Another New Job

I have a lot for which to be thankful.

I've been with this company now for 4 days. The new job is a pilot (First Officer) for American Eagle (AE) Airlines...no, not the clothing company, but the Regional Airlines associated with American Airlines. I interviewed for the job on the 19th and they wanted me in training a week later. It all happened pretty fast. I had to fly from the interview in Dallas back to LAX, then drive north, to pack up my belongs in Sacramento, and move them back to Minneapolis before I flew back to Dallas. (I will be based in Chicago, which will only be a 45 minute commute from MSP, but training is in Dallas.)

Because the interview was before Thanksgiving, I had the chance to be with family for that holiday. That made me and the fam happy. I drove straight through from Sac so that I could surprise my mom just before our turkey dinner. That was fun, but the drive over was crazy.

The aircraft I will be flying is a 50-passanger jet (Embraer ERJ 145). It's a big upgrade from a 4-seater Piper Seminole! I will be in training to fly that aircraft for the next 6 weeks. They say it's like drinking from a fire hose. There is a lot of material to cover.

I'm excited about the new challenges of flying for the airlines. I don't know where it will take me, but I know that as I trust God he will lead me towards the next assignment. Right now it seems to be that I need to become the best airline pilot I can be. When I returned last Spring to pursue some of my aviation goals, namely acquiring jet-time, I didn't expect to able to fulfill that one so soon. I'm grateful for this opportunity. I'm also thankful for my family and friends who have been supporting me towards the next step. Perhaps next time you fly AE you can glance inside the cockpit and see if you notice anyone you know. It might be me. My new office will be quite a bit higher and twice as fast. I'm looking forward to that.