End of an Aviation Era
End of an Aviation Era
It’s the end of an aviation era!
As the sun sets on a 27-year period in my personal aviation story, I can’t help but reflect on times gone by.
This airline business is notoriously fickle (think, 9/11 and Covid, for starters), which makes any semblance of stability all the more amazing.
To think that I have flown the same type airliner (the Airbus A321-family, consisting of—for my company’s fleet—the A319, 320, and 321) for over a quarter century, and from the same base (PHX), is simply mind-boggling.
The name on the door of my airline has changed three times.
And, yet, Fifi and I are still here, together.
For now…
End of an Aviation Era—All Good Things...
Yet, as they say, All good things must finally touch down.
Today marks the 31st anniversary with my Company. Yep, on November 11th (the day I starting to write this blog post), back in 1990, I walked into my “new hire” class, along with about 20 other fellow pilots.
Some have since passed away.
Some have retired.
Some have gone on to fly at other airlines (see my recent post, An Airline Pilot Retires), and some still fly with me here—though a few have chosen to move on to other planes, and/or other bases with our company.
But, back to my point. A quarter century of flying the same plane for the same company (more or less) in the same base is nearly unheard of. Why? Because, the very nature of this airline biz is change, and in any economic downturn, the airline industry (as we have once again witnessed with Covid) is one of the first to be decimated.
Even so, here I stand.
Or, rather, fly…
End of an Aviation Era—Moving On
I could have stayed here, with Fifi, and crossed the finish line at age 65 with her. But, my mantra—and ours here at Adventures of Cap’n Aux—is just that:
Adventure!
The finish line will find me soon enough. Time to trade my AUS (Austin) and IND (Indianapolis) overnights (my last flights on the Airbus, beginning tomorrow) for the likes of PEK (Beijing), TXL (Berlin) and BUE (Buenos Aires)!
My training on the 777 starts next week, and I can honestly tell you that I’m pretty much up to speed on all the systems, procedures and flight manuals that I can study!
For now, however, let’s look back and reminisce a tad…
True Tales from 30,000 feet!
Don’t miss Cap’n Aux’s 4-volume series,
There I Wuz! Adventures From 3 Decades in the Sky!
(Volumes can be read in any order.)
Check out our FREE preview, below!
End of an Aviation Era—Cap'n Aux's Career with Fifi
My adventure on Fifi the Wonder Bus began in 1994, when I was recalled back from furlough (i.e., laid off with recall rights). I was assigned to the Airbus, which I was hoping for (as opposed to, say, the Boeing 737.)
The “new whiz kid in the sky” that was the Airbus appealed to the technophile in me, and I took to it like a fish to wa—no, like a bird to the sky!
At the end of 1999, after nine years at my company, and five years in the right seat as an Airbus FO (First Officer), I was finally able to upgrade to Captain.
In early 2000, I was checked out in the Left Seat.
Then, 1 year later, 9/11 hit!
Mass carnage in the airline industry.
Many of my fellow pilots were either furloughed, or downgraded from Captain to FO again.
I escaped the downgrade by the skin of my teeth, and retained the Captain position.
From that time forward, things were relatively stable for me. By then I had enough seniority (over 10 years) to survive most volitility—even through two mergers with two different airlines, and the mass seniority carnage and insanity that mergers always produce.
And, now, 31 years after my “new hire class”, here we are!
Side note: a HUGE THANK YOU to the EXCELLENT First Officers that I’ve flown with on the Bus these past couple decades. Due to chance and circumstance (again, 9/11 & our mergers), many were stuck in the Right Seat abnormally long, and unable to upgrade to Captain until very recently. This has given me the extra bonus of being able to fly with extremely experienced FOs!
By the way, in 2012, I began this blog, Adventures of Cap’n Aux, to document some of the adventures that my career—and others—entailed. Check out my pic, below, with Andy, one of our fellow “Cap’n Aux” Blog Buddies—who also happens to be the FO I flew with this week!
End of an Aviation Era—Final Flight
And, so, tomorrow is my very LAST trip with Fifi. It is a 3-day trip, with—as mentioned above—overnights in AUS (Austin) and IND (Indianapolis.)
Covid has wreaked havoc on our work schedule and staffing, so, as of this writing, I have no idea how it will go. But, I’m glad you’re coming along for the ride with me!
Next week, we’ll do a quick update about my final Fifi adventures on tomorrow’s 3-day trip. Hopefully I’ll get for you some great pics and stories!
Till then,
This is Cap'n Aux...
Flying Off!
Related Links
- Cap’n Aux Books https://www.amazon.com/Eric-Auxier/e/B00971H8VW
- An Airline Pilot Retires https://capnaux.com/an-airline-pilot-retires/
- A Tale of Two Upgrades https://capnaux.com/a-tale-of-two-upgrades/
- Pilots Protest Covid Mandates https://capnaux.com/pilots-protest-covid-mandates/
- Cap’n Aux Vimeo Page https://vimeo.com/capnaux/
- All Word on the Ramp Videos https://vimeo.com/manage/showcases/3162370/info
- Best of Videos https://vimeo.com/manage/showcases/3162373/info
- As the Turbine Turns https://capnaux.com/as-the-turbine-turns/
- The Bid Life of an Airline Pilot https://capnaux.com/the-bid-life-of-an-airline-pilot/
- Pilots of the Caribbean https://capnaux.com/there-i-wuz-pilot-of-the-caribbean/
- Part 2: Stranded in Paradise https://capnaux.com/pilot-of-the-caribbean-part-2/
- The Airline Cockpit in 7 Steps https://capnaux.com/airline-cockpit-7-steps-updated/
- Top 10 Downers of an Airline Pilot Career https://capnaux.com/top-10-downers-of-an-airline-career/
- Top 10 Things to Never Say to a Pilot https://capnaux.com/top-things-never-to-say-to-a-pilot/
- The Post-Covid Future of US Aviation https://capnaux.com/the-post-covid-future-of-u-s-aviation/
- Flying in the Age of Covid https://capnaux.com/flying-during-covid/
- Life of a Test Pilot https://capnaux.com/the-occasionally-exciting-life-of-a-test-pilot/
- WOTR Video: It’s What Pilots Do! https://capnaux.com/word-on-the-ramp-video-its-what-pilots-do/
- Confessions of a Former Airline Pilot https://capnaux.com/confessions-of-a-former-airline-pilot/
- The Making of a European Pilot https://capnaux.com/the-making-of-a-european-airline-pilot/
- Lessons From the Miracle on the Hudson https://capnaux.com/forced-landings-pilot-lessons-from-the-miracle-on-the-hudson-part-1/
