Cap'n Meryl taking a London cab for a spin.

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Flying Through Midnight

I heard from my good friend, American Airlines Retired Captain John Halliday. John’s book Flying Through Midnight was released in the same general time frame as my own book, The World At My Feet.

John tells me the paperback version is starting to show up in Wal-Marts and other major outlets, and I wanted to let you know as well as give you a new link for this book. When I first mentioned Flying Through Midnight upon its release a couple of years ago, many of my readers immediately read it, then wrote to tell me how much they enjoyed it. Here is how one reader put it:

One of the best books I have ever read, and could serve as a guidebook for living. You are a philosopher, poet, humanist, and gifted writer. There were so many lessons to be learned regarding friendship, loyalty, and thinking outside the box that I read the book a second time in order the fully grasp these lessons. Who can ever forget Wiley, Jack, Charles, Ty or the Hawk, Desktop, and the Church of the Air Force. Your endless patience with Rich, your regard for Tonto, and your gift of tools to Toothless revealed your character. The way you wove the music of the day into daily events and the symbolism of the rocks was pure genius. The lyrics of those songs will forever remind me of the stories in the book. In skimming over the Mekong River on the return trip from Long Tien, I felt the sense of triumph and relief of you and the crew at having survived the impossible. Thank you for helping me to understand the role of politics in deadly conflicts. Your father's observation that you were lambs led to slaughter was right on. The news bulletin interrupting the Lawrence Welk show describing "the event" would have been unbelievable had I not just read your book of what really happens in war. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are truly one incredibly brave and humble American.
– Ruth Daniel

When I read Flying Through Midnight myself, I was just incredulous. I didn’t know John very well yet, and didn’t appreciate the scope of this true-life adventure. This is truly one of the most thrilling and unbelievable stories—aviation or otherwise—I’ve ever read and I am proud to call John my friend. You can find more information about it here:
My Space .

I’ve now posted the first part of “Cookie Run,” accessible through the Table Of Contents . Some of my readers who go back a few years may remember this from a previous Blog entry, and I later decided to include it in my sequel. In the very first part of this chapter I’ve described a photo mission for my airline, taken at Mt. McKinley. The photo appears among many others in The World At My Feet as well as in my Photo Gallery. The link appears in my “A Much Younger Cap’n Meryl” Album: Photos

"The World At My Feet" and "Flights of Whimsy" is now a
permanent offer in our Gift Ideas area at
fromthecockpit.com. Just $25 for both books,
shipped anywhere in the world for free for a
savings of $12.85.

Click here: Gift Ideas

Volcano Country

This week, for some reason, as I was going through Part Two of the latest chapter to my book sequel, I stopped and really thought about my years in Alaska. I moved there in 1981 to take a flying job, my first experience with passenger jets, and didn’t move out of Alaska until five years after that flying job had terminated due to the airline going out of business. That was Wien Air Alaska, which operated B-727’s, B-737’s and a couple of DC-8’s during my time there as a pilot. It started with Noel Wien, a bush pilot, in 1927 and grew into Alaska’s premier airline. At the time of its demise, it was the oldest airline in the world, as far as I know. What a blow that was to the people of Alaska and to me as well in a very personal way. Many members of the Wien family flew for the airline, and I’m still in contact with a few of them from time to time, including Merrill Wien (one of Noel’s sons) and his son Kurt, who now flies for American. Flying with Captain Merrill Wien was one of the highlights of my career at Wien Air Alaska. He was (and is) a gentleman, as smooth a pilot as I’ve ever known, and a part of aviation history. His son, Kurt, and his wife had a baby girl awhile back and they named her “Meryl.” The name is of course for Kurt’s father, Merrill, but I was told the spelling was with my own name in mind.

Although I was initially based in Denver with United, and later in San Francisco, I could just not bear to part with this wild, wonderful and beautiful state when I was first hired by United. So I commuted, as so many pilots and flight attendants do, for more than five years after I was hired.

A few years after I started to fly for United, I was in Anchorage on some days off. I was in the living room of a friend’s home and standing at a large picture window. Suddenly, I saw a large cloud of gray/black smoke materialize in the distance. It looked like a nuclear bomb had been dropped. I turned on the news and discovered it was Mount Redoubt, about 150 miles from Anchorage. Unbeknownst to me until then, Mount Redoubt was a volcano and it was erupting.

I had flown right by this volcano for months during times of furlough (there were many) at Wien. I had been hired as the Chief Pilot for the Nondalton Indian Tribe and their new air taxi service (about which I wrote a little in my first book, The World At My Feet). In fact, I passed Mount Redoubt almost daily on my flights back and forth to Anchorage. Often there was a cloud near the top, but there are often little clouds around mountains and I thought nothing of it. That was no cloud but rather steam from an angry, boiling interior I never suspected looking at its serene, snow-capped exterior.

