The Journey.

There are a million reasons why someone could ask to be on the first United 787 flight; I’ll give you one: I have a passion for flight (read the whole story, I promise, it’s worth it).

I will fly it.

The Birth of a Passion.

I don’t remember this, but from a very early age I wanted to fly.  My family is from Oklahoma, but in 1986 we were moved to New Jersey.  The most logical way home? Continental.  (My OnePass account card is so old and dated, but it still counts.)  Oh, and to be fair, we did have a few 24-hour drives in a fantastic old van.

On one of our trips to Oklahoma, I came out of the bathroom and told my mother that I was going to be a pilot.  When she asked why I told her that pilots don’t have any “hair down there”.  That story is a bit disturbing to me these days, and to that Continental pilot, “Sorry for telling this to the world, but thanks for inspiring me to love aviation!” 

If It Ain’t Boeing, I Ain’t Going.

Our time in New Jersey only lasted three years.  We moved backed to Oklahoma and stopped flying.  I was interested in other things, but for some reason I always knew things were happening in the airline industry. 

In 1995 we were forced to move again, this time to St. Louis.  Back in those days if you were going to fly STL to OKC it was going to be on TWA.  And my family flew a lot.  We took our first trip to Hawaii on TWA flight 1 STL – HNL. 

Then, when American bought out TWA, we followed suit.  All of that to get to this; I remember one night when we were traveling through DFW;  I saw my first 777.  I proudly told my dad, “That’s the biggest plane ever.”  Okay, so I didn’t really understand size at that point.  But that memory is clearer in my head than so many others.  To this day I have no idea why or how I knew that, but I’m glad I did. 

A Passion United.

It was the summer of 2005, by this point we were back in Oklahoma.  My parents and I were taking a trip to Hawaii, and then on to Hong Kong.  No one in our family was Premiere, or even close.   But we were excited to be flying United.  This was going to be a very big trip for me, not because we were going to Hawaii, or even stopping in Tokyo on our way to Hong Kong.  This trip was a big deal to me because I would fly my only flight (yes, to this day) on a mighty 747.

We left Honolulu on what I recall to be a 777.  There were movies and beverages.  I imagine we even had a meal.  We chased the sun, but sadly, it was early morning.  We arrived in Tokyo around noon.  Our departure wasn’t until that evening.  It was a long day in NRT.  But I looked out the windows, and paced the halls of the airport. 

Around 6pm we began boarding.  “Morgan, party of three to the podium.”  And just like that, something magical happened.  United gave us the bump to Business Class seating. To this day, I don’t know why.  But I don’t care.  That was the moment that started my love affair with the airline that would take me anywhere I wanted to go.

The American Dream.

When I left home for the first time on my own, I moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Since both American and United flew through ORD I always picked the cheapest (sadly to say I didn’t understand loyalty at the time).  I did have more Advantage Miles, so I tried to use them more, but I was more satisfied when I flew United. 

While I lived in Grand Rapids, I was only 4 miles for GRR.  My apartments back door was right under the landing pattern for 08R.  I found myself looking to the skies more.  I would play this game where I would try to figure out the airline before I could see the livery, and I have to admit, I got pretty good at it. 

I had already become a Marriott Purist, and I wanted to become a United fanboy, but a move to Orlando would change that. 

Mickey Made Me Do It.

By this point in my life I had become Platinum with Marriott, but had no hope of ever climbing the ranks of an airline’s loyalty program.  There were two problems; One, I didn’t fly enough.  Two, I didn’t give one airline all of my business.

When I finally found a home I was happy with, I was just south of ORL (Orlando Executive) and 10 miles north of MCO (Orlando International).  The ORL VOR is a key point in a normal arrival from the north to MCO.  Needless to say, my little game I played became a lot more fun. 

To make matters worse, I was dating the daughter of a pilot.  He and I would talk planes.  And I would watch them for hours.  One day, while walking around Lake Underhill, watching aircraft arrive at MCO, I realized, I needed to learn more.  Within 20 minutes I had found liveatc.net.  My passion moved up thirty levels (some where around FL 200). 

