I am pleased to announce, that I have published a short story.  It is one that I started one day on a layover during one of my airline trips.  It's been a work in progress for a long time now.

It can be read on Kindle as an E book.

Here is the link:

https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-Points-Nelson-Rosado-ebook/dp/B08R6CKKK6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=nelson+rosado&qid=1610554175&s=amazon-devices&sr=1-1

Retirement from the Airlines

     I flew my last "Part 121" flight on February 26, 2018.  Part 121 refers to the Federal Aviation Administration's category of "Scheduled Airline Transportation."  I have been at it for nineteen years.  Though I never really kept track of these numbers, I sat down and came up with a rough estimate of them based on known averages.  
I have accumulated over 15,000 hours of flight time in my career, including my time as a Naval Aviator.  Of that time, I estimate that 11,000 hours were part 121 flying (airlines).
I estimate that I flew about 390,000 passengers over 7,600 flights.  Each of those flights arrived at their destination (or alternate, because sometimes, you just can't get there!) safely.
I have absolutely loved it and am ready for my next challenges.

I shall miss the people most.  The flying was fun, but as most airline pilots will tell you, it often is work.  Certainly there were many moments of shear joy.  If you don't experience that in this business, you shouldn't be doing it.  Don't get me wrong, I love to fly.  All pilots do.  We just want to do it when and where we feel like it!  So I am off to my next adventure.

     I have accepted a job with Flight Safety International in Savannah, Georgia.  I love Savannah and have done many layovers there.  It has a small town feel, but lots of exciting things to do.  I will be a Pilot Instructor in the Gulfstream.  I have always wanted to fly a Gulfstream, so here's my opportunity, virtually anyway!  Home every night.  No weather delays and I love instructing.     

Flying on a US Airline is safer than Riding Amtrak

An aerial shot captures the train derailment in Washington State, Dec 18, 2017, Photo by KOMO/ABC News

As an airline pilot, I am often asked what the most dangerous situation I have ever been in was. My answer is always, "My drive to the airport." They are amused by that, but then stop to think about it and realize that it is true. It is a statistical fact: You are more likely to be involved in an accident with possible injury or death on a U. S. Highway than you are flying on a U. S. Airline. Now I can add, "Riding on Amtrak."

I have been shocked by the recent spate of accidents involving Amtrak. In the last five years, eleven passengers died in accidents (usually derailments) on Amtrak trains. Over 267 passengers were injured. These numbers do not count people killed or injured who were not onboard (drivers and passengers of vehicles hit in railroad crossings or on tracks). The last time anyone died on a U.S.-certificated scheduled airline was Feb. 12, 2009, when Colgan Air Flight 3407, operating as a Continental Connection flight between Continental’s hub at Newark, N.J. and Buffal0, N.Y, went into an aerodynamic stall short of the runway at Buffalo. It fell to the ground in Clarence Center, N.Y., All 49 people onboard, plus one person on the ground, died in the crash. Since that crash, remarkable changes were made to aircrew rest requirements and training oversight, not to mention new hire flight time requirements (which have only exacerbated an already acute pilot shortage, and has been of questionable benefit to safety, but that is another article). That is NINE years without a single passenger fatality caused by an aircraft crash! I don't have the total number of flights that have been flown since then, nor the numbers of passengers transported, but I can only guess that it is in the millions. I am always surprised by people, who in defiance of logic, fact, and statistics tell me of their "fear of flying." Personally, I would be more prone to a "fear of railing!"

The deadliest Amtrak derailments involved excessive speed: 106 mph in a 50 mph zone (May 12, 2015, in Pennsylvania) and 80 mph in a 30 mph zone (December 18, 2017, in Washington State). NTSB reported from the PA accident that the conductor was "distracted" and "lost track of where he was." The derailment in Washington is still under investigation. In the Northeastern corridor, Amtrak has implemented "positive train control," or PTC, a safety technology that, among other things, is designed to automatically slow trains that are traveling too fast, according to the NTSB. Apparently, this technology was not in place in Washington State. Technology to improve safety is great. No expense should be spared to make transportation safer. In passenger aviation, there are constant improvements to technology that improve or enhance safety. They are always welcome, but the bottom line in aviation safety and the best device to ensure a safe and uneventful flight are well-trained pilots and a strong safety culture.

I have never been a train engineer. I am certain that most of Amtrak's operators do their best to ensure the safety of passengers. Most trains successfully and safely transport passengers on the assigned routes, but like the Buffalo crash, it only takes one to taint the entire industry. To make matters appear worse, this is ONE company, not like the airlines with its many carriers certified by the FAA to operate under part 121 (scheduled airline transport). That, to me, speaks volumes.

