I was very skeptical as to what the American Airlines Internship would have planned for me but to my surprise and excitement, I would be having the time of my life. I was unable to attend the orientation process on the 13th and 14th of May as I was graduating but I was able to make the second class on May 16th and 17th. The picture to the left was taken at the AA Flight Academy in Dallas just before Orientation commenced. There are so many people that make an Airline run efficiently and at American it is quite evident. The people are great and friendly and they work together to ensure the airline is at its best.
During orientation, I was given a tour of the Flight Academy and Headquarters. At the Flight Academy I saw the dispatchers’ room aka ‘Mission Control’. This is where they host all the dispatchers who control the flights that are in the skies and about to enter the skies. I had the privilege of chatting with 3 dispatchers who were in charge of the trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights.
This experience brought back so much knowledge and training that I have done in International and Domestic Navigation, Airline Operations and Dispatch Training. I could have spent the entire day with them just chatting and learning about their jobs and dispatching. My tour guide practically had to beg me to leave so that we could continue the tour. I guess when you learn so much in classes and then actually see it in the practical sense is quite fascinating and exciting.
The Dispatcher, Stephen, also taught me how they choose certain routes, their planned NAR’s, NAT Tracks and European Routes. We chatted about ETOPS, reporting points such as Shemya in Alaska and the fact that AA can get a 757 from ORD to LHR. I learned so much from just an hour with them. This just shows how superior ERAU’s course work and training is!
I stayed at the Park Inn while in Dallas and it was quite comfortable. Breakfast was even free with my AA ID Badge. Later the following day I flew down to LGA, my base for the next 3 months. My flight was delayed into LGA due to weather but I eventually made it and I started work on the 19th May.
On my first day at LGA little did I know that I would be having the best first day ever! Melanie Rodriguez, one of the friendliest AA employees, greeted me at LGA. She took me to my office where I met my supervisor, Ellen Barbaro. Melanie oriented me around the facilities and gave me access codes and keys to different departments and rooms.
There wasn’t a lot for me to do on the first day so she took me for a tour of the AA Operations Tower. The picture on the right is from the Tower. There I met some really nice people who, without them, flights would not be possible. They ensure aircraft are parked at their gates, they clear aircraft in and out of gates, approve delays and turn-around times, and even change aircraft if need be. This brought to light the importance of CRM and I value our training at Riddle so much more now. I will be getting training in this in a few weeks and will be able to execute all their duties. Yay!! I will also be getting to see the FAA towers at LGA and JFK.
After I returned from the Tower, I ran into a 757 Crew who gave me a tour of the pilot operation. They taught about their flight release, how to read it and what to pay special attention to. I had previous knowledge from classes, so it was quite easy for me to read it. They were impressed by how much I knew and complemented ERAU’s training. The FO was a Riddle grad also. They then took me on the preflight of the 757and that was the highlight of my first day. Not only did I learn about how to preflight a 757 but I also got to program the FMS. Riddle has prepared me very well for this. After taking AS435, programming the FMS came with ease. It was so much fun to actually put what I learned in class to practical use. The pictures below are from the preflight.
The second day was filled with chatting with pilots and crewmembers. I met Chief Pilot, Mark Cronin, and it so happens that we share the same birthday. He’s a really nice and friendly guy. The second day was as eventful as the first. I leaned so much about the company and pilot procedures. I received my 737 checklists and calculations/limitations information.
Next week should be also quite fun, as I will be starting work at JFK and also doing my SIDA training. Travels begin next week also, and I maybe headed to MIA or SFO. If you are there, hit me up. Stay tuned for more updates and until then, fly safe!
For the summer months ahead I will be writing about my internship at Continental Airlines. I’m currently based at Newark Liberty Int’l Airport (EWR), working in the NYC Chief Pilot Office. During the month of June I will be in Houston, Texas receiving training for Continental’s Boeing 737 fleet. I am very excited and appreciative to have been accepted to such a program.
While at Newark, I’ve attended some classes taught by pilots, for pilots, about common topics and upcoming issues. These classes were so neat to attend because they offered lots of insight about working as a pilot, and more specifically at Continental (soon to be the new United).
The following Monday, I returned to Houston again to take advantage of an Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) tour/demonstration. It was quite amazing to see how sophisticated their trucks really are. Interns at Continental are given opportunities to tour many facilities. Some of the tours I can setup myself while at Newark. But others are setup for me, by our coordinator, and take place in Houston. For those tours I can commute or ‘deadhead’ to attend.
As Continental and United merge to become the world’s leading airline, many changes are taking place. It is certainly an exciting time to be a part of this company! During this past week, I was in charge of handing out the new crew IDs.