Why was I in Florida?  I was attending film school.  I always thought I would be a director of photography.  But, as school wore me down, my time was increasingly spent on plane watching. 

One day I needed more escape.  That’s when I found ITVV (they produced flight deck videos before 9/11).  I became obsessed with learning how to fly jumbo jets.  And then I found Concorde.  (Wait, isn’t this supposed to be about Boeing and United?  It is, just keep reading.)

Concorde consumed me.  I read books, watched videos, and within two years, had visited all three Concordes that resided in the states.  (Alpha Delta being my favorite, she will always have a place in my heart). 

The City That Never Sleeps.

I graduated and moved to New York City (I actually lived in Elizabeth, NJ, just five minutes from EWR).  I got myself a membership to the Intrepid museum, and tried to visit Alpha Delta as much as possible.  I let my wife (we had gotten married by this point) drag me to Ikea just so I could sit in the café and watch arrivals and departures. 

And then it happened.  I found Twitter.  #avgeek became my life.  I started following all of the greats, and meeting as many other FL400 flight lovers as I could.  And with that, I decided to leave the film industry.  For Aviation? Nope.  But I started a few new businesses and prepared to take on the world. 

On a sunny March day in 2009 I took the train from the Elizabeth Station to EWR.  I wondered down the halls of terminal A, and found my place on the first of many United flights.  That year I would reach Premier.  As I sat down in my seat for the first time, I called my dad and I said, “I remember why we always wanted to fly United.”  I was in Heaven.

Hello Seattle.

From the moment I watched the 787 take off on its first flight, I had one goal: touch it.  It was 2010, and I was living in Oklahoma again.  I had managed to score some work in Seattle, and I planned an extra day to go visit the Boeing Factory in Everett. 

It was an evening flight in from LAX.  I secretly had my earphones in and Owl City was singing “Hello Seattle” in my ears as we approached.   We arrived from the North.  I watched as we passed downtown Seattle, and then I saw my first glimpse of Boeing Field. 

Work flew by, and I was never more excited as my trip north.  Driving around the plant to the Future of Flight was … amazing.  I saw the 787 for the first time.  And the factory tour took my breath away. 

So, I was hooked.  If it wasn’t Boeing, I wasn’t going.  And by this point in life I had told my business partners and family that we were all flying United. 

The Best Sun Burn Ever.

It was the summer of 2011.  I had made up my mind to travel to EAA Airventure in Osh Kosh.  I had one goal in mind: touch the 787.  My trip to Osh Kosh was… filled with excitement.  Although I had seen the 787, I had never touched it.  I remember when she was circling above, waiting for other planes to clear the runway.  She was quiet, peaceful, majestic.  Her landing was flawless.  I can play it back in my head over and over.  This was the plane that outflew all other planes. 

I took as many pictures as I could that day, and I waited in line for three hours to be inside of the 787.  I had forgotten to put on sunscreen, and refused to leave the line for it.  This moment was too perfect to pass. 

And then I touched her.  I connected with her carbon fiber skin, and was never happier.  (With the exception of marrying my beautiful wife).  The ten minutes I was inside the 787 were magical.  I had found true love.

The Merger and the Greatest Moment.

I remember when word got out that United might be merging with U.S. Airways, and I wasn’t happy.  Then, out of nowhere, United and Continental announced their merger.  I stayed loyal to United as the merger progressed.  While others complained about getting rid of the classic Tulip, I saw opportunity with the globe. 

One day I was driving north on I-35W.  I was in the DFW area.  I watched as an American 777 took off from DFW and flew to Fort Worth Alliance Airport.  I tweeted something to the extent of “I wish I was the pilot who flew the 777s from DFW to Fort Worth Allince.”  About four minutes later my phone buzzed; it was a message to call Boeing.  The greatest moment of my life followed.  I was invited to the delivery celebration of the first 787 to ANA.  The rest of the drive back to Oklahoma City was a blur.

The time between that call and my trip didn’t exist.  I couldn’t wait.  And this time, I flew from IAH on a 737, and again, Owl City was welcoming me to the city on a late night flight. 

