Let’s Get Our Priorities Straight . . .

The news articles are all over the internet and television reporting on The National Transportation Safety Board’s recommendation to use the “black box” voice recordings to monitor pilots and their conversations/activities in the cockpit.  The recommendation has been put forth due to recent pilot distractions that have led to airline mishaps (the Buffalo crash and the Northwest crew that flew 100 miles past their intended destination).  The National Transportation Safety Board is convinced that if the government monitors pilot conversation in the cockpit, our flights would be safer.  *** Pilot Wife rant begins** . . .

Really?  So the cause of the fatal Buffalo crash was due to the conversation taking place in the cockpit — not the fact that the pilots were paid less than $25,000/year, which in turn facilitated a need to work a second job, which in turn makes for an exhausted pilot who enters the cock pit, tired, underpaid and overworked.  No — let’s just say all conditions were perfect and the pilots were talking in the cockpit.  Seriously?  Is anyone else buying this theory?  I, by no means, am discounting the fact that people lost their lives.  No one . . hear me. . . NO ONE, including the pilots, want that to happen.  No pilot enters the cockpit and says, “I’m going to distract myself and fly this plane into the ground.”  Accidents happen . . . ACCIDENTS.  And I think it is unfair to put all of the blame on the pilots.

Pilots go through rigorous training.  My husband is subjected to at least two “check rides” a year to test his flight knowledge and provide additional training.  If a pilot fails these “check rides” the company provides additional training to the pilot.  If the pilot’s performance does not improve, the pilot can be fired.  Ask any pilot and they’ll tell you these check rides are taken very seriously. 

Pilots are required to have a physical performed by a physician once a year.  Pilots must have a medical certificate stating that they are fit to fly.  Medications are monitored by the physician.  Some pilots are afraid to take medications for fear that it may affect their medical certification.

Now . . . I’m a smart woman and I can see the need for change in the industry.  With that being said, let’s get our priorities straight.  Instead of concentrating on pilot conversation in the cockpit, why don’t we look at more pressing issues such as Pilot and Crew rest rules.  Let’s start asking the question of how much time in the cockpit in a twenty four hour period is too much?  Is a pilot flying several legs a day rested enough to make critical decisions?

And why don’t we take a look at pilot pay?  Airlines are constantly lowering the price of tickets –  But, at what cost to you, the passenger?  If pilots, who are clearly not living beyond their means, but have racked up nearly $50-$75,000 in student loans, have to take on a second  or even third job just to pay the bills - should we not consider that this could be a problem?  Take a look people . . . becoming a pilot is expensive. 

People put their lives in the hands of doctors every day.  Medical malpractice is rampant.  Cost of healthcare is through the roof.  What’s next?  Are we going to start putting voice recorders in the operating room?  How about on the public transportation buses?  They have accidents that can potentially take lives — will we install a voice recorder for them?  I know, it sounds ridiculous and people are going to tell me that it’s not a fair comparison . . . but really?  Why not?

So, what do you think?  Feel free to comment, but keep it respectful!  I’m willing to hear both sides of the coin . . . but again, keep it respectful! 

In the next few days, I’m going to begin a series addressing the real truth about being a pilot as told by his wife.  The truth about pilot pay.  The truth about the glamorous life that most people assume pilot’s live. 

Stay tuned . . . you won’t want to miss this!

Until next time, keep the wheels down and leave the flying up to him!

Being Alone Without Being Lonely . . .

As a pilot wife, many days are spent apart from the man I love. In the beginning of our relationship, the hardest thing for me to accept wasn’t the crazy schedule or the temptation or trust issues or the instability of the airline industry . . . it was being alone.

