LGA-ATL-Germany and Back (now with pics!)
Just an abbreviated trip report, and i'm not really good at these. I usually don't talk about my job here, but I thought I'd make an exception and keep private what needs to be kept private.
As a dispatcher, I am required to take a familiarization flight once a year that is at least 5 hours long and goes to a station that we operate to frequently. More importantly, I need to ride in the cockpit jumpseat for the flight to observe, monitor and learn. My company sent me to Germany via Atlanta, where as many know, we operate through on many military charter flights.
I flew down to ATL the other morning and it was my first time on a 757 with winglets, and I enjoyed it. Our taxi to depart at LGA took about an hour, and one of my two criticisms was that the pilots didn't give us any updates the entire time until we were finally #3 in line to depart.
My other criticism is automated announcement system at the gates. Instead of a gate agent getting on to say "Now boarding for flight..." it is an automated voice. I just felt it very impersonal and too similar to riding a subway....and therefore more cattle-car-ish versus enjoying the flying experience. Feeling that I am just getting bussed to Atlanta takes some of the fun out of it because I want the airline to be just as passionate about it as I am.
On my actual company flight, I rode overnight out of ATL on a ferry....just me and some pilots. It had been 4 years since I last rode up front on my airline's planes, and it felt like the first time all over again. Having learned a lot about aviation and becoming a dispatcher since I last flew it also of course allowed me to understand so much more of what goes on in the cockpit.
The stars are so bright from up there, and we were able to spot an ISS pass from 39,000ft, which was incredible. We also flew right over NY which was nice to see from so high above at night.
We landed in Germany and went to the hotel to rest.
Back to the airport, we prepped for a live flight home to ATL, bringing home over 200 soldiers that came out of Afghanistan. Being a part of this is an amazing experience and I'm so proud of it. To be on a plane helping so many brave men and women come home to their families safely is the most satisfying aspect of my aviation career.
People in ATL greeted the troops and it brings tears to the eyes. Even other airline employees join in the welcoming.
I flew Delta home as well and was very impressed with the professionalism of the crew. They were so eager to help and serve and truly passed along a friendly vibe.
Being a dispatcher is a lot of fun, and I'd like to recommend it to people who want to be very involved in a challenging aspect of the airline world without the demands of becoming a pilot. It has a great many benefits, and if anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out to me here or in private.
Now, I'm going to try to fend off some jet lag. Maybe I'll post some pics later...
