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SLC’s A-Squad
Last week, thanks to a faulty FMS and ACARS (fancy words for our computer calculations for navigation and performance), I had to face the daunting task of doing math in the morning (a pilot’s worst nightmare). This experience was stressful, so I have some perspective on the stresses doled out by Salt Lake City’s controllers today. For starters, there…
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Salt Lake for Two
For some reason when building the schedules, the airline ends up creating these very long layovers — always in Salt Lake, and always saves them for me. Since I had almost an entire day in SLC, I invited Nicole to follow me there from LA. In fact, she rode in the back while I was…
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36 Views of the Utah State Capital
As a pilot, one must submit for a medical exam once a year. It’s nothing too involved — checking eyes, ears, stable pulse etc., but you always hear crazy stories about someone going in and losing their medical due to some rare heart condition. As a pilot on the go, it’s sometimes difficult to acquire…
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Back in the Saltiest of Lakes
Early last August, I earned my ATP certificate in Atlanta after almost two months of both ground and sim training. It was a great feeling of accomplishment to finally have the privilege to fly a jet. In order to maintain this certificate, however, I must come back once a year for recurrent training and be…
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…and the next thing I knew I was in Idaho
After weeks of idle time on reserve and no flying, I received a call Sunday morning to go to Salt Lake City to sit reserve. This was somewhat exciting because I was beginning to tire of sitting around doing nothing. In my head, I envisioned Salt Lake to be warmer than Minneapolis, but when I…
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Salt Lake City
It took me about two months to complete all my initial jet training as I bounced between Salt Lake City and Atlanta. From now on, I will find myself in Salt Lake once a year until I retire or change airlines. Airline pilots are continually evaluated each year and can be terminated at any time…
Flyin' Brian 