When I first met my husband, I was a successful career woman. I enjoyed working outside of the home. I worked out at the gym three times a week. I kept my schedule busy with after work activities with friends and co-workers. As some would say, “Life was good”.  ***Enter extremely handsome commercial airline pilot***  And my world . . . well, it just got all complicated. You see, the more time I spent around him, the more time I wanted with him. I think that naturally happens in any relationship whether you’re dating a pilot or not. However, here is the challenge with dating a pilot.  He’s home for one or two days and then gone for four, five or even six days. And then he might be home a few more days. But only to leave again for days or even weeks. And guess what . . . just when you think you’ve adjusted to that schedule, the new month rolls over and the schedule changes. To say having a relationship with him was challenging is a huge understatement. It’s hard to get accustomed to having someone there all of the time, only to have them up and leave for days or even weeks at a time. But after a year of dating, I married that man — unpredictable schedule and all. I can honestly say it was the best thing I ever did. However, don’t think that just because we became husband and wife, all our issues were resolved. The nights are lonely and most times it’s “dinner for one”.  Throw a few children into the mix and you’re a single parent most of the time.

So, how do you keep from being lonely when you’re alone so much? Well, here are just a few of the ways I keep myself busy while the pilot is away:

1) The gym is your friend - Not only will you keep yourself fit, but you’ll keep your mind and emotions healthy too! Exercise is great for the mind and body. 

2) Read, read & read - Take advantage of the time alone to get into a good book and spend countless hours reading it. Many towns also have book clubs. It’s a great way to make new friends and read a good book at the same time.

3) Get plugged in at church - Many churches have tons of activities going on throughout the week. Connect with a group in your church, make friends and participate in activities.

4) Shop til you drop - now, I know my husband will not want this to be on the list, but take some time to shop - even if it’s just window shopping. Most men don’t want to accompany their wives to shop so take advantage of this alone time to get yourself a new wardrobe.

5) Train for a 5K - Running can be therpeutic. Take some time to release some of the work week’s stress by running out your frustrations.

6) Volunteer - this is one of my favorites. Remember, it’s not all about you! Take some time to volunteer at the local Salvation Army or any local charity. You’ll keep yourself busy and you’ll feel better helping someone else in need.

7)  Find a hobby - For me, blogging became a way for me to connect with other people when the pilot was away.  And for him, he was able to read what was going on at home while he was working.  It was a win/win solution for the both of us!

And . . . for my final way to keep from being lonely while the pilot is away . . .

Children- Ok, so I didn’t have children to end my loneliness. However, it totally worked! As a mother of three children under the age of five, I can say that I’m too tired to ever feel lonely!! *Be sure to consult your pilot before using this method as a cure for loneliness*

So ladies . . . sound off! How do you keep from being lonely when the pilot is away?  I’d love to add some new activities to the list!

Until next time, keep the wheels down and leave the flying to him!

The ABC’s of Being a Pilot’s Wife

As we have shared many times before, being a pilot’s wife can be challenging, to say the least. However, our pilot wives have compiled the ABC’s of being a Pilot’s Wife. Remember, this is all in good fun and at the end of the day, we love and support each and every one of our pilots.

A - Adapatable - a pilot’s wife’s life is never stable. Pilot schedules are given on a monthly basis, furloughs happen and situations/issues are always coming up. A good pilot wife must always be able to adapt to these situations all while exhibiting the utmost grace and style.

B - Budget-conscious - He probably is paying back student loans, which will put a damper on the family budget.  He won’t be home to pay the bills, so you’ll have to make sure that everything is paid on time.  He’ll live on pretzels and peanuts, but somehow find it necessary to splurge on the latest and greatest cellphone.

C - Calm- Situations will arise that you have no control over. Plans may change at a moment’s notice. Things may happen at home you have to deal with and make do by yourself. It is important to remain calm, cool and collected (look there’s three C’s!). Don’t freak out over the small stuff.

D - Devoted - Crazy schedules, terrible pay, long hours, nights alone — only a wife that is truly devoted to her husband could put up with these conditions.

E - Envy - sitting on a balcony overlooking the ocean in Hawaii is something ANYONE would be envious of. That is a perk of flying!

