what?" "When?" "Oh, but of course."

I was just about to start the second of my three days off, and life changed course. Which happens often when scheduling calls. Thus 10 pm that night (20th) I was sitting at SeaTac airport begging for a ride on the redeye. S2 passes... gotta love them on a full flight! The Flight Attendants were great! They let me stow my bags in their closet up front. Thank you ladies! A pilot from another gate gave me a blackberry that another pilot had lost somewhere in the world. I volunteered to take it to base for him. Jerry... your phone has been delivered to your mailbox, let me know when you get it!

We arrived in base early. I walked directly to the Westin. How fast can I say 'crew rate' with a late departure of 1700? The best money spent all weekend! 7 hours of delicious sleep in the most comfortable, cozy, bed in a quiet room.

Before I knew it, I was off to Rome! The First Officer needed a 6 month check... an over-60 pilot ... so he got both the takeoff and the landing. Sometimes it pays to be old... at least it beats the alternative.

Adventure in Rome: I worked on my novel. But, I did drop into the lounge and had a glass of wine with the Flight Attendants around dinner time. They went off to dinner and I took my wine to a bubble bath with Lisa Gardner, and Live to Tell. Thank you Lisa!

We are an hour behind schedule this morning. Good news the delay happened while still at the hotel. Now I can get some work done on my novel. Good music and I'm sitting 'criss cross apple sauce' on my bed with my computer. A yoga move that my grand daughter named. Life is good. I slept 10 hours last night. :)

Next destination: Accra for a 56 hour layover. We'll learn about "slam clicking" tomorrow. A new concept for me. But... I have a deadline!

Okay... who can guess where this picture is? Your answer must be "specific" and you too will win an autographed copy of Flight for Control... when it gets published!!!

Mystery Picture... where "exactly" was this taken?

Enjoy the Journey!

~ Karlene

John Endicott, II... Friday's Fabulous Flyer

I'm the FAA and I'm here to help!

Honolulu Eastbound we had a FAA inspector riding in the flight deck, a prisoner in the back, two FBI agents and an armed guard. The prisoner was a woman... the scariest kind. The making of a novel.

Once again we had a FAA inspector riding with us, this time: John Endicott II, and John is assigned to the Delta Airlines certificate. He has quite a story, and unfortunately through my journey I lost my notes. How can I write this without notes you ask? Well, his story is one of inspiration ... and another indication that life works out like it should, despite the obstacles that are thrown at us. Yes, I remember his story. I may not have the exact dates... but he made an impression, and I'm glad to know him.

John Endicott, II

Like many teenagers, John's idea of education differed from his parents. He joked about being on the 5 year plan... or was that the 7 year? He loved mechanics and his parents made a deal with him... they would pay for college if he was willing to take classes they thought beneficial, in addition to those he enjoyed. What a deal, and he was soon a student at Embry Riddle.

He ended up buying an airplane, Piper Warrior, and took flying lessons across the street from the University at an FBO, where he set up lease back with his plane. He was flying, studying, and working towards a career as an airline pilot. He also fell in love, and married the woman of his dreams. Unfortunately, on his honey he suffered a Grand Mal Seizure in his sleep. Waking up, he felt like he'd been in a fight. We can only imagine what his new bride was going through.

They returned home, and were at his parent's house. He wasn't feeling well so he decided to take a nap. His wife and parents heard him fall off the bed, and by the time they'd arrived in his room, the bookshelf was on top of him. Yes, another seizure. Long story short, they discovered that he was suffering from seizures from Nutra Sweet. His Diet Cokes were the culprit. He lost his medical, but after changing his diet... eliminating artificial sweeteners, the seizures stopped. The FAA prohibited him from obtaining a first class medical until he could go three years without.

John graduated from Embry Riddle with a maintenance/management degree. His flying was put on hold, but not him. One day he was across the field, at the FBO where he kept his plane, and he noticed somebody walking by a hangar. They began talking, and this person had recently purchased the hangar and the 6 un-flyable airplanes inside. The new owner asked John if he knew anyone who could get them in the air again. And a relationship was born. John fixed his planes and then followed him to ... Texas! Where John continued to fix airplanes that had been in crashes.

He soon left to expand his horizons. He ended up at ValuJet and became the Director of Maintenance planning. When AirTran purchased Value Jet, he was one of the few Directors who stayed with the company. His new position with AirTran was Manager of Technical Publications, and in that position he worked closely with the FAA and they encouraged him to join their team, which he did.

He is now the Geographic Safety Inspector, Airworthiness, and working on Delta's certificate. When we landed in Honolulu, his first time there, I listened to him speak with one of the mechanics. He didn't head off to the hotel, instead he pressed on and jumped into work. We already had a long day, but he is a man with heart, and a job to do.

I enjoyed the opportunity talking with John on the flight over. The thing that impressed me most about him is his commitment to safety. He truly cares, and works with the system, the airline, and the industry to make our airline and aircraft as safe as can be. His motivation is purely selfless in the line of safety. Nice to see.

It was a pleasure to meet you!

Enjoy The Journey!

~Karlene