You can read my blog about the celebration, and the factory tour on the floor.  But here it is in one word: indescribable.  Thank you, Boeing, for letting me be a part of that.

Passion.

Since then, I have become Premiere Gold on the new United.  And as I type this, I’m on a United 737 with the new Boeing Sky Interior, which I love, flying from IAH to OMA. 

United, I love your airline.  Boeing, I love your planes.  So, here’s the final question; Can I join you both on United’s first flight from Houston to Auckland on the 787?  I want to meet Jeff Smisek (in fact, the first time I get on a United plane every month, I grab Hemispheres to see what Jeff has to say to me!).  He’s one of my heroes.  I want to hang with United crews, because they are the best in the industry.  I want to support Boeing and United in their efforts as businesses to support America.  And I want to take this trip with you, because for me, it’s the journey, not the destination. 

But, hey, I’m just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

The Art Of Thankfulness.

What a year it's been!  2011 has flown by, and as I look back at some of my favorite memories, I begin to think about thankfulness.  Every company has a bottom line.  They have a goal for that bottom line.  When they reach, they thank themselves.  They say, "Hey!  We did a great job!"   But what about me?  I'm the consumer.  Without me, you would fail.

In the airline and hospitality industries we call it "Loyalty."  Encouraging our customers to stay with us through Points, Miles, and Rewards.  I've been platinum with Marriott for five years.  I achieved my goal of Premier Executive (soon to be Premier Gold) with the new United.  I'm Fastbreak at Budget (yep, I'm cheap).  I'm Premier at Staples.  I've got a Qdoba card, an Office Max Max Perks card, a Best Buy Rewardzone Card, and some rewards card for Toy R Us.  I believe in rewards.  But I really believe in the art of thankfulness.

Over this past year I've made some awesome memories... Memories with Taco Bueno, Boeing, and Marriott.  These are companies that I have begun to develop relationships with.  And all three are companies who have extended their hand to say "thanks."

None of them sent me a gift card (well, I did win Buenohead of the week one week, which comes with a gift card).  None of them sent a stock letter.  Each one of them talked with me.  They said thank you in special way.

CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and "Loyalty Experts", hear this: It is time to say thank you.  Loyalty should not be a strategy... it should be a way of life.

But, hey, I'm just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

The Reality of Dreams

I remember waking up early one morning in home in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  Everything about the morning was normal.  I was reading up on Twitter, my wife was making some breakfast. 

In Everett, Washington, it was raining.  The masses were going about their normal lives, but the Boeing Plant was buzzing.  After several delays the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was about to take to the skies.

I had my eyes glued to the intoxicating glow of my Mac Book Pro.  ZA001 was cleared for takeoff, and history changed. 

I saw the 787 with my own eyes for the first time in November of 2010 when I went to the Future of Flight and Boeing Factory Tour.  From high above the factory floor I knew this dream would change the aviation industry forever.  I also knew I needed to touch the Dreamliner.

See, I touched it!

At EAA’s Oshkosh Airventure I was awestruck as ZA001 circled over the airfield.  She was quiet, graceful, and beautiful.  Her low pass was effortless, and her landing was perfect. 

I stood in line for four hours to experience fifteen minutes in the 787.  I received two things from that event; a great sunburn, and the joy of touching a plane that so many men and women worked so hard to create. 

I was driving from Austin back to Oklahoma City a few weeks before the Delivery of the first 787 to All Nipon Airways.  My phone vibrated just as I passed the Fort Worth Alliance Airport.  It was a direct message from @BoeingAirplanes.  They wanted me to call.  It took me just a few seconds to exit the interstate and make a phone call.  I was invited to join a few other lucky folks during the Delivering The Dream event to pass the key of the first 787 to ANA.  Yes, yes, and yes.  (oh, and a GREAT BIG THANK YOU!)

On my flight to SEA I reflected on the journey to the delivery.  I thought about all of the people who moaned so much about the delays.  (You can read my thoughts about the delays here: Don’t Hate the Delays.)  I imagined what efforts were taken to explore new materials and change wing designs. 