As I watched the cloud of volcanic ash grow and grow and start to spread, I didn’t think about anything but the fact that I had never seen a volcano erupt before, and had never thought I would (other than one on the Big Island of Hawaii). However, as the cloud quickly blew toward Anchorage, I knew I had a problem. Flights into and out of Anchorage were quickly being cancelled and it was already too late to get out. I was stuck behind this wall of volcanic ash for the next week or so. I called United and surprisingly, their attitude was that it wasn’t my fault a volcano had erupted. They were very laid back about it and told me to just let them know whenever I made it back.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines also knew it had a problem. One of their B-747’s, inbound to Anchorage, had experienced engine failure in all four of its engines in the volcanic ash cloud. Fortunately, just above 13,000 feet, the crew successfully restarted all the engines, but not before $80 Million of damage had been done to the plane. I was one of several pilots invited to Anchorage International Airport afterward to view the damage and learn from it. The whole airplane looked like it had been sandblasted, which basically it was. What a terrifying freefall for all on board in mountainous territory. You can read more about it here: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs030-97 . Volcanic ash avoidance by aircraft has been vastly improved since this and other incidents.

Living in Alaska was always interesting, to say the least. I’ll write a little more about it in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you’ll find Part Two of Keep Your Pants On, Please! here along with all previous installments Table Of Contents.

LIVING IN ALASKA

First, a reminder that you may send your aviation questions to me at support@fromthecockpit.com with "Aviation Question" in the subject. Be sure to check out this week's Ask Cap'n Meryl question & answer about: You Dirty "Rat"

This week’s chapter, entitled “Keep Your Pants On, Please!” may be recognized by some who have been reading my blog for a couple of years. It was first published in March, 2005, in response to several inquiries regarding funny incidents that happened during my flying career.

Published in two parts as always, keep in mind the funniest sections are in the next installment. All chapters of my sequel may be found here as they are published:Table Of Contents .

Stories like this really take me back. When I first moved to Alaska, people who had been there for awhile told me people either love it or hate it almost immediately. I had no doubt whatsoever that I would love it, and I did.

I remember first learning about Alaska after the huge 9.2 earthquake there on Good Friday of 1964. I was in elementary school at the time and thought (other than that whole earthquake thing) it sounded like the most wonderful place, and that I would like to live there sometime. I was just sure I’d wind up there at some point.

My wish came true and I did live in Alaska for a period of ten years, moving there in 1981 to fly for Wien Air Alaska, and commuting from San Francisco for another five years after I was hired by United.

During my time there, I flew the B-727 and B-737 for Wien Air Alaska, but was often laid off for stretches of months at a time. During one of those breaks I was hired as Chief Pilot for the Nondalton Indian Tribe, whose Chief, “Jim,” thought it was just “way cool” to have a female pilot in charge. I thought it was pretty cool, too, and wrote a little about it in my first book (Chapter 25 – “Wing Walker”).

Colorado, where I now live, is a lovely state, but Alaska holds a special place in my memory and in my heart both from a career and personal standpoint. It’s where I got “up close and personal” with a moose or two, stood under Northern Lights so brilliant winter nights sometimes turned into day, stood on the north shore of the state in oil camps with nothing but the endless white arctic plain in sight, flew by steaming volcanoes, petted a friendly Beluga whale from a jetty right in Anchorage Harbor, stopped my car on the way home from the airport once to let a hot air balloon bounce right in front of me on the street and become airborne again, and had countless other wondrous experiences.

It’s why I’ve included so much about it in Part Two of “The World At My Feet.”

"The World At My Feet" and "Flights of Whimsy" is now a
permanent offer in our Gift Ideas area at
fromthecockpit.com. Just $25 for both books,
shipped anywhere in the world for free for a
savings of $12.85.
Click here: Gift Ideas

And with that,
Until Next Time,
Maintain Airspeed,

Cap'n Meryl

EARLY COLORADO SPRING

First, a reminder that you may send your aviation questions to me at support@fromthecockpit.com with "Aviation Question" in the subject. Be sure to check out this week's Ask Cap'n Meryl question & answer about: What's In A Name?

This has been a pretty slow couple of weeks. What I’ve discovered is, the more I’m earth-bound, the more I’m feeling comfortable with it. I miss flying for a living but am enjoying life here on the rolling prairie outside Denver. Our deep snow has retreated leaving damp earth and gushing rivers in its stead under blue skies and temperatures of over 70 degrees.

Had I still been commuting to Chicago to fly trips this winter, I don’t know how I would have managed it and frequently wonder how other pilots were able to get to work. We were snowed in so many times I lost count. I could not have even backed the car out of the driveway, let alone drive the 50 miles to the airport.

Cap’n Al and I had the opportunity to meet with one of United’s dispatchers (flight planners) when she passed through Denver last week. I had previously spoken with her on the phone from Tokyo (Narita) when she was working Pacific flights and I was flying them. I met only a few dispatchers face-to-face while a pilot and it was a nice opportunity to put a face to the name.
Sporadic meetings such as this, along with emails to and from other pilots, are pretty much my only remaining contact with airline life. Even after more than a year since my last trip, it’s hard to believe it’s been more than just a few months since I last flew across any oceans or countries.

As I said, though, I’m not uncomfortable being home for now with Al and all our various critters. When I first had a cat, I seriously considered taking him with me on my flights. That was when I lived in Alaska, in the early 1980’s. Obviously, taking a cat along was out the question, but I missed him terribly and never did understand how parents could manage being away from their children so much.

