First Famous Passenger: Can You Guess Who?

Guess who!

I flew my first famous passenger yesterday!  From Aberdeen, SD (ABR) to Minneapolis (MSP).  Didn't I just post about wondering who the first passenger that I know will be? Ha! Well we are not mutual acquaintances, but I definitely know him! 

Here are some clues...

• Who was the leader of the Goonies?
• Who stole viewers hearts as an underdog walk on at Notre Dame?
• Who was Frodo's Fearless companion in LOTR trilogy?
• Who was one of the dads in Mom's Night Out? 
• Who is playing the manager of the RadioShack in upcoming Season 2 of Stranger Things?

Me & Sean Astin

The Answer... Sean Astin! Or maybe you know him as Mikey (Goonies), Rudy, or Samwise (LOTR).  The folks at the hotel gave us a heads up before we took the shuttle to the airport.  Once at the gate I was keeping my eyes peeled, half expecting to see a young Hobbit with a pipe in hand.  I spotted him not long after and snapped this pic with him after our safe arrival in MSP.

All that to say, now that I've flown a famous person... I'm still waiting to fly a mutual acquaintance!  Will it be you?

Where I've Flown As an Airline Pilot

I wanted to share with you a map of where I have flown so far in my airline career.  I'd like to do this every six months or so and see what a tangled mess it becomes.  It's a fun way to visualize what I do. For someone who never flew on a commercial jet as a passenger until my 20s, it's fun to see how commonplace it has become for me.  Just a few short months ago I felt nervous going through security and now I can make it from my front door to my gate in just 10 minutes!

My flight routes, first 6 months of airline career. (Created with LogTen Pro) 

Some quick stats about my experience so far:

• Flight time (Turbine): 243 hours
• Different airports: 45+
• Total takeoffs & landings (Pilot Flying): 89

These clouds look funny to me... like upside down. Right?

Overnights & Train Cars

This new job has propelled our family into a different lifestyle that we are all adjusting to--one that includes a lot of travel (obviously) which means nights away from home.  One way I'm showing my son that I'm thinking of him while I'm gone on trips is to pick up a new train car for his train set each month.  Target sells these train cars individually, so I try to find one within walking distance and pick up a new car.  I write the airport identifier on the base to remember where I got it from.  It's safe to say my son likes my idea.

Who will be the first passenger that I know?

I'm still waiting for a flight that I have a passenger that I know. Out of Minneapolis, Skywest mainly flies Delta connections.  Do you ever fly Delta?  Next time peek in the cockpit of your CRJ and see if I'm in there! I'd love to say hello.

This Big Guy Was Just Born! [Stats & More Pictures Included]

Percy James

Born August 6th, 2017

10 lbs 6 oz

21 inches long

 Our son, Percy James, has finally made his debut and we are so grateful!  The past weeks we've been both hoping he would come (while I've been home) and willing him to wait (while I was on reserve).  By God's plan, he came 9 days late while I was home.  He has a head full of dark hair and the Doctor said to expect a call from every B1G Ten school. ;)  When he started to come, he came fast and (obviously)...came big!

But as birth stories go, that is not mine to tell! We are home now as a family of four and our older son, Isaac, is both in love and terrified of his brother.  Thanks for sharing in our joy.