Amsterdam Day 14 - Observations Part Deux

· The Dutch work at there own speed. Get used to it. Even the fast-food isn’t fast.
· If you are not used to roundabouts practice at home.
· Don’t be freaked out when you look at a ship on a canal and realize that he’s higher in sea level than you are.
· There is a lot of graffiti.
· Toilets in restaurants may be smaller than your linen closet.
· Bring your own bags to grocery stores.
· You are going to walk a lot. Bring good shoes.
· You have to ask for your check at a restaurant. They won’t bring it to you unless you ask.
· Look both ways. Twice.
· If you don’t like the smell of smoke don’t bother showing up.
· For as neat and tidy the Dutch are there is a lot of trash and pollution in the canals and ditches.
· Appreciate the fact that there is no Bud Light or Miller Lite on tap. Anywhere.
· Stroopwaffles deserve to have their own food group.
· Go ahead and laugh at a Smart Car, then look at the price at the pump.
· Americans typically stick out like sore thumbs – they dress bad, whine a lot, and generally they are the most overweight. The British run a close second.
· Take note of cultural differences, and don’t assume that yours are the best. There are rhymes and reasons for things and a couple minutes of observation will speak volumes and quite possibly change your opinions.
· Did I mention that Heineken is good? I probably did.

Amsterdam Day 12 - The Color Orange

I don't like soccer. I don't get it. Hell, even as a kid I played it. I just don't get it is all.

That's completely different here in the Netherlands. People are crazy about it. Good for them. I wish that we the same passion for a national sport in the states.

The color orange is everywhere, apartment awnings, those annoying little window flags that people stick to their cars with suction cups. Hell, I even saw 4 leggy Russian women in downtown tonight with Orange go-go boots. (The fact that the Netherlands plays Russia tonightmakes that even more curious).

It's a matter of pride here and I think that it's cool.

I still don't get the sport though.

Amsterdam Day 9 - Observations

• Bike helmets are for wimps. I've seen Dutch women with kids hanging off the front and back of their bikes, talking on cell phones through downtown Amsterdam. Cars and pedestrians on either side, not caring a bit.
• The Dutch love soccer, hell, most of the world does. As an American hockey fan I believe that every soccer player who dives needs to be beaten and be forced to watch Robbie Earl highlights.
• You can actually burn rubber up a hill in an Opel Corsa when so inclined.
• There isn't pick-up-dog-poop law. Watch your step. Really.
• Tourists are annoying. (and not just the American ones)
• Walking on a path that follows a canal is probably some of the best therapy that one can enjoy.
• Don't expect a menu in English - just go for it.
• "Beer" is Heineken unless otherwise specified.

If I think of anything else I'll let you know.

Amsterdam day 6 - Fathers Day

I missed my kids today. I missed my wife as well.

I went to a castle about 20km away and walkd around there. It was ok. there were a lot of families there with a lot of kids and while it was semi-humerous watching Dutch moms loose their collective cool, it was something I wish that I could've shared with my kids. Oh well, that's life i guess.

I don't know if I'm cut out for a life on the road. We'd have to see.

Amsterdam Day 4 - How in the hell do you drive here?

Yikes!

I know, hike up the skirt and suck it up. Good for you.

I can't say that I enjoy driving here in Amstelveen. Obviously the cyclists and pedestrians have the right-of-way, but damnit - have some sort of sembelence of order when it comes to the sequence of stop lights. Especially to an ubernoob like myself who drives a manual transmission once every decade.

I just have to suck it up and get out there. I'll survive.

Anyhow, I'm out of the Dorint now, and at the Htel here in Amstelveen. It's kind of like an extended stay in the states (look it up on http://www.htel.nl/). It beats the hotel plus I get a kitchen. So I went to a little supermarket down the road and picked up some necessities (you know - Heineken) and other stuff, cooked myself a nice meal, and am just relaxing and unwinding.

Tonight would have been an interesting evening to be down in the city. The Netherlands plays tonight in the Euro 2008 soccer tournament and it seems like the whole contry is shut down. I was briefly entertaining the idea of going into the city to join the masses but I really don't want to be the stupid American walking around Dam Square in the event that they lose. I have this thing about international incidents and making the news. I'm funny that way.