I write this from an airline pilot's perspective. Safety begins with leadership. Leadership nurtures the corporate culture. The culture is reflected by the actions of the employees. As a Naval Aviator prior to my airline career, and as an airline pilot, I have seen first hand what good leadership can accomplish in terms of safety. It has to be a priority. There have to be consequences for failure. Unsafe practices have to be reported, especially self-reported without fear of retribution or punishment unless it was an intentional act. We all make mistakes. The key is to find a way not to repeat them and to implement fixes, either in policy or hardware that prevents them from occurring again. Airline pilots have very specific procedures in place that have been "written in blood." Lessons learned from previous accidents are quickly implemented into what we do. An example of this is after the Comair crash in Lexington, KY when a CRJ200 took off from the wrong runway that was too short for them to become airborne, pilots now perform a verbal "runway verification" procedure. Even if there is only one runway, with no chance of being on the incorrect one, we still do that. It is ingrained in our process. The changes I mentioned above to crew rest policy were a direct result of discoveries made after the Buffalo crash.

Yet, here is Amtrak, repeating the same mistakes and costing the lives of passengers and millions of dollars in damage. Again, I don't presume to know anything about operating trains. I always thought it would be a cool job, kind of like being an airline pilot. I write this not to upset or anger any of the many hard-working Amtrack employees, but I have to wonder as a trained Naval Aviation Safety Officer, and a graduate of several civilian safety courses, why does this happen?

I know that the PTC technology will eventually be implemented throughout Amtrak's system. It is already in place within Union Pacific, the largest U.S railroad based on revenue. According to the Wall Street Journal (Jan 9, 2018) they are struggling with the new tech and are working the bugs out. Apparently, it will make a train stop when it is not supposed to. Meanwhile, there is off-the-shelf technology that can help. A GPS enabled tablet that follows the train on a moving map can alert an operator that he or she is approaching a slow speed area and flash a warning to alert the operator to slow down. These areas can be highlighted and marked on the map of the railway system. Pricey, but still cheaper than the PTC system and a good interim measure as well as a back up to the PTC. It would also greatly improve "situational awareness," something that we, as pilots frequently emphasize and rely upon to keep us out of trouble.

In the meantime, however, how about a culture change? How about procedural changes? What about oversight, reporting? What about good strong leadership? Again, this is written from an airline pilot's perspective, albeit a frustrated one as I read about these literal trainwrecks and how utterly preventable they were.

Congress should address the critical pilot shortage

Congress should address the critical pilot shortage | TheHill:


I have addressed this issue (pilot shortage) on my blog before just after Congress passed the legislation that increased the number of flight hours required in order to become an airline pilot.  The proposal mentioned in "The Hill" article in the hyperlink above, addresses allowing certain simulator training time to count towards the total time required for flying for an airline.  Though not necessarily cheaper (depending on the quality of the simulator and the aircraft it replicates), simulators are excellent training devices and should absolutely be included in the flight time for                 commercial pilot aspirants.

I say this as I complete my mandatory annual simulator training and ground school.  Every year, every airline pilot must complete refresher training.  We don't necessarily want to do it as it forces us out of the cockpit and into a classroom and simulator, not to mention having to study and brush up on things.  But I ALWAYS walk away from this training smarter and better prepared.

I have been an aviator for a very long time (thirty-five years to be precise).  I have flown in the military and as a commercial airline pilot.  One thing that I have become aware of, is how quickly things can go wrong.  The very worst things I have seen have all been in a simulator.  The outcome was never in doubt; I would go home after the session.  I would go home wiser and better prepared for many things that can actually go wrong, but fortunately, rarely occur when out flying the line (that's pilot speak for actually flying passengers).

We need smarter pilots, not just pilots building time towing banners, flight instructing (though instructing is an excellent way to build time, students are always trying to kill you!) or simply droning around in the sky.  Simulators these days are amazingly realistic and can replicate things that we hope we never see.  Most of them include full motion, HD graphics and can replicate any airport and scenario. 

Most of us (commercial airline pilots) have a love/hate relationship with "sims."  The sim can humiliate you very quickly.  Pilots are a tad cocky.  Humility is a good thing and keeps everything in perspective.  I jokingly call the simulator the "Humiliator," but over the years I have learned to embrace it and I always walk away from a "Humiliator" session a wiser and better pilot.  I am always learning, even at my age, because when you stop learning, you essentially stop living.  As a pilot, that can be literal as well as virtual.  Trust me, there were times when I virtually stopped living in the simulator when the screen turned red, indicating a crash.  Fortunately, in the sim, I had plenty of extra "lives." 

