One Year, Two Months, Fourteen Days

441 Days to be exact since I decided to change my life. To go for the job I've always wanted. Well it happened. Today, I was officially offered a position as a first officer.

If anybody is ever feeling good about themselves, may I suggest taking a cognitive test? It will take you from hero to zero in 1 hour. After completing the test this morning, my self esteem hit a new low. I felt stupid, uncoordinated and a victim of memory loss. The guys taking the test with me said that I was hitting the keyboard so hard that it was shaking the entire cubicle pod. I guess that anxiety and an intense type-a personality really came out. However, the baseline must be low because I passed.

After the cognitive test, we were all given lunch vouchers for the company cafeteria (very nice and great food). After lunch, it was time for the other guys to interview. The pilot recruiter that was handling the group came in and told me in front of everyone that they were offering me a position with the company. It was a little embarrassing, since the others had yet to interview. To make matters worse, they were informed that they wouldn't have an answer for a few days due to timing. Everyone was gracious about it and offered congratulations, but it was still a little embarrassing.

I some ways it seems like it's been such a long journey. In reality, it's been a blink of an eye. It's time to pause and realize how quickly this happened and how fortunate I am to be in this position. Just a few years ago, becoming an airline pilot in one year was pure fiction. There are thousands of people that spend years upon years paying dues to get where I am now.

My goal is to be the very best pilot that I can be while continuing to learn with every flight. A friend told me that a good First Officer 1. Gives the Captain accurate, useful information 2. Enjoys flying with a passion 3. Is always in training to be a Captain.

As it stands, the official class date is August 27th. There's a strong chance of starting earlier. I'll be flying Bombardier CRJ-200, 700 and 900's primarily in the East and Northeast. Training is about 90 days, with the ground and simulator portion lasting about 6 weeks and IOE (Initial Operating Experience) another 4 to 6 weeks. Flying in the Northeast will be great experience. It doesn't get any more difficult than that.

I would like to stay current over the summer and spend as much time with my children as possible. The next year is going to be a busy one and time away from family will be the hardest part.

Fly safely.