Anyhow, you could tell at the market that people were in a rush to get home, hell, almost all of the Heineken was gone. The staff at the office was pretty thin as I think most everyone who has an interest in soccer/football found a reason to tap the keg early. (Of course this is from a guy who lives and breathes hockey at all levels and ages so I'll shut up).

Since everyone is either in a bar, downtown, or in front of their TV's I might take this opportunity to drive around and practice. God knows I need it.

Day 1: Chasing an Icelandic Sunrise

From 5F in Saga class of a Icelandair 757 the North Atlantic looks pretty nice. Onboard it’s relatively quiet; it should be now that it’s 12:24am local MSP time. I’ve had my 2 hours of white wine aided sleep and as I look around it appears that I’m not the only one who has enjoyed the Icelandair hospitality.

Today started as most workdays do; up around 6ish, at work around 7:30ish, reviewing the weekend work for the fleet. Restlessness hit me earlier than normal, my desk cleaner than normal. Anxious. Pensive. Focused miles ahead. A mission to embark upon. C’mon let’s get this show started already.

I’ve been looking towards this trip for weeks now. Some reasons more obvious than others (as time moves forward I may or may not reveal more about that) I’ve been looking forward to this trip and as the days have flown and minutes dragged I’ve wanted to step forward into this journey.

I left work a little early, finalized my packing and after the bus dropped Stanley off we loaded up the car and headed to the airport. With tears in his eyes Stanley gave me his Father’s Day card. Grant gave me his with no tears as he wanted to use Dylan’s Slip-and-Slide more than he wanted to ride to the airport. Stanley and I sat on the living room steps and cried a little bit. So did Brenda.

So I got to the HHH Terminal 3 hours before departure as prescribed by Icelandair, checking in with the Sun Country staff. Behind me was a large group of high school kids, bandmates ready to head to Europe. I knew that I had to get in front of them. So I check my bags and take my seat assignment: 22E.

My internal seatmap tells me I’m in the middle seat back in steerage. Ah shit. I kindly ask if there is anything left on an aisle or window and the guy behind the counter lets me down easily saying that it’s a full flight. Hey, no biggie, I can deal with anything for 5 hours right?

So up the escalator I go, rearranging my carry-on before I head through security. I hear my named being called from behind me and there is the counter agent telling me that he thought that I was part of the band party. Oops, his mistake, his manager tells him to get me another seat and sure enough in his hand is another boarding pass for seat 7C. Emergency exit row on the aisle. Oh yeah. Things are looking up.

After a couple of beers and some wings at Fletchers I head over to the gate. The genral boarding/cattle call comes so with the others I shuffle down the jetway to the aircraft. When I get close to the entry door I notice that my particular seat is right at the main entrance aisle, and that people would have to turn around my knees if I took my seat. I tell the lead flight attendant that I’d stand to the side to make sure that the boarding process would go off without a hitch as we were already going to be running late. I also She see’s that I’m a non-rev and asks me if I want to sit in Saga Class…..well sure….why not! Let’s see – middle seat surrounded by a bunch of high schoolers? Or 1st class? Duh!!!!

Needless to say I enjoyed my time sitting in front. Wide seats. real silver. Actual glass. Something you don’t’ get too much of anymore. The only downer was the fact that when we landed in Iceland I had a head-cold.

Serves me right.

BTW, if you have the chance to fly Icelandair please do so! I’m not saying this because I got to sit in first class. (In fact I sat in the last row on the way to Amsterdam from Iceland). Fly them because the service is first rate and friendly.

Next entry: Stan learns how to drive a manual transmission in Amsterdam

17 days in Amsterdam

Monday night I hop on an Icelandair 757 to Amsterdam for a work trip that will last for 17 days. My co-worker Mark has been there being the technical rep for 2 of our aircraft since the end of April so he needs to get back stateside to unwind and bleed some Dutch out of his system.

Needless to say I'm a little bit anxious about the deal. I haven't been away from my wife and kids for such a long period of time bit all things considered it's not too bad. It's not like I'm humping a rucksack up a hill in Afganistan or anything, but still, time away is time away.

I'm overpacked and waiting to take another step out of a comfort zone. On the flip side I'm going to drink my fill of opportunity and see where this path decides to take me. As I wrote in previous entry, this industry is suddenly in unchartered waters. When I last wrote a barrel of crude was going for $110/barrel.

When I left work yesterday it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $139/barrel.