         

Normandy, Day Seven & Eight. Caen, Driving back to Paris and wrapping up the Trip

Sunday Morning Farmer's Market and Paris Halloween

After our tour of Le Mont Saint Michel on Saturday afternoon, we walked back to our car which was parked almost three miles away.  Le Mont Saint Michel was jam packed and frankly, we were glad to "check it off" the list and get out of there.  It was so crowded and indeed a tourist trap, but an amazing thing to see nevertheless.  We were tired and hungry but chose not to dine there, instead opting to drive to our next overnight location, Caen.

Battle map of Caen depicting Allied
Frontlines

Caen is on the eastern edge of the Normandy Invasion Battlefront and is the capital of northern France's Lower Normandy region. Its city center features the Château de Caen, a circa-1060 castle built by William the Conqueror. It stands on a hill flanked by the Romanesque abbeys of Saint-Étienne and Sainte-Trinité, which date from the same period. Caen was an objective for the 3rd British Infantry Division and remained the focal point for a series of battles throughout June, July and into August. The battle did not go as planned for the Allies, instead it dragg on for two months.

The old city of Caen—with many buildings dating back to the Middle Ages—was destroyed by Allied bombing and the fighting. The reconstruction of Caen lasted until 1962; today, little of the pre-war city remains.

We stayed in a "normal" holiday-inn-like hotel, happy to relax after such a busy day.  After checking in, we drove into the town center for dinner and found a Basque restaurant that was fantastic.

Trick or Treaters in Paris Bar

The next morning, Sunday we drove back into town and were amazed at the beehive of activity on a Sunday morning.  A farmer's market with several hundred vendor stalls was set up along the waterfront.  It was crowded and the food, produce, meats, cheeses for sale were so amazing to behold.  We grabbed a crepe breakfast and meandered through the vast market admiring the delicious offerings.  Much of the town is new due to the rebuild after the destruction caused by the war but the castle of William the Conquerer remains as well as several cathedrals.  We walked around them and got a good feel for the town before heading back to Paris in the early afternoon.

In Paris, we returned our rental car and hung out at our accommodations there.  We actually found an Irish pub that aired American Football and spent Sunday evening cheering on our team.

The next day, Halloween, we actually saw costumes and trick or treaters in the bar we were at!  They were costumed children escorted by their costumed parents.  The bartender gave them candy treats and off they went, presumably to another bar that celebrated Halloween.

Lamb Chops at our Basque Restaurant

Grouper with a Chorizo Crust

Having Coffee after touring the market

There must have been 50 different types of potatoes!

The array of cheeses and Charcuteries were impressive 

There were thousands of people shopping that morning

The weekly Farmer's Market in Caen

A Castle tower that survived the 

   The next day we left for home on an afternoon flight, arriving around 8 pm EST.  Joseph and I left with wonderful experiences and a greater appreciation for the men who participated in the D-Day invasion.  I also thoroughly enjoyed the people I met in Normandy and can say with all sincerity, that they STILL appreciate what the Americans (and the Allies) did in those days.  For me, it is something that I will never forget and to have been able to do it with my son, made it even more special and memorable to me. 

Normandy, Day Six. Sainte-Mère-Église, Utah Beach, Le Mont Saint Michel

Joseph and I checked out of our Air B&B Saturday morning and left Bayeux, our home for the past three days.  I really love this town and would love to come back some day soon. We headed out to continue our Normandy Battle site tour with our first stop, Sainte-Mère-Église.  Located on the western "shoulder" of the Normandy invasion beaches and just west of Utah beach, Sainte-Mere-Eglise was a critical crossroads to hold to prevent the Germans from re-enforcing the defenders at Utah Beach.  Notably, it was one of the first towns liberated.  The American 82nd Airborne literally landed in the middle of the town (some of them anyway) and many of them were killed and/or captured.  The paratroopers who landed outside of the town were able to capture the town and liberate as early as 6 am.  There is a very good museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise dedicated to the Airborne aspect of the Normandy Battle.  A dummy paratrooper is still suspended from the church next to the town square recreating the unlucky (or lucky since he survived) paratrooper who landed on the church and had his parachute snag on a spire.  He remained there until captured, and was later liberated by his comrades after the took the town.  It is a fantastic museum and the town is very welcoming to tourists.