Well, this year is coming to a close. It is really depressing in some ways but happy in others. To know that my first year as a college student is over and moving out of my first dorm with my first roommate ever is sad. This will be one of the weirdest summers till this day. While I was in high school, summer meant beaches and spending time with friends who I had seen just a couple weeks ago. Now it is completely different. The friends that I’ve made over the past 9 months are going to spread all over the country and the world. Knowing that we will see each other in 3 months makes us all feel better, but these people are friends that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. You will learn that once you come here. Friends that you make in high school and when you were younger are completely different than those who you meet here in college. There’s a different bond that is acquired between college friends, one that you don’t want to break.
In other news, classes are going great. I’ve had quizzes and tests during the past couple weeks and doing very well on them. I only have one real final exam in Physics but have a LaserGrade for my instrument class, which is basically a final test but contributes to 10% or your final grade. If you don’t get above an 80% on it, you lose that 10%, thus it’s extremely important to study as hard as you can. Other than that, most classes are wrapping up and teachers are just summarizing the course, telling us how they enjoyed the year and to have a great summer. I will be seeing a couple of my teachers next fall because I have them for other classes. I have my Flight Physiology teacher, Professor Moren, for Aircraft Engine-Turbine, and my Science-Fiction Monsters and Villains teacher, 
Flying is going well. I might not be able to finish my private due to the fact that I am low on money. We shall see how it goes but I’m hoping to finish it. I got a new instructor who is very nice but I definitely miss my old instructor, Lindsey, who is getting trained for the airline, ExpressJet.
Hey guys. How are you all doing? I am doing well here. I’m just finishing up the last week of classes. I can’t believe that a whole second year has gone by. Time truly flies. I am halfway through with college already and that is hard to believe. Unfortunately, that means that this is my final journal entry for you guys as well. Since I last wrote, again not all too much has been going on. My days are primarily filled with classes and work. As I have mentioned to you before, the end of the semester is a hectic time as all semester-long projects become due combined with the final exams and tests for each class. It is kind of stressful in the middle of it all, but then before you know it, it is summer and you have four months off from school. It’s great.
Other than classes and work, I have been spending some time moving into my apartment. Most of the furniture has come by now, and I should be sleeping there by the end of the week or early next week. It’s coming along quite nicely. With this comes moving out of the dorm room, too, which is a lot of work in and of itself. You’d be surprised how much stuff you accumulate throughout the year without even knowing it. Then, when you are moving out, you have to figure out what you’re going to do with it all. Last year, I got a storage unit for the things I didn’t want to send home, but this year I will just move what I need into the apartment and throw away the rest. Then, all that’s left is to clean the dorm, check out, and give back the keys. I remember from last year the somewhat strange feeling of seeing your room completely empty just before you walk out the door for the last time.
The weather is beautiful now, in the 80’s every day. People are getting out to the beach as much as they can and the atmosphere has been very upbeat. It is really nice to have warm weather starting in February instead of having to wait until May like I did at home. Everything seems better in the warm weather. The most exciting thing I did since I last wrote was this past Easter weekend when I brought my roommate down to my parent’s house in South Florida. My whole family was there for Easter weekend and we went down to spend it with them. It was really a great time. Two of our friends from school were also down there visiting their families so we all were able to meet up a few times. Friday night, we all went out for ice cream after dinner with my family. On Saturday, we went to the pool for most of the day and just enjoyed relaxing in the sun. That night, we went to Stuart, Florida to see my dad’s parents and his brother and his family, many of whom I hadn’t seen in several years. It was great to catch up with all of them and to learn what they were up to. It was amazing to see how much they’d grown since I last saw them.
On Sunday, we had Easter breakfast with my family and then my roommate and I went to meet with our friends from school. His family has a brand new boat and we went out on it for a few hours on the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. It was a great time. The water was crystal clear in the Intracoastal, probably the clearest I’d ever seen it. The weather was perfect as well. We went out of the Boca Inlet and entered the Atlantic which was a little choppy but that made for some fun wave bouncing. At one point, we were all suspended in the air as the boat came back down to meet the water. We then drove up and down the Intracoastal a bit and looked at the massive houses on it. Finally, we returned to the Boca Raton Resort and Club, where they keep their boat, and got a famous frozen hot chocolate from the Serendipity restaurant inside the resort. Then, we went out to grab a late lunch at Stir Crazy Café, which had amazing stir fry. It was a great way to end the weekend.
After heading back home and saying goodbye to my family, my roommate and I headed back to Daytona for one more week of school. Well, guys, that is really all I have for you from the past two weeks. I want to take a moment and mention how much I enjoyed writing this for you every other week this year. I hope that my experiences and knowledge was able to help you in deciding where you wanted to go to school and what you want to do for a living. I sure have enjoyed interacting with many of you and even meeting a few of you at the Accepted Students Day reception. 
Even though I will not be writing any more regularly, please feel free to contact me anytime at 
I just finished writing my last paper for COM221 (tech report writing). It’s a 6-7 page analytical paper. I’m not complaining though! I did it on one of my favorite topics. I’ll leave that for you to guess…starts with a D ends with a Y? I have yet to work on my 4-5 page honors paper on Afghanistan and my CATIA project…design an airplane with everything on it AND another project too? In ONE week? I wonder what my professor was thinking…Sometimes I believe they think they’re the only class we have to study for.