In the middle of April we were just getting set to send the rest of the leased aircraft back home and send ours. That went fine. It was stressful but we got it done. Then from out of the blue they wanted us to bring on an ex-Aloha airlines -700 on line as soon as frickin' possible. We gangbanged that aircraft and had it on the certificate in a hair under 3 weeks.

On the first day of revenue service for that airplane I took a 10% pay cut.

Am I bitter? A little.
Am I defeated? Not even close.

So what does this all mean as I head to Amsterdam? I guess I'm not sure. I'll do the job and take the days and nights as they come. I may even stop and smell the tuplips.

If anyone has any hints of what to do in Amstelveen please let me know.

Tough Sledding

• Aloha
• ATA
• Skybus
• Frontier
• Champion (goes out of business May 31st)
• Delta/Northwest merging
• Southwest paying $10 Million in FAA fines (BTW I know one of the whistleblowers)
• American and Delta with hundreds of cancelled flights
• Oil at $110+/barrel

Did I miss anything? Who wants to work in aviation with me?

Do You Believe in Miracles?

28 Years ago today......

Me?....A goalie dad?

The other week we would up having a scrimmage with our advanced team and Stanley wound up being beween the pipes. He did a wonderful job and I'm extremely proud of him. We've been rotating the boys in and out of the equipment different weekends so he'll be up for it again soon.

Tonight I got a phone call from our level coordinator and the first words out of his mouth were "So I hear you got yourself a goalie there!" Needless to say I was a bit shocked but I guess that the head coach from the advanced team was pretty high on his performance. The kid loves playing goal, but he also loves skating out and scoring goals as well. He's told my his career path - Rosemount - Gophers - and then the Wild (he's also going to have the first 2-position contract in the NHL).

He's only a Mite so there is obviously a lot of time. It's not like I'm going to be putting him in goalie camps all summer long or anything, but I wonder if I'm up for sitting in the stands all by myself when the forthcoming seasons come by.

Any other goalie dads out there with some advice?

Going to Open Ice

Our Rosemount Mites started the season in early November and I took the opportunity to become head coach of my son's team. I've never been a head coach for any sport before so it's a little different in having to develop practice plans, working with our Team Manager (i.e. God-send) and keeping all of the players and parents happy.

We haven't played any scrimmages as of yet and the kids are all nibbling at the bit to play someone else. It's a good group of kids, well motivated, and well mannered. Hell, I have yet to break up a major fight (but it's still early in the season). Along with chasing the kids on the ice I've also signed up to play in a men's league in Eagan and we play Thursday and Sundays nights (either/or) so that's been fun as well. We're the Rosemount Hockey Dad's which tells you of our vintage. In other words we may not be as fast anymore but we've got all that wily knowledge under the helmets.

This morning was particularly rough on me. My son's team practiced outdoors from 6 - 7pm, we came home and watched Marion Gaborik hang 5 goals on the NY Rangers, and then from 10:15 - 11:15pm I had my men's league game (which we won BTW). I managed to tweak my left arm and left knee but it wasn't anything that a cold beer couldn't help fix when I got home.

As you can tell, I love hockey. My wife jokes (well, half-jokes) that she's becoming a hockey widow. Maybe she's right. Maybe I'm addicted to it, but I'd much rather do this than sit on my ass all night long in front of the TV watching bad network re-runs.

I know for a fact that I'm a better coach than I am a player. Hell, I think my son is a better player now than I ever was growing up. I'm glad that I can share that with him. I'll keep you updated on how each of our perspective seasons are going.

Before I go I want to comment on something: Kyle Okposo left the Gophers this week for the New York Islanders. Nice job bailing on your TEAM in the middle of the season. If he had wanted to leave before the year fine. If he wanted to leave after the season, fine. Right in the middle? Quitter.

Oh sure, he's getting a lot of $$$....it's not about that, it's about finishing something; about being a team player. I've told my son that if he sign's up to participate in something you better finish it to the best of your ability. Too bad Kyle, you were a hell of a Gopher. Now you're a hell of a goat.

BIG airplane

Airbus decided to drop one of their new A380 aircraft into MSP today and a couple of co-workers and I decided to go over and take a look. It actually arrived last night and then took off this morning at about 10:00am to fly VIP's around. It landed here sometime around noon, so a couple of us went out to geek at it. Here are a couple of pics. (For a sales trip I was surprised how dirty parts of the exterior were).