Mannequin depicting the paratrooper who got stranded on the church

After touring the museum, we set out for Utah Beach.  The Americans landing here, had it a bit easier than the ones landing at Omaha.  Fewer, less skilled defenders resulted in fewer casualties for the GIs.  Utah Beach actually stretches north-south as opposed to east-west like the other beaches and is the southeastern part of the Cotentin Peninsula, which the Allies wanted to cut off and eventually capture Cherbourg, a deep water port to further advance the war effort.  There is also a museum there which we opted not to tour (we were pretty "museum'ed out" by then).  There are some great monuments there and a fairly new memorial dedicated to the U S Navy.  The Navy had nothing recognizing its part in the invasion, so this memorial was erected and dedicated in September 2008. 

From there we took a much longer trip to see Le Mont Saint Michel.  We were warned by the locals in Bayeux to avoid it, since it is such a tourist trap, but I have always wanted to see it so we "bit the bullet" and went.  It is a magnificent thing to behold, an island town dating to the 8th century.  Its population is listed as 44, but there were literally thousands of people there that day, a Saturday and was very crowded as we made our way through the narrow walkways.  You can learn more here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Saint-Michel.

  

View from Mont Saint Michel

It was a very long walk, but we and several thousand people were
enjoying Le Mont Saint Michel

Le Mont Saint Michel

Exhausted and hungry, we then drove to Caen, our last stop on the tour to enjoy a dinner a get some well-earned sleep.  
More about Caen in my next post.

The View as you prepare to "step out of the
transport plane to "jump" into battle.
These were miniatures under plexiglass to convey what the
paratroopers saw as they were about to jump

Inside a mock-up of a C-41, with paratroopers, As you step out the back,
there is a miniature of the area beneath plexiglass coupled with the sounds
of the aircraft and the battle to give you a sense of what it might
have been like.  Very good exhibit

The paratroopers caught the Germans by surprise that night, aome landing
in the middle off the town square.

Landing craft used for the invasion and statues depicting the soldiers

The Navy Memorial at Utah beach dedicated in 2008

Normandy, Side Note

Calvados, Craft Beer, and French Wine

Michel Peron, the enthusiastic owner of Au Fin Goussier

Most people know about French wine.  The French have a couple of thousand years of experience growing grapes and making wine.  There are lots of areas in France that grow grapes for wine and many different regions.  In France, wines and brandies (which is distilled wine) are named after the regions and that they come from.  It is in this spirit (pun intended), that I write this blog installment, which does not encompass a day of the journey, but is rather a side entry about one of the many wonderful aspects of France.

As Joseph and I walked through the ancient streets of Bayeux, we happened across Au Fin Goussier, a wine shop owned and enthusiastically run by Michel Peron.  Here are links:

https://www.facebook.com/Au-Fin-Gousier-593030540744597/?ref=page_internal

http://www.aufingousier.fr/ 

  

If there was such a thing as a Ph.D. in aromas, Michel would absolutely have one.  He is so knowledgeable about each region and his selection of wines is vast.  We made his shop a regular stop during our short time in Bayeux.  He also had local craft beers, which was our initial attraction to his "Cave a Vin" or wine cellar.  We certainly sampled those, but we also took advantage of his offer to a wine tasting.  Michel has individual maps of each wine region and can show you where the grapes were grown and the differences between the wines from the different regions.  He gave us a restaurant recommendation, to a place that he supplies the wines to, and it was excellent.  We paired our meal with the wine we preferred in our tasting with Michel.  Incidentally, everything was reasonably priced also.  

Our other discovery was Calvados, the apple brandy made in Normandy; specifically the Calvados region, which is where the bulk of the fighting in the Battle of Normandy occurred. Many a GI discovered this brandy as well during their fighting across Normandy.  Needless to say,  they availed themselves whenever they found it in cellars and there were many instances of "happy" GIs amidst the campaign (I know, hard to believe, right?).

Don't let the term "Apple Brandy" throw you off.  It is not sweet but has a delightful bouquet of apple and is a strong brandy that varies in smoothness with age.  The older, the smoother (pricier).  You can get Calvados in the USA, many wine and liquor stores carry it.  Give it a try!  It really is unique and a nice change from other Brandies.   

Michel, showing the region where the wine we were tasting came from
He has dozens of these maps, all of them particular regions in Fran

    

 

Calvados, the apple brandy from the Calvados region of Normandy.  Craft, local beers (above) from various areas of Normandy.