For Pilots Only: Feb 24, 2024

Why Do I Cook for James?

In general, no matter what type of pilot you are, eating can be problematic. Everyone has a different definition of "healthy." For the "why," let's simply state that it can be difficult to eat as you would at home when you have all the time and space to prepare dishes based on your specific dietary needs.

When you're "on the road," there are often either an unlimited amount or a very limited amount of choices. Pilots flying for fractionals are given meals to choose from, catered by the company. Some long-haul international or transcontinental domestic pilots also receive similar meals from their airline, but these meals are seldom customizable and are often filled with preservatives, salt, etc. They usually come with a dessert, which can be challenging to resist over and over again. This leads to consuming meals that may not align with what you would have had at home. And let's not even get started on airport food—finding a truly nutritious balanced meal that matches what you have at home AND doesn't break the bank is quite a challenge. While I love Chick-fil-A as much as the next person, having it 3-5 times per week is probably not the best recipe for success.

When James was hired by NetJets, we thought we’d hit the jackpot; it was where he was going to retire from. We usually focus our discussions on his professional experiences after being furloughed and Raven's birth; however, we haven't discussed its impact on his health before now. During his time at NetJets, James gained almost 50 pounds due to consuming large catered meals along with every accompanying dessert and sometimes untouched customer catering without much exercise because he spent most of his day sitting in FBOs and small cockpits.

However, when James got hired by Flight Check and was sent to OKC for training, followed by being placed into a corporate apartment with a full kitchen, he chose to take control and shed those pounds. We crafted a meal plan together while he found a 3-mile loop to walk daily. He realized quickly how important it was to continue this routine when he went on road trips—so our first meal plan was born!

After some trial and error in figuring out how best to transport everything needed during travel days—We settled upon purchasing the largest soft-side YETI available since It could fit 4 lunches + 4 dinners + snacks inside, setting him up for success throughout each week.

On Fridays, I plan my menu, on Saturdays, I shop for ingredients, and on Sundays, I cook. This routine can be adapted to any day of the week based on our (or your pilot’s) needs. I'd recommend creative packaging if needing to cook for more than five days straight.

I do my best to make life easy for James:

1 meal = 1 Tupperware container.

I also learned NOT to separate the veggies from the main dish…They always seemed to come back home uneaten. However, I eventually managed to start getting it into the same container, resulting in increased roughage intake! No more Metamucil!

I try to focus on meals that will hold up refrigerated for a week and avoid cooking anything delicate, or that might become soggy after several days as it would be unappetizing. Similarly, I look for meals that will taste equally good whether served cold or warm.

Sometimes, James does not have the time or ability to heat things up so my goal is to make sure they remain enticing regardless.

It’s not a perfect system. There have been plenty of duds which left him eating unappetizing food due to poor choices. But we continue to learn, new recipes are tried, and old stand buys are kept for those times when I don’t have the patience to scour the web.

And I’m always searching for a new spice or two!

Career Captain

When it comes to past mistakes, honesty has a golden halo.

From accidents and terminations to check-ride failures and, yes, even DUIs, today's recruiters can see past the 'skeletons in the closet.'

But such setbacks not only become insurmountable if mishandled, concealed.

Sometimes, even you're not aware of them.

To avoid any of this knowledge is your first line of defense.

This is why, before filling out the application for any job, you should run a background check on yourself.

Even if you've done one before or recently.

Different airlines have different standards. What are red flags for some are nothing for others.

I've witnessed individuals sidestep this phase, often to their detriment.

When undisclosed issues re-emerge, the repercussions can be a steep uphill climb. Unearth every potential stumbling block, for it arms you with power.

The key is knowing all the information there is to know about it. Because if you don't know it, they soon will. And they should hear about things from you.

Disclose your issues early and with unwavering honesty. Handle this disclosure with a delicate balance - neither understate nor exaggerate your past. It's a fine line; straddling it right can make all the difference. Then, it's time for some serious introspection. Prepare yourself to confront these critical questions:

‘Is this an ongoing problem our company should worry about?’

‘What led to this occurrence?

What lessons did it impart?

How has this shaped you for the better?’

Remember, most limitations are perceptions rather than concrete facts.

So, let's not undersell ourselves based on past follies.

Life unfolds in myriad ways and understanding how you wish to navigate your journey provides invaluable clarity.

When selling yourself for a new job never shy away from confronting your past.

Embrace it, learn from it, and march forward with newfound wisdom.

Success may not be immediate, but with persistence, it is inevitable.

As the world's first advertising specialist once put it:

"The first thing one must do to succeed in advertising is to have the reader's attention. That means to be interesting.

The next thing is to stick to the truth, which means rectifying whatever's wrong in the merchant's business.

If the truth isn't tellable, fix it so it is. That is about all there is to it.

-John E Powers (The World's First Advertising Specialist)

Fly safe

James

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