Departing Prague

It’s quiet now.

About 45 minutes out of Iceland, cruising westbound in a nearly empty Boeing 737-800 you discover some solace over the cold North Atlantic. I catch my breath.

It’s been a long week since I left home for Amsterdam and then onto Prague. A lot of time sitting on my ass waiting for people to do their jobs so that I can do mine. It’s one thing feeling helpless, but it’s another thing to feel helpless in a country formerly ruled by Communism. Now I know that the Berlin Wall fell way back in the day but some things are hard to shake. My time in Prague proved that to me.

Now we were suppose to be out of Prague 2 days ago, so in total it was about 4 days of sitting at the airport and hotel being frustrated. On our off time we stuck close to the hotel, staying close, visiting a couple of local watering holes. When the temperature is right around freezing, the wind is blowing and the snow is pelting one tends to stay close to warmth.

Because we were so delayed in leaving Prague our colleagues from the Netherlands took us out to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant in the old city. The underground in Prague is clean and efficient, and we were transported quickly to the old square where we were able to take in some of the sights of this historic city. In America we don’t have this sort of antiquity. Sure we may have Boston, Philadelphia and the other towns of our founders, but nothing like this. It’s hardly an apple to apples comparison when you are crossing a bridge built in the 1500’s and back home they talk about tearing down sports arenas less than 20 years old because they are “obsolete”.

But I digress.

So downstairs to the Italian restaurant we went; vibrant, busy, typical European. And it was wonderful. The food and wine were first rate, the company engaging and light hearted, and it helped take a little of the bad taste out of my mouth of the entire experience.

We arrived at the airport this morning apprehensive, but when they told us that CSA was doing pressurization checks on the aircraft I had a pretty good feeling that we’d be departing on schedule. I can’t say that leaving Prague was the saddest chapter in my life. Maybe I’ll come back again someday, who knows; that’s how strange this industry is.

So here we sit, 4 of us in back of an airplane configured to carry 174. The 2 pilots up front are hitting our waypoints as the CFM56-7B engines propel us westward against the fading sunset. Not many people get to do this, but then again, I don’t know too many people who’d really want to.

Soon I will be home again. Until the next time.

So why do we do this? Why do we bring ourselves miles and cultures away? Maybe working for an airline requires you to be wired differently. Maybe it’s a badge of honor to wear to tell others that you’ve persevered and done the duty. I think that in aviation you are always striving to prove that you can do things other people in other industries wouldn’t think of doing. I’m sure our fathers and their fathers were the same way. Explorers, adventurers, people who would do the job no matter how hard it was and how much sacrifice it takes. I see aviation like that. We’re not teachers, lawyers, captains of industry. We’re the ones who get the planes to the gate on time, invisible roadies making sure that the aircraft are safe for Jenny and Billy to take that first plane ride to see Mickey Mouse. Glamour in aviation went out the window back in the 60’s.
So why do we do it?

I don’t exactly know? Let me ask you this question…why do you do what you do?

All work and no play.....

OK....so I'm here in Prague.

The people are Eastern-Bloc Friendly, the food is marginal....oh what the hell, working here as a westerner sucks. Your first clue that you are not in Kansas anymore is the fact that 12 foot concrete fences topped by razor wire surround the facility, and that you spend about 10 minutes each morning going through security. (Hell the first morning I got frisked but didn't ask Comrade Ivan whether or not he was going to buy me dinner).

The Facility at CSA is right out of a Post-Communism handbook. Drab is in every imaginable shade, lights are optional, and closed doors are a must. If someone smiles down the hallway you expect an alarm to sound.

I guess my spirits aren't helped by the fact that the airplane is many days late now.....add to the fact that it's right around freezing, and we haven't seen the sun in a few days.

Our Dutch colleagues are taking us into the city tonight for dinner so we'll see if that brightens our moods any. I'm hoping that will be the case.

Greetings from Amsterdam

My co-workers and I boarded NWA flight 56 from MSP - AMS and arrived yesterday at about 12:30 local time. Because of some circumstances out of our countrol Neal had to fly straight on to Prague and Allan and I are here in Amsterdam to sort out some paperwork and then to Prague.