F - Flexible - What? You won’t be home for Christmas? You got JA’d an hour before my surgery? You have to go for a week of training when? Where? Your crew base is moving to WHERE? When are we moving? When are we moving again? Can you call in sick for my due date? What if I am a week overdue? Honey, my water just broke, where are you?

G - Grateful - Grateful he finally came home and sometimes grateful he finally leaving again.

H - Humbled - As incredibly difficult it can be to be a pilots wife for all the reasons you all have stated - I always try to remember, my children and I have always had a roof over our head (although sometimes barely); we have food everyday (although there were times that barely happened too); and every night we have always had a bed and warm place to sleep at night and my husband is doing the job he loves. Okay….when we get to “S” sign me up for stressed!

I - Independent - You mean, I live half of my life alone? I got married but you are gone 50% of the time?!!! Guess I’ll have to entertain myself while you are away.

J - Jealous - He gets to actually take a shower and eat dinner by himself!!!

K - Kissable - Always be the one he wants to come home to… The one he can’t wait to kiss when he gets home…

L - Long Distance - You’re going to be gone how long? Having no idea when you’ll be able to work a rendezvous between your schedules, missing him the whole time.

M - Money - or the lack of - Ladies let’s tell the world the REAL truth - contrary to popular belief, pilots are not “rolling in the dough”.

N - Numbers - The amount of numbers these guys retain is amazing! From runways, heading and altitudes, to tail number and go times. How about converting temperatures from C to F? Or remembering the seat number of a famous celebrity on their flight. These guys can sure hold their numbers.

O - Online - Communication is the key word in any relationship, but even more when you are married to a pilot! When he is away communicating with him by email, phone, fax or pigeon - it is a must!

P - Patience - We need an endless supply to deal with the flight delays/cancellations/schedule problems/vacation issues/etc… Not to mention his “extra-curricular activities” that sometimes take him even further away from family time (like RC planes/helicopters, personal aircraft, computers, etc)… I know I am constantly praying for more patience…

Q - Quick - Flight delays, weather delays, it seems like pilots are always hurrying and scurrying. Schedules are so unpredictable, that you may or may not get a sizable amount of time with your man. Only 36 hours till he leaves again? Better get in all the fix-it stuff at home, visit all the extended family, and try to fit in some alone time.

R - Reserve - Being a new First Officer or even a new Captain, being on reserve or “On call” is totally normal. Getting a line is really something to celebrate!

S - Strong - enough said right? We deal with a lot of up and downs, happiness and craziness. However, it’s not just about us; it’s also about our husbands. We must be strong for them and make sure they’re aware that we are with them on this wild airplane ride through life. Being there and being strong for each other is a must.

T - Trust - There is no way a pilot’s wife can survive without trust — seriously, you’d run yourself crazy. The job of a pilot keeps him away from his wife and in questionable situations quite often. However, the best pilot wife must trust her pilot — there is no other choice. Trust him and the vows that you both made to each other - those will hold you together while you are apart.

U - Uniform - They do look sexy, don’t they?

V - Valuable - So many things in this industry is valuable. The limited valuable time spent together as a family. The valuable training. The valuable lessons learned from each mishap.

W - Worry - All the time! Every time there’s news on tv of a crash, bankruptcy, change in the business, etc. Worrying about whether he’ll make it home on time for something important. Worrying about how to parent all by yourself. Worrying about everything!

X - Xeric - If you get transferred to PHX (I hope)?? Hey, don’t judge! You try to find a word that relates and starts with an X . . .

Y - Yo-yo - Like a yo-yo our pilots are always going out and back from hub to outstation to hub.

Z - Zulu - As pilot wives we MUST know what this refers to… Sometimes, my husband and I refer to zulu time more than local time. Maybe that’s why pilot watches have so many time settings… at least one of them will be zulu!

So, there you have it . . . compiled by the best pilot wives in the world! Got any new ones to add, feel free to leave them in the comments.

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