A Southern Hospitality Infusion

I experienced, as I have on previous trips to Texas, some of the greatest measures of customer service and hospitality that I've encountered. You'd be surprised how far these simple gestures will carry you in business, and in life.

• Smile, even when you don't feel like it. Every person I encountered in Texas from the concierge at my hotel to the police officer whom I encountered while strolling downtown Fort Worth, offered me a genuine smile.
• If someone takes an interest in your day, take an interest in theirs. Enough said.
• Treat everyone-absolutely everyone-with respect. I witnessed a man in a business suit stop and assist another man (the latter was dressed in tattered, worn-out clothing and saddled with numerous plastic bags) in his efforts to clear the Fort Worth sidewalks of littered cigarette butts.

Think about this next time you pick up the phone to answer a service call you don't really want to deal with, or the when your co-worker shows up at your office door to ask you the same question for the umpteenth time.

Folks, this isn't rocket science. It's common courtesy.

Will you join me in an effort to treat others how we want to be treated?

#Avgeek Abundance - Flight #10

Today's entry in the blog series is an interview with a lady #avgeek, Karina. Karina is known on twitter by her great sense of humor. Her twitter bio says it all: "Attn in the boarding area..the gate agents have left due to the HUGE amount of stupid questions." Already acquainted with Karina? Than maybe you will learn something new about her. Or, if you don't know her, please allow me to introduce her:

When did you first discover your passion for the aviation community?

I discovered my love for aviation at a young age. Call it crazy but I would love to take family and friends to the airport and I would always wait for the planes to take off. I was amazed by how quickly we could get to our destination by such a machine. I just was fascinated by the workings of how the aircraft were different in size and watching the pre-flight and just loved sitting there at the airport and hear planes take off.

Do you or have you had an aviation hero? Who?

I wouldn't say I have an aviation hero…no one specific, I mean Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart come to mind. But to me any heroes are those who are reaching the boundaries of air travel. Pushing towards new aircraft and new ways of travel.

In your opinion what makes you or someone an aviation geek (avgeek) or propeller head (prophead)?

I think anyone that can be called an avgeek, are those who could sit like me at an airport with their scanner and not be bored. Or go to their local airport and just get to meet pilots, hang around the hangar. I think also that those who stop and stare at an aircraft going overhead. It just comes into your blood, you just can’t get enough of seeing, hearing, and smelling the jet fuel of the airport and aircraft.

Why do you recommend that your friends and family become avgeeks or propheads?

I would say I've already kind of sucked them in…they are starting to use phrases like jet-way, atc delays, and my favorite, I’m training them the airport codes. They are also getting better at traveling and not so worked up about when flights are delayed amongst other things that happen.

What are the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry today, in your opinion?

In the airline business it has become too much of the fact that the passengers are always right and never wrong. I also believe that at times the media doesn’t get their facts straight and reports wrong things making our jobs even harder. Weather is something that the airlines will always being dealing with, what amazes me is passengers who live in for example; SFO, KNOW that ATC delays happen. It’s an everyday thing, but yet they yell and get angry at the gate agents. Too much of the public has made their schedules so tight that if they have a bump in their schedule they get all riled up. I think all airlines it doesn’t matter who you work for get blasted…but yet we don’t take the time to realize how MANY of these airlines are up in the sky and yet only when an accident happens is it spread across the entire web. I think that until several passengers or some of the media step into our shoes, they will never know how complex the airlines are. It’s not like we could make an aircraft appear out of no where to replace the broken one. Passengers need to have much more patience and the media needs to report the better things about the airlines. It was wonderful to see the coverage of 1549 that landed in the Hudson, it was just showing the public that we all train for emergencies and when they happen, it’s wonderful to know that we have trained professionals and staff that will step up to show that the airline hasn’t completely lost touch with passengers. But at times we do still need to have that human touch and make sure that the passengers will realize that we do care, and at times some of the decisions are completely out of our hand and are done by upper management that are NOT in touch with the front lines. I wish at times they were more in touch.