It was a quiet night for us in Amsterdam. The typical November Dutch weather was up to it's normal self. Intermittent rain with high gusts of wind. Neither Allan and I wanted to fight the crappy weather and walk through the city so we stuck around Schiphol. Oh well, beats a stick in the eye. Oh, the Heineken was sublime as well.

I've never been to Prague before and I've heard that it's a beautiful city. I can't wait to see it. I just hope that we're able to actually get away from the airport and see some tourist stuff.

Happy 4th Birthday Grant!

I can't believe that our "little" boy is now 4. It seems like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital and now look him. Time flies.....time flies......

Start of the Grind

Part of my loves traveling on business, and part of me hates it. This morning the hate side is winning. I've been preparing myself for the path that starts this fall and finally ends sometime in June.

It's one trip to Seattle, a couple trips to Amsterdam, before Christmas, and then Seattle 2 or 3 times in April and May. Add to this the forthcoming hockey season and well....you get the idea.

My mood may change again though - I think the overcast sky has a lot to do with it today. I don't expect anyone to feel sorry for me, I know a lot of people who travel a lot more than I do, I'm not as hardened as they are I guess.

Last night when I was saying goodnight to my oldest he started crying because I was leaving. I hate that crap. It'll soften up anyone. Oh well, time to suck it up and get it done.

R.I.P Colin McRae 1968 - 2007

I just realized that he's just a few days older than me.....wow.



For those of you how don't know who Colin McRae is, he was a Rally driver from the British Isles. I got into Rally (specifically WRC) a few years ago once I figured out that NASCAR wasn't making it for me anywhere. Do a search on Google for WRC or visit this site for more about the sport if you are interested.

www.wrc.com
http://www.colinmcrae.com/

Life is Good

More often than not my job can sway between terror and tedium. But other times there are moments of pure joy that leave me feeling extremely gratified and thankful.

Yesterday was one of those days.

One of the many facets of my position at work is flying out here to Seattle to pick up airplanes. It doesn't happen often, so when it does, I take every opportunity to drink in the experience and make every monent count. We were supposed to take off from Boeing field at about 1:00pm yesterday but because of some issues beyond our control we didn't get into the air until close to 6:00pm.

Most of the traveling public doesn't get to see what I get to see in regards to air travel. Sure, I see the lines at check-in, at the shoe check at TSA, the packed flights, and the endless waiting for luggage at the carousel. I'm like the rest of you. And I absolutely hate it as well. Air travel is no longer the adventure it used to be, in fact, it's possibly the most excrutiating experience one can go through and have to pay for it (unless you like going to the dentist but I digress).

One of my job responsibilities is to go on customer test flights, and check aircraft out to make sure that they are up to snuff. It means flying in brand new aircraft before they enter revenue service. In other words I get to nit-pick eveything. Maybe there is a scuff on a sidewall panel, or a reading light doesn't work. My job is to document all the problems and see that they are resolved before the aircraft leaves the delivery center.

Now mind you this isn't a typical flight. While the pailots are up front flying an agressive flight profile, myself and others are up and around the cabin, testing seats, inspecting carpet, lavatories, ovens, and windows. All the little air vents and reading lights, tray tables, and seat pouches are poked, prodded, and summarily looked at. All the while the pilots up front are banking, twisting, turning, and putting this piece of beautiful machinery throught the paces.

Seatbelts? Sure, maybe on take off or when we simulate a rejected take-off but other wise....nawwwww.

Not to many people get to experience this sort of thing, and when I have the chance to I think that I've got the best job on earth. During the latter part of the flight yesterday, we had all done our jobs, we had wrung out the systems, noted our discrepancies and we were headed back to the field. As I sat in seat 7F looking out the window I gazed out over purple mountain majesty as white cotton balls cast friendly shadows over sappy, prickly pine covered ridges. I looked into deep mountain lakes and could almost taste the clear blue water as they spilled out into waterfalls, falling seemingly into the eternity of a lush carpet of ferns.

Life and earth look different while you're steaming up the window that you lean against as you drift back to terra firma. As we deplaned, and walked away from the airplane a pink whispy, whimsical sunset cast a smile upon us as we walked back into the building. I thought about how lucky I was to do what I had just done. I looked around at the rest of our crew and wondered to myself if they realized how special it had been.

I'm a lucky guy.

Blue Angels 2007

Have I ever mentioned that I like airplanes?


I'm so proud - my first youtube post......