Columnists

2014-03-20

Cap’n Dillon’s Ecstatic Adventure!

More articles by »
Written by: Eric Auxier
Tags: , , , ,

 

Cap'n Dillon shows off his logbook alongside Cap'n Aux.

Cap’n Dillon shows off his logbook alongside Cap’n Aux.

Commercial flying is a brutal business. In the past 30 years, the career has been a roller coaster ride—mostly downhill. As a result, legions of burned-out pilots abound. Their tales of woe have been scaring off starry-eyed, upcoming pilots for some time now. No wonder the decades-late “looming pilot shortage” is now upon us. Nobody wants “40 years of severe turbulence” as a job description.

Sadly, these bruised and battered casualties of war have lost touch with the very reason they pursued this career in the first place: THE MAGIC OF FLIGHT. From the moment they could walk, they wanted to spread their wings and fly. And they did. They became one of the 0.03% who are licensed pilots.*

In short, they ACHIEVED THEIR DREAM.

And what dream worth pursuing is not rife with pitfalls, dangers and challenges? Otherwise, the world would be filled with cowboys, ballerinas and astronauts.

If you’re a burned out pilot, watch this video. It’s about a young man with Cerebral Palsy who finally achieves his lifelong dream: TO FLY. Will it make you cry? Perhaps. But through the tears, you will smile so much it hurts. And it will restore, not only your faith in humanity, but the magic of your first love.

And don’t ever again forget the magic of flight. As Louis C.K. puts it: “You’re sitting in a chair….IN THE SKY!”

In celebration of the MAGIC OF FLIGHT, and NATIONAL CEREBRAL PALSY MONTH, I bring you…

 “Cap’n Dillon’s Ecstatic Adventure!”

 

*According to U.S. statistics

 

Eric “Cap’n Aux” Auxier is an airline pilot by day, writer by night, and kid by choice. An A320 Captain for a major U.S. airline, he is also a freelance writer, novelist and blogger. His second novel, The Last Bush Pilots, captured the coveted Amazon TOP 100 Breakthrough Novels in 2013. Mr. Auxier makes his home in Phoenix, Arizona.



About the Author

Eric Auxier





 
 

 

Buying for Flying: An Investment in the Sky

"...My return on this investment is priceless."
by Erika Armstrong
1

 
 

7 Steps to Become a Pilot

"As strange as it seems, stepping into the thought process that you actually want to be a pilot, rather than having an abstract desire, is your first step."
by Erika Armstrong
1

 

 

The Cockpit Pucker Factor: Afraid of Fear

Dealing with an incident afterward in your mind is just as important as dealing with the original emergency. It’s learning how to not be afraid of fear.
by Erika Armstrong
1

 
 

Ghosts of Octobers Past

Columnist/Pilot Justin Schlechter shares a story of flight crew really earning their paychecks, as the the autumn nights over Alaska bring some challenges in their 747 at the end of a long Pacific hop.
by Justin Schlechter
0

 
 

Building Time in the African Bush

New commercial pilots face the challenge of acquiring the necessary experience they need to advance their flying careers. Ryan Gaddis took the road less traveled, moving to Namibia to build his flight hours by flying the bush.
by Ryan Gaddis
0

 




  • Sherman Kensinga

    Wonderful story, thank you. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but “Don’t forget the magic of flight” is the rallying cry that has allowed the airline industry to lower pilot pay below the fast-food industry. And it is not just pay, pilot schedules and lives are unpredictable and typically keep them from home 20+ unpredictable days per month. They are gone more on holidays and weekends when pilots are needed. They stay in some pretty dismal hotels. And all that travel, unpredictability, and low-income, deeply effects their personal lives and psyche. Sorry to be a downer, but I don’t want any young people to read this and make a choice most commercial pilots now regret.

    • capnaux

      Sherman,

      Point taken, sir. However, I disagree with you a tad. The rallying cry has been, “Save us, we’re broke!” Now that the industry is back to record profits, and the “looming pilot shortage” is finally looming, I believe simple supply/demand economics will begin to swing pilot pay back in the right direction.

      On my blog, I am somewhat a “cheerleader” for chasing the dream, but I’m also very vocal about telling them how it is in this brutal business. Indeed, my most popular post last year was entitled, “Top 10 Downers of an Airline Pilot Career.”

      http://capnaux.com/?p=42

      Thanks for your comment!

  • ewrcap

    Well Sherman, so much for the attitude of gratitude! Here you are, a healthy, physically capable person who has, of his own volition, chosen to be a pilot but so full of self pity because you are not earning the $200,000 a year you feel you deserve. Oh me, Oh my, I have to work weekends. Poor me, I have to stay in less than four star hotels! Yes, to hell with this beautiful story about a kid with Cerebral Palsy. We should all feel sorry for poor Sherman. His suffering far exceeds that of someone with Cerebral Palsy!