4-H Virtual Career Night

What is one highlight of your career field?
Flying around the world to all different countries and cultures.

How did you get to your career?
One step at a time. I learned to fly a little airplane first. Eventually I retired as a captain on a Boeing 747 which weighs over 800,000 (400 tons) pounds on takeoff!

What does your average day look like on your job?
My day begins with looking at the weather for the route I am flying. Much of my career was spent in Asia, which means that when it is day there, it is night at home. It is called the “back side of the clock.” Next I take a bus to the airport with the other pilots, and often 14 flight attendants! That’s how big the 747 is, and it holds more than 356 passengers. We all go out to the airplane and making sure it is ready to fly. By ready, I mean having enough fuel and any maintenance finished and signed off by mechanics. Next I check to make sure everyone else on the flight deck (it was called a cockpit when I learned how to fly), the other pilots, agree with our route of flight, how the weather is at our destination, and whether the plane is ready to fly. There were three, sometimes five, of us on very long flights so that we could take turns flying and resting. When I start the engines and taxi out for takeoff, I run more checks to make sure everything works. If you are flying with passengers, you check with the flight attendants, too. I flew freight when I didn’t fly people, and often we would have animals like giraffes, pigs, antelope, bulls, fish, and even chicks! Once I flew a huge 250,000 pound load of french fries, and there were 9 other freighters crossing the Pacific Ocean, which we jokingly called “the pond” with us. With freight, we could takeoff whenever the cargo was loaded and all the doors were closed. Takeoff is always thrilling, and pulling away from the earth is amazing. As I climb the plane up to the starting altitude, which is based on how heavy your airplane is – often only 31,000 feet because we are heavy with fuel heading form the United States to Tokyo, Japan. We keep climbing during the flight as the plane burns fuel and gets lighter. There isn’t a lot to do all the time once we level off at cruise flight, but there is plenty to look at out the window and talk about all kinds of things. It’s not boring, it’s just a process of checking to make sure everything is working properly and that we are going the right direction (!) and are avoiding thunderstorms and weather. Flying near Russia is amazing, as there are huge mountains right by the ocean. Flying from Japan to the Mariana Islands (where the Japanese like to go on vacation) is incredible because volcanoes are always blowing up down below and it is the deepest part of the ocean, 37,000 feet! So I am really 74,000 feet above sea level when I am at cruising altitude. Flying to Singapore is fun, too, because it is so near the equator and there is so much to see. When we get close to our destination, there is usually more traffic, so all pilots are watching outside as we descend and slow down behind other planes. Landings are the most fun for me, and I like the challenge of turbulence, fog, crosswind, etc. But I also like the clear days with no winds when you can relax and look around more. The best part is making that perfect touchdown twelve hour flight. The people in the back clap and cheer, probably not because of your landing but because they are so happy to get off the airplane. It’s a great job.

Are there any tips you have for individuals seeking to start this career or do you know if there are scholarship or internship opportunities available with your career?
It is expensive, but doable even if your parents aren’t rich! There are all sorts of scholarships, and you can always find pilots willing to let you ride along and learn.