Flight attendants worldwide are well trained to not only assist passengers, but to ensure cabin safety. Flight attendants almost always welcome passengers upon boarding the aircraft. This may include a formal greeting as well as double checking boarding passes to assist with seating, or helping passengers stow their luggage into the overhead bins. While it may look like a straightforward process, there is a great deal more that goes into welcoming passengers onboard. Boarding

The streets of Bridgetown, Barbados are lined with brightly painted Colonial-era buildings and homes. Although I briefly touched upon the Island of Barbados in a post dated November 15, 2025 titled The Caribbean Beckons , a single paragraph does not do it justice. The allure of Barbados lies in its perfect blend of stunning natural beauty, from turquoise Caribbean waters to rugged Atlantic coasts. Add to the mix its vibrant Bajan culture , which is a blend of West African and

Higher altitudes enable aircraft to fly above most weather, ensuring a smoother ride for passengers. Airplanes fly at high altitudes for a variety of reasons. To put it simply, the higher an airplane flies, the lower its fuel burn. Higher altitudes also allow the aircraft to achieve greater cruise speeds more efficiently. Furthermore, high altitudes ensure the aircraft is well away from the most severe weather which can lead to turbulence and icing. Aircraft altitudes vary, w

The Sixth Floor Museum chronicles the legacy and 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  My extra day in Dallas was spent visiting the infamous Texas School Book Depository Building . It was at this site from which Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired the shots which assassinated President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. This is one of the most well-known crime scenes in the United States and indeed, one of the 20th Century's most famous. Even after the passage o

KLM began flying the Constellation in  1946  with the L-049 , using it on its transatlantic route to NY. When thinking about iconic airplanes from aviation history, most people will mention aircraft like the Boeing 747 , the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar , or the Concorde . But, aside from these jet planes, many earlier civilian airliners are often overlooked. Before jet aircraft became the norm, the world was flying on piston-driven aircraft like the Lockheed Constellation, someti

The White House years of George W, Bush is well detailed in his Presidential Library and Museum. After a restful sleep at the Westin Dallas Park Central Hotel , I had the buffet breakfast at the lobby's Urban South Restaurant . From there, I headed off to Southern Methodist University in order to visit the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, arriving on campus shortly after the center's opening hour of 9:00 AM. The 207,000-square-foot facility opened in 2013 and

A perfect landing involves a stabilized approach, with precise alignment followed by a smooth flare. You're seated at the window and about to land. You watch as the trees grow larger, cars appear closer, and roads grow wider. Your plane crosses over the airport perimeter fence, and the runway suddenly appears under the aircraft. You might reach for the armrest in preparation for landing, but the touchdown is nearly imperceptible. The landing was perfect. Behind the flight de

The National Archives Building is headquarters for the National Archives and Records Administration. As any reader of this blog post knows, I’m an avid American history buff and have made it my mission to visit all of the Presidential Libraries in chronological order. These libraries are archives and museums established by the US Government to preserve the papers and artifacts of American Presidents and their administrations. Their archives contain millions of pages of docum

Schedules impact pilot performance and the safety of passengers and crew, as well as their health.   If you’re a fan of consistent schedules, being a commercial  airline pilot is probably not the job for you. Flight crew schedules are a complex integration of airline priorities and legal requirements that result in changing schedules for pilots on a monthly basis. They’re complex at best due to a combination of external factors and internal regulations, including safety rules

From VIP lunches to welcome fresh air breaks, we welcomed access to the hotel's outdoor terrace. My conference at the Four Seasons Hotel Prague drew participants from many nations and a variety of oral health disciplines. That property was a wonderful place to call home during the days of my visit and I must compliment the hotel and its staff for ensuring that all the needs of our international attendees were met. The hotel provided dedicated function rooms that were adapted

Detailed technical drawings feature the aircraft's shape and the precise specifications for all parts. Developing a commercial airliner today is a lengthy and complex process requiring billions of dollars and years of hard work involving thousands of employees across a wide range of disciplines. The process includes extensive engineering, design, prototype manufacturing, and rigorous testing to meet stringent safety certifications from regulatory bodies like the US Federal A

Many picturesque and enchanting areas of Prague look like they came right out of a Grimm fairy tale. It was with great anticipation that I undertook a business trip a number of years ago to the enchanting city of Prague, the Central European Capital of the Czech Republic. Prague is a special place due to its remarkably preserved, historic city center, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . At over 1,100 years old, the city originated as a settlement with a cas

A livery i dentifies the airline and provides a major form of branding and advertising for that carrier. Commercial aircraft are generally expensive to manufacture, operate, maintain and fly, but not many people think about the cost that goes into painting one. The average cost to paint a jet aircraft ranges from $65,000 for light jets to over $200,000 for large commercial airliners, with highly complex or massive jets like the Airbus A380 potentially reaching $300,000 or mor

A trip to Ottawa is a great way to explore Canada's roots, culinary delights and its walkable streets. There’s much to discover when visiting our “Neighbor to the North” and, although it’s not like going overseas, a trip to a Canadian city can often feel like a trip abroad. Certainly, both our nations are closely linked. But , the bilingual nature and distinctly Canadian culture offers a different and positive experience. While Americans do require a valid passport to enter

Targeted at the rich, the beautiful aircraft had its maiden flight in 1949, just four years after WW2. Imagine a double-decker aircraft with wings wider than a Boeing 747 , sleeping berths, a sit-down restaurant and a separate movie theater, all designed to serve and pamper its passengers while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Such a plane was actually built in 1949, but it was never adopted by the airlines. Built not by Boeing and long before Airbus even existed, the Brabazon

Idyllic beaches and abundant sunshine are part of the charm and allure of the Caribbean Islands. Winter is just around the corner and with the cooler temperatures come thoughts of tropical escapes on sunny, sandy beaches.The Caribbean hosts any number of islands that fit the bill. The allure of these islands is legendary. Visitors are drawn to the famous white-sand beaches and warm, crystal-clear turquoise waters. For the more adventurous, the islands are also home to extens

The Atlanta Airport Atrium serves as a gateway to other areas and a gathering place for travelers . The world’s busiest airport is located on what in the Eighteenth Century was part of Creek Indian Territory . Over one 150 years later, the Atlanta Speedway opened on that site in 1909. However, the track failed to attract consistent crowds after its opening, which resulted in significant debt for its majority shareholder, business tycoon Asa Candler, Sr., founder of the Coca-

The CA state capital lies in the Central Valley at the junction of the American and Sacramento Rivers. When business called me to Sacramento a number of years ago, I was delighted as it was one of our American cities that I had not yet had the pleasure of visiting. It proved to be a great locale for a weekend meeting and I was fortunate in having some free time to explore. Sacramento’s an historic city and it began with John Sutter's establishment of Sutter's Fort in 1839 , w

In the early years, those wishing to fly put up with uncomfortable seats and no real safety equipment. At the dawn of commercial aviation, flying was an exclusive experience, reserved for the wealthy and adventurous. Passengers traveled in small, unpressurized cabins, and flying was considered more of a novelty than a necessity. Among the many changes that have shaped the airline industry, one of the most fascinating transformations has been the evolution of the role we now c

Helsinki embodies the best of Scandinavia with its balance of urban development and green space. When I received news some years ago that a business trip to Helsinki was in the cards for me, I was justifiably anxious to begin my travels. Personally, the nations and cities of Scandinavia always held great allure. Their enormous popularity may be attributed to the region’s high quality of life, social and economic stability, stunning natural landscapes, and a reputation for saf