The Lego Pilot @theofficiallegopilot-blog - Tumblr Blog

Sometimes the joy of being a professional aviator is shrouded by struggles of a professional aviator. The aviation industry is hyper volatile due to the enormous amount of variables. I was raised in a family where my parents were employed by an airline. I saw first hand the concessions and sacrifices that were made to ensure their jobs remained secure. As I came of age in the Post 9/11 era, and after flying in the military; I didn't really grasp the nature of these details until I decided to pursue an airline for employment. There will always be what I call “static”... This is where the reality to achieve our goals may seem more skewed to attain because of the actions of others. If you allow this static to interfere with moral compass and direction, you will only find yourself even further off course. Think of this like when you ID a navaid, do a RAIM check, or calibrate the IRUs before going polar. We all know where we start, but if we allow interference to affect our navigation we will never end up at our destination. Only leaving us lost in the journey.

Spring is just around the corner and here is a little reminder of how bi-polar the weather can be. This time of year can be mildly frustrating for passengers and crew alike due the unplanned ramp and taxi procedures as a result of extreme weather. My favorite part of the “Spring Wx” experience is that one day you're bundled up for cold cold temperatures doing a walk around. The next you're walking through the terminal and passengers are wondering why you need such a heavy leather jacket for the nice weather!

#airlinepilot #pilotlife #springwx

Each year professional pilots must see an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) to ensure they are mentally and physically fit to take on the job of transporting air travel passengers. When these physicals come due I always find myself stressing in the days leading to this event not knowing if I may have developed an undetected medical condition that disqualifies me. Regardless of how “tough” I make this job seem at times, it truly is a privilege fly. Unlike other careers or professions, I am obligated to call it quits at age 65. Each hour I fly, I cherish it knowing that one day I must un-pin the wings from my shirt and set them on the dresser one last time.

#pilotlife #airlinepilot #flying

A lot of time I take a little flak from the Flight Attendants about my style, and how they can point a pilot out like a sore thumb. What can I say? I just like airplanes! I also show up fashionably late because I always make the check-in at home a priority!

The Lego Pilot celebrates Black History month with a salute to the Tuskegee Airmen!

Meet Skip Woolenbuerger. Completely oblivious to sacrifices the younger generation of pilots have made, he was hired at MainLine in 1989 at age 21 with 400 hours as a “plumber” in the 727.

We all had 1 hour at one point in our aviation careers or hobby, and the more hours I seem to get the more I find myself back where it all started... The local uncontrolled airfield hanging out at the FBO. Stay tuned everyone, I have a pretty cool update coming soon! I’m gonna add a little variety to the Lego Pilot’s scripting, and I’m almost certain you'll love it.

For their contributions to their country, science, and humanity. I remember this like it was yesterday, and it was such a dramatic moment of my childhood.

Baggage Recount - Call it a coincidence or call it a conspiracy. Every time Brad runs the numbers for the standard and heavy checked bags to determine the correct takeoff weights and V-speeds, Bear contacts the flight deck to tell them they have to add 3 more bags to the final baggage count. Bear seems to think there is no better time to notify the flight deck of this change than after Brad has already called for pushback. You’d think some armchair Online MBA should have this process figured out by now, right?

Meet Diney! Diney is the most senior gate agent at MainLine Airlines and she’s seen almost everything the airline industry can throw at someone. Mergers, Deregulation, 9/11, Bankruptcies, Domicile closings… You name it, she’s lived it. Soft spoken and approachable, but if you come off the wrong way, ice water suddenly runs through her veins. She can turn a commute or first class upgrade in to “Snakes On A Plane”. Show up to her gate as a non-rev with your teenager still in pajamas, and your family vacation plans will require a reroute through Rapid City, SD on a 50 seat RJ, with an inop APU. Don’t think you’ll sneak to the top of the CASS list without listing beforehand either… Brad tried the mistake of offering her jellybeans to get priority on the jumpseat, and she was so offended next thing the jumpseat was mysteriously deferred and no one got to work that day. The only way to win her heart over is mutual respect and a sharp wit… Dressing your non-rev children appropriately helps too, of course.

Meet Bear! Bear is a 43 year old ramp employee with MainLine Airlines. He’s been working the ramp since he started 22 years ago. Bear works at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, and loves it. He will tell you there’s no place he'd rather be than in the elements, working the ramp. Bear and Brad first crossed paths while Brad was doing a walk-around inspection of the aircraft and Bear almost ran him over with the baggage tug. They were immediately at odds... Brad warm and toasty in the flight deck, Bear cold and wet on the ramp. However, as time progressed they found more commonalities with each other. Both Bear and Brad served in the Lego Corps, and both of them are football fans. Bear is a Gulf War infantry veteran, and Brad an Post-9/11 veteran. You'll always hear Bear heckling Brad about his soft experience in the Lego Corps as an “Air-Winger” when Brad parks his plane in the North Port at O’Hare. Outside of work, You’ll find Bear watching the Chicago Bears at Schwartzky’s Pub for away games, and sitting in the mid-level, end-zone seat for home games. He’s also the Offensive Line coach for his nephew’s football team, The Lego Tots.

Brad is the Official Lego Pilot and main character in most scenes. At 31 years of age, he is one of the younger First Officers at MainLine Airlines. With a little more than 2 years seniority, he holds a line that consists of weekend 4 day trips and pretty much every holiday possible, but it’s a line to say the least. Fresh out of the Lego Corps, Brad served in the military where the only thing he enjoyed more than flying was being a part of something greater than himself. Brad grew up in a family where his parents were also airline employees, and to no regard he didn't heed to their advice of joining another line of work. He’s still relatively new the airline thing, and it’s quite a bit different than a military lifestyle, so you'll see first hand the challenges and triumphs that he endeavors. In his brief time at MainLine he’s become acquainted with a few individuals, and even has a bit a of an arch-nemesis whom you'll meet later. If anything, Brad has learned to take things one day at a time, and not to take anything personal. This is a look at the real life of an airline pilot...

Hello everyone! I would like to officially introduce you to the Lego Pilot and Lego Flight Attendant crew. Follow along on the journey of what life is like in the skies. The Lego Pilot and Lego Flight attendant were created by an airline pilot and flight attendant to provide a real life perspective of travel, triumph and glamour in the modern airline. Throughout this story each one of these characters impacts the day to day operation of a major airline. The fasten seat belt sign is on, so make sure your seat backs and try tables are in their upright and locked position as you see life as it happens is the skies above.

Here’s a capture of Miss Amelia Earhart from 9news! Enjoy. -TLP

I feel a need, a need for speed!

Delay Dusting (noun) - When a crew actively tries to push on time, but end up leaving the gate 1 min late because of a station delay. However, the gate agent inappropriately puts the delay on the crew.

Usage- “Man, that gate agent delay dusted us.”

Oh the joys of fuel and weather. Enjoy this week's Lego Pilot scenario "Weight Resctricted".

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