On Monday, September 26^th, I woke up (far too) early.  I showered and donned my favorite Boeing hoodie, and I headed north from my hotel.  Once again, it was raining in Seattle.  I once read a Hawaiian Proverb: Rains gives life.  That day it would give life to a new era of air travel. 

I’ll skip the boring details of waiting around... (which I loved every moment of, it just doesn’t make for good story telling)

The Boeing Employees Lead the Way for the 787

We arrived outside of the 787 bay of the factory to a crowd of Boeing employees and (what I assume were) ANA employees.  No one was deterred by the rainy Seattle day, there were high spirits all around.  The ceremony started with the Grand Entrance of the 787 to be delivered with 500 (my rough guess) Boeing employees clearing its path.  It was an emotional moment for many Boeing workers, as the dream set before them years ago became reality. 

McNerney and Ito look at the 787 during the ceremony.

Shinichiro Ito, the CEO of All Nipon Airways, didn’t give a speech, he told a story of plane and its people who faced many challenges, but joined together, despite a communication barrier, and overcame the mountain in front of them.  His story was filled with sincere thankfulness to have the honor of flying the 787 first, and for the support that Boeing provided, and will continue to provide, ANA. 

James McNerney, the CEO of Boeing, proclaimed a resounding trumpet of victory.  His team fought through the hard delays, and constant ridicule of the media, to get to this moment. 

The entire ceremony was more beautiful than a wedding, more honoring than a military salute, and more outspoken than a moment of silence.  There was so much pride and joy in the faces of the Boeing Employees.  It meant the world to me to be a part of it. 

A Boeing Employee Celebrates!

The rest of the day included a private factory tour, on the factory floor.  I cannot show you any images, but I want you to know that Boeing is a well-oiled machine.  They know how to make airplanes. 

The whole day can be summed up in this: Boeing doesn’t make airplanes, they deliver the machines that dreams are made of. 

I would like to thank Mike and Bernard for hosting the others and me during this amazing day.  Bernard, thank you for creating this opportunity for me.  Mike, thank you for the wonderful gifts from the Boeing Store and for lunch.  I would also like to thank the entire Boeing Company for taking great pride in what you do.  Your dedication helps create the most amazing flying machines in the world.  Also a special thanks should be given to Eric for working hard on those great videos. 

To conclude: If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going. 

But, hey, I’m just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

The Dreamliner at Oshkosh

The ANA 787 infront of the factory.

And just for good measure: Here's United's First 787 (can I get a ride?)

#unitedplanechat - A Well Done Social Project

UA First Officer Tom Rayl and CO Capt. George Rayl
Photo By United

Today the new United held a twitter chat party using the #unitedplanechat hashtag.  The chat was with Twin brothers who work for United and Continental 

Users were encouraged to ask questions and the Tom and George would answer for an hour.  During the event United gave away two model 777s.  The chat was a great way to engage customers, and I hope to see more of this from United.

Now, If I can only get them to have a tweetup in OKC, we'll be doing good!

But, hey, Im just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

A screen shot of the @united Twitter feed.

The Future Of Super Sonic.

The Paris Air Show is full of concepts.  Two of them have to deal with Super Sonic Transports (SSTs). Murdo Morrison, editor of Flight International magazine told CNN, "Good luck to [the inventors], but I'm very skeptical."1  As well he should be.  There have been many concepts of super sonic travel for the common man, but only two have ever made it to the skies, and most of those planes are filled with concrete to keep them from ever flying again.

For those who have lofty dreams of flying at super sonic speeds, let's break down the reasons that will keep us from joining the few who have moved faster than the speed of sound.  The most important reason is cost.  The development of a plane that can travel faster than the speed of sound is a high price that only countries seem to be able to afford.

Look to Concorde.  When Concorde was created it was through a treaty of two countries, not a business agreement between to businesses.  Concorde was sold to British Airways for the price of 1 Pound.   Concordski (the Russian TU-144) was mostly a stolen design, and America decided against funding the Boeing version.

If a company did have the funds to create such a plane, the next issue is that most airlines couldn't afford it. Richard Branson offered BA the same price they paid for Concorde if they would sell to Virgin Atlantic.