These days, the thought of leaving Al, the Puffer (our dog, Coco-Puff), the Ferret Brothers (Petey and Charlie), Miss Bunny Bunée and Houdini (our Chattering Lorrie) is just too painful to even consider. New readers can meet all of them and see some of our views along with some gorgeous sunsets from our rural Colorado home here in our At Home Album.

The latest installment of “The World At My Feet” sequel, Chapter Three, Part II,” may be found here: Table Of Contents

CAPTAIN O' THE FOREX

First, a reminder that you may send your aviation questions to me at support@fromthecockpit.com with "Aviation Question" in the subject. Be sure to check out this week's Ask Cap'n Meryl question & answer about Lights, Please!

In my last Blog entry, entitled A New Direction, I wrote that my life has taken a new path which is very different from my life's work as a pilot. The time has come to discuss it with my readers. Many of you have written wondering if and when I might resume flying for another company.

I wrote once before that I was starting to trade foreign currencies in the Forex (FOReign EXchange) with some success. A spinning medallion was added to the upper right-hand corner of the Home Page at www.fromthecockpit.com. That link will take you to a site, www.forexeztrading.com, which has to do with trading the Forex using a simple, mechanical method requiring no analysis, chart interpretation, etc. There is a small learning curve to learn to use some software, but very little knowledge of the Forex is required.

There is also a mini-course which explains the philosophy behind the method. The course is also available in a free Ebook which I can send upon request. Write to admin@forexeztrading.com and put Free Ebook in the subject line.

Since that icon was posted, I have been trading about a dozen different accounts, some for myself and my business entities along with other accounts for some relatives and friends. Every single account has shown a profit, some of them mind-boggling. Of my four main accounts, two have more than tripled and two have more than quadrupled since mid-November.

In the first two months I used this software, my accounts rose about 60% or so.

However, about two months ago, I discovered an additional couple of twists and suddenly my profits were through the roof, resulting in profits even I did not imagine.

Through my broker and word of mouth, my track record started getting noticed, and I began to receive requests to trade others' portfolios for them. Some of those requests were for portfolios worth potentially tens of millions of dollars from commercial money managers.

To that end, the Captains Fund was born. Please do not consider this a solicitation in any way. It is not and I do not have any need or desire to seek additional funds to trade. However, if you do have an interest, you'll find the pertinent information at http://www.captainsfund.com . Regardless of my successful track record, trading foreign currencies is considered speculatively and risky, in spite of the fact I've learned how to minimize the risk.

The name of this new endeavor came about, not only because I'm a retired airline captain, but because my three partners happen to be retired or current airline pilots as well. My three partners are my husband, Al The Web Guy (retired 747-400 captain), a former Eastern and Cathay Pacific 747-400 captain, and a current 747-400 Co-Commander for Cathay Pacific, currently based in Hong Kong.

Whereas the simplified do-it-yourself method is highly effective and takes literally only a few minutes a week to manage once set up, I've added my personal touches and in doing so created a full-time occupation. With so much at stake, I can't justify running off for a week or two each month to go flying in such early stages of this new venture. I may reconsider my potential offer to ferry airliners in the future, however, especially since a software company is attempting to automate my trading system for me. Should they be successful, I will still have the option to resume flying. Right now, it doesn't seem terribly likely, but I haven't ruled it out, either.

Had the overseas airlines I applied to not rejected the notion of a foreign female airline captain, or had the airliner ferry job offer come sooner, then I might once again be flying around the planet. For now, however, I find great satisfaction in helping others grow their portfolios and intend to start a charitable application in the very near future. Since I am able to generate more in a month or less than I did as an airline captain in an entire year, financially my needs have been met. This was of great concern after both Al and I lost nearly all of our pensions after United declared bankruptcy and they were handed over to the government.

I've discovered a new passion and am thoroughly enjoying myself, even more so knowing I can make a difference in people's lives.

With this fortunate turn of events and my life on a new course, my sequel may now have an ending, as yet unwritten, but for now you can find Part One of Chapter Three here: Table Of Contents

A NEW DIRECTION

First, a reminder that you may send your aviation questions to me at support@fromthecockpit.com with "Aviation Question" in the subject. Be sure to check out this week's Ask Cap'n Meryl question & answer about about Icing Conditions.

I've alluded once or twice to a possible flying position starting around March of this year. At this time, however, my life has taken a new and exciting direction which I will tell you more about in the next Update. It's exciting in an utterly different way from flying, yet I've discovered a new passion and talent for something I've long suspected but never had the time or tools to develop.

Things have happened very quickly even I'm surprised and I think you will be too when I tell you about it. You may even want to participate in my new venture and I'll give you all the facts so you can make an intelligent decision. Although it means passing up the opportunity to take up a flying career again right now, it does not rule it out in the future. Time will tell.

So for now, hopefully you are intrigued and rest assured I'll fill you in completely in about two weeks. In the meantime, you can check out Part Two of Chapter Two of my book sequel, and catch up on any parts you may have missed here: Table Of Contents