I finally flew a trip!

I'll have a new post up tomorrow, concerning my 747 OE

I apologize for my lengthy absence, but I seem to fly so infrequently as a B-747 captain that I have little to write about. But, crew scheduling must have been desperate a few weeks ago and called me to fly a DTW to Nagoya trip. Really, I have a few photos to prove it! Now, they didn't want to over tax me so they had me fly the west bound leg (well, at least half of it) and deadhead back in a business class seat in the upper deck. 

Now let me give credit where credit is due and explain the reserve system. We have both short call and long call reserve, both designed to complete the mission. Short call reserve actually has standby pilots out at the airport, ready to leave on a moments notice if a pilot issue arises that jeopardizes an on time international departure. Long call on the other hand gives the pilot a 12 hour notice to be in position to depart his or her domicile or any airport for that matter that they could deadhead you to. Both give the crew scheduler a variety of options or tools to make things work.

The reason for this is to avoid a cancellation or delay of an international flight that will inconvenience our clientele. If a flight with 400 passengers cancels today and tomorrows 400 passenger flight is already full... what do you do? Avoid it in the first place, which is the reason for the reserve pilot. He or she is an insurance policy that crew sched hopes they never have to use. But they do on occasion and it may save the day.

There is a similar option in place for domestic flights, but with many departures a day to these destinations and smaller aircraft assigned to those flights, it's a bit easier to get everyone where they need to be. Maintenance and weather problems occurring half way around the globe are other issues that factor in, but it's all about logistics. The bottom line though, is that safety is never compromised. If it can't be done safely... well, then it will just have to wait.

Everyone gets involved in these decisions, the crew, crew scheduling, maintenance, meteorology and crew planning to make every effort to complete the mission and get you on your way. After all, that's why were here.

Here we are in DTW as I went outside to assist my copilot with the walk around duties.

And just to prove that I was there, he took a picture of me by the nosewheel.

I'm part of Crew B here and watch Crew A depart DTW

As you know, we crew these flights with two complete cockpit crews as they're scheduled for nearly 14 hours of flight time. The captain and FO in the seats here made the DTW takeoff and the second FO and I would return from break seven hours later and guide us through the remainder of Russian airspace, descend and land at Nagoya.

Nearly 14 hours later we've arrived at Nagoya, bound from the airplane full of energy and head downtown. 

A system bid closed just a couple of days ago (15 March) and one of the categories suggested that the airline was overstaffed with DTW744A's. That would be me, DTW 747-400 captains and that six positions would be eliminated. I only have three pilots beneath me so I'd need three pilots senior to me to bid off the airplane to another category in order to remain. That's not likely to happen so my fall back position will be NYC765A which translates to JFK 767-400 captain. Although I'd miss the 747, I look forward to this should it occur and return to regularly scheduled line flying. This has been my first reserve experience in 37 years of airline flying and I've had enough, but we'll see what happens with the bid.

All seems to be going well at DAL; we're expanding, particularly out of New York with many new flights from both JFK and LGA. For the second year in a row we've received substantial profit sharing checks, so everyone must be doing their job well. The most positive statement that I can make is that we have leadership, determined to make money by flying people in airplanes. Coming from NWA this is a breath of fresh air.

I'd like to thank my friends over at AIRWAYS Magazine for publishing one of my recent submissions in the May 2012 issue. It concerns an eager, young, nine year old boy, anxious to follow in his fathers footsteps, watch him guide a majestic, Douglas DC-6B from Boston to Miami, through Idlewild in 1958. 

There's much to enjoy in this issue, it's packed with great writing and photography.

And, speaking of Northeast Airlines DC-6B's, here's a photo taken in BOS a few years ago by Jon Proctor. I'm sure that many of you recognize his name as the former editor of AIRLINERS MAGAZINE and author of several civil aviation books. I've recently started emailing with Jon, as he now writes for AIRWAYS Magazine. We apparently share not only a love of airline flying but a familial attachment to it as well. Jon's father, Captain Willis Proctor retired from American Airlines in 1950 and he, his brothers and many other relatives enjoyed airline careers as well.

To learn more about Jon and his connections to civil aviation, I'll let him tell the story. Just click here to see his new website and follow his adventures. I thought that I had a huge collection of airline photography. After you've enjoyed his photography page click over to see Jon's airline collection posted on JetPhotos. Between John Wegg and Jon Proctor, they have without a doubt, the finest collection of airline photography available for our enjoyment. Most photographers take the standard 90 degree side shot of an airplane, but these guys mix it up with interesting angles and vantage points that hold the viewers interest. And here's one last site to enjoy. The TWA DCS ALUMNI ASSOC that Jon maintains as the secretary and webmaster. More interesting stuff for airline enthusiasts to enjoy.


I start another stretch on reserve tomorrow... we'll see if I'm able to get out and fly a little. Once again, thanks for reading and I hope to see you soon.


Rand