Take flight, share something about yourself that you don't think was covered in these questions...

I’m happiest when I am allowed the time to park over on Sunset and I have my scanner and listen to the aircraft land and take off. I also love flying to new places and old ones to see family and friends. I think it’s just incredible watching a 747 take off, and now the A380 taking off. I am completely amazed at how far we've come. I have the airlines in my blood and I can’t get it out. From watching the Red Bull Air Races (Kirby Chambliss is my man) to just being at the airport and experiencing families seeing an Armed Forces veteran coming home after being away from a year, to just helping passengers get to their destination. I’m blessed to be able to travel for free and just being around some absolutely crazy (we have to be a little insane to be in this business) friends. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

#Avgeek Abundance - Flight #9

Today's entry in the blog series is an interview with a lady #avgeek, Julie Vessigault. She self descries as liking airports, airshows, airplanes, flying, hangar flying, says she called the airport gypsy or hangar maiden and that she's "Chasing the Dream." Julie and I have been tweeting one another for many months, and I look forward to meeting her at an upcoming "fly in" tweetup in March! Already acquainted with Julie? Than maybe you'll learn a few new tidbits, or if you don't know her, allow me to introduce her:

When did you first discover your passion for the aviation community?
August 27, 2006, Let me start out with my earliest memories. When I was five years old, my dad's mission in life was to teach me everything he knew about airplanes. When I was six, I was taken from my parents and put in foster homes. The aviation "training" I had faded away.

Twenty-five years later, in the summer of 2006, I met someone who had just been hired by a regional airline and was about to leave for training. I was attracted to this guy, but while he was very aloof and I never heard from him again, something about working for the airlines appealed very much to me. I had lived out of a suitcase for three months and loved it, so a flight attendant's lifestyle seemed to be the ticket. Besides that, suddenly that preliminary aviation training I had 25 years before became fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday.

It's rather poignant to share, but before August 27, 2006 was over, I "knew" my calling in life was to be a flight attendant, and I began studying aviation safety religiously.

When several airlines didn't hire me for flight attendant jobs, I knew I couldn't depend on the airlines to get me airborne. I discovered General Aviation and airshows. The first show I volunteered at was Sun 'n Fun, and in 2007, the theme was "Living the Dream". Three words never before made such an impression on me, and it soon became obvious that aviation saved my life- gave me confidence and wiped out severe depression following my divorce. Two months after Sun 'n Fun, I found myself in the cockpit of my first general aviation plane. I was amazed how within reach the dream of flight was!

After four years of volunteering at Sun 'n Fun, last summer I also volunteered at Oshkosh Airventure plus 4 California airshows.

Do you or have you had an aviation hero? Who?
My first aviation heroes were Robin Fech, an ASA flight attendant who saved many lives in the crash of ASA529, and Captain Al Haynes of the crash of UA232.

As I discovered General Aviation, I adopted Corkey Fornof, Howie Keefe, Bill Brennand, Gus McLeod, Bob and Sharon Stebbins, John and Rose Dorsey, Duncan Miller, and so many others also as my heroes, their individual stories and roles inspire.

More recently, I have established a military aviation hero, known by us on twitter by his callsign, "Shotgun".

In your opinion what makes you or someone an aviation geek (avgeek) or propeller head (prophead)?

• It could best be summed up in one's travels: When I go some place new, I have to visit the airport. Most recently on a roadtrip to Las Vegas, I stopped at Tehachapi Airport, circled Mojave Airport, skirted Edwards AFB, stayed at a hotel overlooking McCarran Airport, visited and enjoyed a flight out of North Las Vegas Airport, and experienced a tour of the flightline at Nellis AFB. Also every AvGeek has a trip to SXM (St. Maarten) on their "bucket list"
• A celebration isn't complete without an element of aviation, the past two New Years Eves I rang in the new year at the baggage claim area of SMF and enjoyed "airliner fireworks"
• You collect model airplanes, airline memorabilia, and aviation-themed t-shirts. You also have a healthy library of aviation books and movies.
• You spot even the most obscure airplane depicted in a restaurant wall hanging. Identifying the elements of aviation and aerial videography in movies comes natural.
  