That day, we were awake from 6 in the morning to well over one the next morning. Why you ask? Well, Jim’s birthday was on Saturday. His brother decided to get married that day. Jim had to fly back home for the wedding, and therefore couldn’t spend his birthday with us. Sunday we decide to go to Orlando after Bharvi and I came back from our trip. This was almost 7:30 at night. We drive to downtown Disney (90 minutes), eat, watch the fireworks from the Polynesian, and head back. Needless to say we were very, very tired the next morning…I bought 2 Vinylmation figures though! They’re vinyl figurines in the shape of Mickey that are painted over in all sorts of designs. I bought a nerdy Donald Duck and a mystery park one (turned out to resemble one of the exit signs around WDW). I believe I have an obsession with them now…
These past few weekends have been one of the best I’ve had so far. I’m really going to miss this place, but I’m excited for summer! We’re planning driving from San Ramon to Seattle, spend the day there, drive to Vancouver, spend another day there, and taking a cruise (Disney of course) all the way to Alaska. Then, we are driving all the way down to Anaheim, California to go to Club33 (Google it!!), since I found out my dad has access to it through his company. So so excited!!
The rain seemed to follow me back to Daytona from my house. The deluge hit campus like there was no tomorrow! A friend of mine said: “Dear friends with snow, I’m sorry for making fun of you and your weather. But this week you got your revenge when Poseidon vomited on my campus”. If you see some of the pictures I’ll post, you’d understand…the area between my dorm and the main campus flooded with (not even joking) at least 2 feet of water! Luckily, it only lasted for a few days.
Nothing comes close to how insanely busy last weekend was, though! Jim and I signed up to volunteer at New Smyrna Beach’s annual Balloon and Sky Fest. Remember how I had mentioned we would be working chase crew? Well, let me just say it was a lot more work than we had anticipated. We woke up bright and early (well…it was still dark out, so dark and early?) on Saturday and Sunday morning to make the 30-minute drive down US1. When we got there, we were each grouped with our assigned crew.
The day after that, we worked with Sunny Boy, a sun-shaped balloon. This one stood taller at 140 feet, but held much less hot air, so it was a lot less work. After that, we took a stroll around the place, and ended up mining. Spruce Creek Mining Co. had set up a tent, where, for a few dollars, we bought a bag of dirt. After cleaning out the bag using a river-like system, we found a few big Emerald stones, rubies, peacock ore, and even some quartz! That must have been the highlight of my day…
Last big thing—The Big Show! Touch N Go productions held its annual big show on Saturday. This year, the university hosted Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake, two ska bands. It was less crowded than I had expected, but, having been drained of energy that day from balloon fest, we only stayed and listened for an hour or so. Still fun—I can never pass up a good show!
I suppose that’s all. Nothing too exciting coming up next few weeks. I have an analytical report to look forward to. Nothing too exciting except…OPEN HOUSE/SNEEK PREVIEW DAY!! Have you RSVPed yet? I look forward to seeing you all around! As always, message me with all your questions! This will be one of my last blogs (sad face), so I want to get as many of your questions answered before the end of the semester!
It’s been another couple of great weeks. The end of the semester is getting closer and closer and we have about 15 days of classes left, and that means we have more and more tests and reviews. I finished my Physics Laboratory, I had to take a final test that was based on all of our labs and we were given data and used certain formulas to get what the answer would be.
Flying is going great and I am only a couple flights away and an oral or two away from my check ride and getting my private pilot license. I can seriously almost taste it. My flight instructor will be leaving within the next week or two to work for ExpressJet. I am so happy for her and was so glad I had her as my instructor for the time I did, and she definitely taught me a lot. I recently had my first night cross-country. I flew to the usual place that people fly on their night flight, KISM or Kissimmee, FL. The route from Daytona takes you right by Disney World and you get to see both Disney and Universal lit up at night and if you’re lucky, you get to see the Fireworks. It was a great flight and due to the Class B airspace, which just means it’s very condensed, busy, and fast moving aircraft, they have to vector or direct you through the airspace. They put us right over Disney and it was a definitely an amazing sight and was one of my favorite flights so far.
I know I’ve talked about it but I love being in driving distance of Orlando. A couple friends and I drove over to Downtown Disney, grabbed dinner, and hopped a ride over to the Disney Resorts, watched the fireworks from the Polynesian Resort and rode the monorail for a bit. It’s awesome to think that people come from all over the world to a place we go just for the night; definitely a thing that should be on your to-do list when you come down. Also coming up is the Accepted Student event here at the Daytona campus. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you prospective students and if you spot me, feel free to run up and say HI! It will be a great feeling knowing that I was your spot a year ago.