Next, look to the investment that airlines are making in Jumbos and Super Jumbos.  It is often more profitable to carry more passengers slower than fewer passengers faster.  Concorde made BA money, but Air France lost.  It's a hard market to break into, and if your airline doesn't have the right hubs, you can't offer the routes that the rich want to travel.

I want to take a moment to point out that one of the manufacturers that is touting a SST design is EADS, parent company of Airbus -- And, if you recall right, Airbus helped shut down the Concorde program to focus more of its money on the Double Decker Death Trap (A380).

There are other issues with an SST, but most companies won't get past the money issue.  Don't get me wrong, I'd love to travel at twice or ten times the speed of sound, but we're a long ways away from that.  But concept are no more than ideas in someone's head.  Find the money and you still have to create a plane that can fly at 80,000 feet on seaweed.

But, hey, I'm just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

---

1. http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/06/21/concorde.hyper.sonic/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Your Own World

In the song "Secret Crowds", Tom Delonge of Angels and Airwaves says, "If I had my own world, I'd build you an empire."  Today's post is a little less business and a little more introspective.  If you had your own world, what would you do with it?  What would you create?  What would be the silver lining?

Tom talks about spreading "love like violence" and "hope like fire".  Would your world be filled with a violent love, or a love of violence?  Mostly, you should listen to the song.  Listen to all of Angels and Airwaves music because it's good.  It's the music that brought my wife and I together.  So enjoy.

But, hey, I'm just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

The Drive-Thru Dilemma.

Does this sound familiar:  You pull up to your local fast food joint to see a long drive-thru line and no one is inside.  In your mind it seems straight forward to go inside and get your food quicker.  You walk inside and wait for three, maybe five minutes before someone comes to take your order.  And then the worst thing ever: you wait 20 minutes to get your "fast" food.

The world we live in moves at the speed of light, and we expect our food to be the same way.  We want fast service.  The invention of the Drive-Thru window seems to have some inaccurate history with it.  Mostly, there are a number of places that claim the rite of "First Store With A Drive Thru."  Either way, it works like this: Ford invented the assembly line, McDonald's made it work for fast food, and someone said, "let's add a way for people to not even get out of cars to get their food."

Since then, we have sacrificed quality for speed.  Let me make this clear: I am in no way hating on Fast Food.  If it weren't for Taco Bueno, I would starve. But there's a problem with this drive-thru mentality: a human being is less important than a car.

I've worked at two fast food restaurants: Taco Bueno and Whataburger.  Both of these fast food joints share a common birthplace (Texas) and a commitment to quality food.  Taco Bueno aims for a "show" time of 30 seconds at the drive thru window.

Show Time: Show time is the amount of time that starts when a customer arrives at the drive-thru window or "pickup window" and ends when the customer pulls away.  

Taco Bueno's show time is lengthy compared to that of McDonald's, which aims to be 15 seconds.  Whataburger cared a little less, they didn't really even keep record of the time because their goal was to make the food fresh when a customer orders.

But most fast food chains base performance off of the drive-thru show time.  That's great for the hungry patrons who are picking up a burger between Yoga and Soccer Practice, but what about the customers who come in to the store?

At many fast food joints there are four to five people dedicated to the drive-thru operations and one or two dedicated to the dining room.  And the worst part is, most of the dining room crews are the newest team members, leaving them unknowledgable.  So, you and your family come in to a dining room to eat, and you wait 30 minutes to get your food in an unclean area because the new guy doesn't realize that it's his responsibility to clean it and the manager on duty is only focused on his show time.

But it's not just the drive-thru, what about when you're at AutoZone trying to check out, and the guy waiting on you stops to go answer the phone?  When a person comes in to your store it doesn't mean that they're not in a hurry by trying to use the fastest route, it means that they are taking time out of their busy day to be your patron, and you should put your best foot forward.... but do you?  I mean, really, do you?

It's time to remember that your customers are number one, and if they walk into your store, you should drop everything and wait on them.  (You know, like Five Guys does.)

But, hey, I'm just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

The sign at Five Guys that says it all.