Why do you recommend that your friends and family become avgeeks or propheads?
Aviation saved my life and gave me dreams to live and chase like nothing else could.

What are the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry today, in your opinion?
The biggest challenge is probably the cost of being involved in aviation. But I have overcome that challenge "paying" for my experiences with time and passion.

Do you collect aviation memorabilia? Which airshows are your favorites?

#Avgeek Abundance - Flight #8

Today's entry in the blog series is an interview with Chase Larabee. He self descries an entrepreneur interested in tech, aviation, and entourage, in that order. Works in private aviation and the founder of @PilotAway. Already acquainted with Chase? Than maybe you'll learn a few new tidbits, or if you don't know him, allow me to introduce him:

When did you first discover your passion for the aviation community?

I guess I never really discovered my passion for aviation, I was completely raised into it. During my youngest years, my dad was bush flying up in Alaska, and I was shown videos of me sitting in the right seat, along with an image on an old Alaska Airlines 727. Growing up in the Seattle area between Boeing Field, Paine Field, and Renton my dad would always take me to those airports on the weekend. Whether it was to get a picture of me in front of the brand new 777, or to see 737 fuselages coming off the train in Renton, I was addicted. Later on I would begin flying with him all across the country and I knew I wanted to work in aviation as well.

Do you or have you had an aviation hero? Who?

For as long as I can remember, the Blue Angels have been coming to town every summer and watching those guys perform, along with the sights and sounds, every single pilot was my hero (although I really liked the 2 solos). About five years ago though, I attended the Arlington fly in and got to see Bob Hoover perform in his Aero Commander. That sure was a sight. To me, anyone who is going to roll a Commander with no engine power really gets my vote, so I bought his book and learned much more about that very impressive man.

In your opinion what makes you or someone an aviation geek (avgeek) or propeller head (prophead)?

I would honestly like to say that anyone who can appreciate the smell of 100LL stained clothing, or Jet A in the morning but I know I cant stop there. In my personal opinion, what makes someone an avgeek is something who completely lives the lifestyle. They work in aviation, either fly themselves or enjoy flying with friends, come home to a coffee table full of AIN, Flying, AviationWeek and many more great magazines, and then still has time for a little flight simulator here and there. I myself know that even after a long day of work, and travel I can simply never get enough of aviation because in all honestly I am just too damn passionate about it.

Why do you recommend that your friends and family become avgeeks or propheads?

I recommend that my friends and family become avgeeks, because it is too easy. Regardless if you have a favorite airplane, or even favorite airline, somewhere in there your head is turned toward the sky. It is a hobby that can be started with a few magazine subscriptions and plane spotting weekends, and once someone takes their first flying lesson there is no turning back.

What are the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry today, in your opinion?

Personally, I think that in today's day and age, our biggest threat is the financial downfall. Although it may seem like only a slump in private jet sales, people are flying less in their free time due to high fuel and maintenance costs, flying lesson costs rising, forcing people to re-think a career in flying, and lastly the entire general aviation industry struggling with new and used aircraft sales, hurting thousands of passionate avgeeks.

Take flight, share something about yourself that you don't think was covered in these questions...

I wanted to take a second to talk about social media and aviation. A few years ago, when first starting out on Twitter and Linkedin, I never thought I would see social media spread within aviation. I would like to say, I was completely wrong. Now more then ever, my twitter stream is filled up with aviation news and to me, it's like a professional playground of avgeek activity. There are days I get aviation companies who want to follow me on foursquare, and others I am following a company on Linkedin and Twitter, and it is not only impressive, but I am completely proud with how far social media has spread within our community, because even as early as last year some companies were just introducing themselves to social media.

What aviation companies are to following on aviation or are following you? Have you ever seen the Blue Angels at an air show?

#Avgeek Abundance - Flight #7

Today's entry in the blog series is an interview with JL Johnson. He self descries as a Business Analyst whose an info sponge. He enjoys documentaries, science, tech, travel, nature, airliners, photog and NPR. I've not yet had the privilege of meeting JL in person, but great enjoy our twitter conversations on all things aviation. Already acquainted with JL? Than maybe you'll learn a few new tidbits, or if you don't know him, allow me to introduce him:

When did you first discover your passion for the aviation community?
Ever since I can remember I've been interested in planes and aviation. I believe my first exposure to aviation was via stories told to me by my Grandfather, a retired USAF Colonel. There are however a few key events that stick out as catalysts for my earnest curiosity.

When I was a very young child my mother worked at the Deer Valley Airport in Northern Phoenix, AZ. Every now and then I would visit her and we would watch planes taxi about. In those days there was a distinct military presence on the field, I remember how the fighter jets would vibrate the windows of the building to the extent that I was sure they would come crashing down on us.

Just a week before my 10th birthday I flew as an unaccompanied minor from OKC to RIC. I distinctly remember the captain calling me to the flight deck twice, once before takeoff and again while in flight. Each time the captain briefly dismissed the co-pilot out and gave me his seat, perhaps just long enough for the co-pilot to visit the lavatory. On that trip I was awarded my wings, a memento I have to this day. That experience was awe-inspiring, something that I wish more airlines continued today.

My interest in aviation continued over the years but without a community or any mentors to fuel my interest it was just that, an interest. Looking back I view my interest more as a pilot light waiting for the fuel that only a community could deliver, something that could evolve my interest into a true passion.

One evening in the summer of 2009 I prematurely exited one of Kansas City International's economy parking blue buses. This single mishap was the catalyst for what ultimately became my passion for aviation. I had no idea where my car was so I leisurely strolled up and down each section looking for my car. I quickly noticed that every three or four minutes a plane would fly very close overhead on descent to land on a nearby runway. It occurred to me that with planes this close to a public area I could take some pretty great pictures. That evening I became what I later learned the aviation community refers to as a planespotter, or plane spotter if you aren't a fan of portmanteaus, as I am.

Shortly after my first true planespotting experience I found planespotter.org, and then @tailnumbers, a twitter account that tweeted (floods) of aviation information. From @tailnumber's re-tweets I found other aviation enthusiasts, and from them even more. I eventually stumbled upon the #avgeek hashtag, and suddenly had a community of like-minded individuals to feed off of. I've since unfollowed @tailnumbers due to the tweet floods but my circle of aviation gurus and enthusiasts continues to grow. Twitter I would say has been the single biggest contributor to the massive expansion of my aviation knowledge and like minded contacts.

Do you or have you had an aviation hero? Who?
I can't think of any single hero. The men and women who fly for our military and those who support the business crucial commercial and private aviation industries are my everyday heroes. If I had to choose a single individual it would likely be one of the fathers of US aviation: Howard Hughes, James McDonnell, Bill Boeing or Donald Douglas.

In your opinion what makes you or someone an aviation geek (avgeek) or propeller head (prophead)?
There are so many versions of avgeeks. You've got insiders, outsiders, spotters and pilots, historians, futurists, commentators, generalists and even artists. The number of subcategories is just mind boggling. That is perhaps one of the most interesting aspects about our unique community: While we are all interested in the same general topic there are so many different subcategories that one can delve into. Perhaps I'm being a bit too sentimental but I would venture to say that anyone can find a piece of aviation that interests them.

Why do you recommend that your friends and family become avgeeks or propheads?
I'm particularly interested in planespotting and recommend that everyone spend time at planespotting parks or areas where they can watch aircraft come and go. I recently visited a planespotting park in Houston where over the hours I witnessed over a dozen families stop by and watch the planes pass overhead. Taking children and young adults planespotting is an opportunity to inspire them, to get them interested in science, math, physics and technology. And, quite frankly it exposes them to one of the few growing industries with workers whose jobs aren't easily exported.

What are the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry today, in your opinion?
I believe the single greatest threat to the future of aviation as we know it is the volatility of fuel prices. The greatest threat to the planespotting community is the increasingly hostile stance that various law enforcement and security personnel take towards enthusiasts in possession of cameras. It is my hope that as the enthusiast community grows, industry leaders and insiders will understand that aviation enthusiasts are not a threat... If anything, we add to security as we are additional sets of eyes on and around the aerodome. Any enthusiast would certainly report anything suspicious or threatening to the industry and properties we so dearly love and admire.

Take flight, share something about yourself that you don't think was covered in these questions...
I think I've shared too much already :-)

Do you agree with JL that finding even just one aircraft that interests you makes you an avgeek? Or, is it a more vetted process to achieve avgeekdom? What challenges do you see facing the plane spotting community?

#Avgeek Abundance - Flight #6

Today's entry in the blog series is an interview with Kevin Epstein. He is an aviation geek that owns and maintains Aviation Photographic and has a long-time, genetic fascination with flying, aircraft and all things aviation. Already acquainted with Kevin? Than maybe you'll learn a few new tidbits, or if you don't know him, allow me to introduce him:

When did you first discover your passion for the aviation community?
I can't remember not being interested in flight / aviation. My earliest memories of being interested in flying were back in the day when my dad would take me to the end of the runway at Johannesburg International airport (back then it was called Jan Smuts Airport), which at the time had a waist-high chain link fence, and we'd watch planes taking off and climbing out directly overhead. I think I may have been 4 or 5 at the time.

Do you or have you had an aviation hero? Who?
Yes. Scully Levin. A south African pilot. (South African Air Force, South African Airways, Team Lead - Flying Lions aerobatic team, Team Lead - Gabriel Wings aerobatic team)

In your opinion what makes you or someone an aviation geek (avgeek) or propeller head (prophead)?
Aviation is in my family DNA. My Brother is a commercial pilot, I flew recreationaly, my uncle held a PPL, My dad got into sky diving and para gliding. I'm happiest somewhere above the earth looking down - open or closest cockpit, it doesn't matter! In my books anyone who hears a plane overhead and has the involuntary reaction of looking up to see what's passing overhead - that's an avgeek. Lastly, My pin-ups are planes, not naked woman.

Why do you recommend that your friends and family become avgeeks or propheads?
I don't! You're either wired this way or you're not - I am. Sure I'll take a buddy out to the end of RWY 24R at LAX. Because I'm an avgeek, I'll have already checked FlightAware to make sure a couple heavy's are coming in. Nothing will impress more than a B747, A340, or A380 coming in low and slow, and finishing off the landing with a nice white puff of smoke from the tires.

What are the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry today, in your opinion?
I'm not going into the details of each that I list below, just listing key issues the industry has to figure out. Let me know if this is what you're looking for.

1. Rate of innovation. It's expensive to difficult to build new and efficient aircraft - 787 is a testament to that.
2. airlines are going to have to figure out if running a larger fleet of smaller long range aircraft, or relatively fewer large long range aircraft makes more sense. (Boeing's 787 vs Airbus' A380 for example)
3. Airports have to figure out what airlines are doing in #3 so that they can adequately plan expansion where necessary.
4. Security! Clearly there's a long way to go to providing security that's effective, and efficient. I feel strongly that we can have both efficient and effective security, but we definitely don't have that today.
5. Making travelers "want" to fly again. Most of us do it out of necessity now, and often enough traveler will describe their travels as an ordeal, rather than a trip or adventure.

Take flight, share something about yourself that you don't think was covered in these questions...

I'm South African, living in Southern California. I got my MPL (Microlight Pilots License) in Johannesburg, rated for trikes, bushbaby's (that's me in the cockpit) and xair's. My Disney Land (happiest place on earth) was Petit Airfield near Putfontein a couple miles East of Johannesburg International Airport (FAJS/JNB) until I had to quit flying due the ever increasing costs. Now whenever the time permits you'll find me somewhere in the vicinity of LAX, LGB, SNA, TOA watching and photographing planes arriving at, and departing from those airports. Some of the photos I take will end up on my site http://www.aviationphotographic.com/ which is a web site where fellow enthusiasts can register and upload and share their photos.The most exciting aviation related thing I have done on the ground was getting to go to the South African Airways maintenance hangar as a kid and watching them crank up a jet engine on the workshop test bed.

Do you agree with Kevin's analysis of the challenges facing the aviation community? Are you convinced that avgeekiness is something you're either born with or not?

Would you like to participate in this #avgeek series? Tweet me at @airport_girl for more information.

#Avgeek Abundance - Flight #5

Next up in the series is Mike Morgan. I was acquainted with Mike just over a week ago when he came to visit MDT for an airport review to appear in his blog. He self describes as an avgeek and entrepreneur who loves planes and @Taco_Bueno more than one should. He loves Concorde and B747-400 (and -8i). And, he writes an avgeek blog. Already acquainted with Mike? Than maybe you'll learn a few new tidbits, or if you don't know him, allow me to introduce him:

When did you first discover your passion for the aviation community?
In 2007 I moved to Orlando, Florida. I was attending Full Sail University for a BS in film. My apartment was half a mile away from ORL and in the landing pattern for MCO. (It's probably not important to note here, but I also lived in the landing pattern for GRR (Grand Rapids, MI) back in 2004-2005.) On sunny days when I needed to get away from the film world, I would walk up the street to stand just beyond the threshold of runway 7. I would listen to LiveATC and watch planes come and go. As time moved on my obsession became stronger. I moved to Elizabeth, NJ, so that I could work in the film industry in New York City. But my house was just five short miles from EWR. While there, I found a thriving community of #avgeeks on twitter. I also flew over 80,000 miles in 2010. I managed to get to meet @juliewillfly and created friendships with many others online.

Do you or have you had an aviation hero? Who?
To say I have one aviation hero might be a lie. I greatly respect anyone who works in the aviation world. I don't just mean pilots and flight attendants, I mean workers at Spirit Aerosystems, Bag Handlers at Southwest, Metorologists working for Delta, honestly anyone who works in the airline world. But if I had to pick just one. William E. Boeing. He starting the Boeing Corporation 67 years and 1 day before my birth. Of course, then it was known as Pacific Aero Products. I respect him for having a very large dream, and making it come true.

In your opinion what makes you or someone an aviation geek (avgeek) or propeller head (prophead)?
My wife would tell you that I love and value planes more than her. When we're driving down the road and a planes flies overhead I stop talking and just watch. Once the plane is out of view, I pick up where I left off. I've made special trips to Boeing's Headquarters, the Evert factory, and the Boeing office here in Oklahoma City, just to check in on Foursquare. I would die without planes. I think that's the kind of spirit that makes one an avgeek.

Why do you recommend that your friends and family become avgeeks or propheads?
I don't. I've tried long and hard to convince my friends and family that airplanes are the most amazing thing in the world. But if you don't have an inert love for flight, I don't know that you can get it. My Granny is an avgeek because she is amazed every time she sees a plane take off.

What are the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry today, in your opinion?
I firmly believe that the biggest challenge that the aviation industry faces right now is the lack of "love of flight". General Aviation is being hurt by a loss of expendable income and people blow off private ownership. The airlines are treating commercial flight like a bus service, and caring less and less about customers and more about CEO bonuses. Until airlines and the common person fall in love with flying again, the aviation industry will continue to hurt.

Take flight, share something about yourself that you don't think was covered in these questions...
With a mix of my love for aviation and my entrepreneurial spirit, my hope and dream is to start an airline. This is a dream I've had since early 2004. I want to create an airline that loves flying and loves making the travel experience a great one!

What should Mike name his future airline? Are you a fan of general aviation, what do you think can be done to perserve private aircraft ownership?