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"We are the protagonists of our stories called life, and there is no limit to how high we can fly."


PHD. MBA. MHS. Type rated on A350, A330, B777, B747-400, B747-200, B757, B767, B737, B727. International Airline Pilot / Author / Speaker. Dedicated to giving the gift of wings to anyone following their dreams. Supporting Aviation Safety through training, writing, and inspiration. Fighting for Aviation Safety and Airline Employee Advocacy. Safety Culture and SMS change agent.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Safety and Accountability

In Aviation 

Without Accountability 
There is No Safety
There is No Security
There is No Justice


If anyone is wondering why tires are falling off planes, pilots are skidding off the runway, engines are burning up due to ingested plastic,  women are being sexually harassed and raped, and individuals are killing themselves in the airline industry, it all comes down to one thing. Accountability. Or rather...lack of. 

Unfortunately there is no accountability in Aviation because the FAA is the tail wagged by the airlines, laws protect the rich and powerful, and bad behavior is allowed to continue. Professionalism be damned. 

There was a time that the NTSB released the cockpit voice recordings. When the public knows what's going on, they speak out and change happens. Today the voice recordings are not released to the public.  Robert Sumwalt's February 7, 2023 article, The Full Story of the CVR explains why.  He stated in that article: 

"By law, NTSB is prohibited from releasing the actual audio recording. This is the result of events following the August 1988 crash involving Delta 1141 at DFW Airport. NTSB found the pilots failed to set the flaps before takeoff and crashed immediately after liftoff. Following a year-long Freedom of Information Act battle with a local Dallas TV station, a judge ordered NTSB to release the actual recording. It was played on the air. To put it mildly, it was a bombshell. There was nearly 8 min. of what the official NTSB transcript described as “non-pertinent conversation between the flight crew and flight attendant” who was visiting the flight deck during taxi-out.

However, the actual recording revealed that content wasn’t non-pertinent at all. It revealed the extent of the crew’s unprofessional and casual attitude. ″We forgot to discuss about the dating habits of our flight attendants so we could get it on the recorder in case we crashed. Then the media would have some kind of a juicy tidbit,″ one crew member said. “We gotta leave something for our wives and children to listen to.″

How could anyone assert that the content of their language wasn't pertinent? This crews' unprofessional attitude was at fault for this accident. Unfortunately when we don't hold people accountable, nothing will change. Isn't professionalism something we expect of our flight crews, airline management, and aircraft manufacturers? If you haven't done so yet, you should read Dr. Tony Kern's book "Going Pro The Deliberate Practice of Professionalism" Unfortunately, professionalism has fallen off the grid. 

Today, not even the attorneys get to listen to the CVR to defend passengers or employees because airlines erase it, and by the time litigation gets to discovery, it's too late. There is no accountability. The legal process takes too long. But, as they say, "boys will be boys" and "what happens in the flight deck stays in the flight deck." But should this be allowed to continue?

Last week I joined a hearing via zoom regarding the continuation of Christine Janning case against SWA who was assaulted by the naked masturbating pilot. Sara Hammel wrote a detailed and shocking article on The Landing regarding this case. But what I learned from that hearing is that there is no accountability. 


During the hearing it was clear that nobody was arguing against what transpired. Not the union. Not the company. Not even Michael Haak. But they are arguing semantics and how the complaint was written. They are all vying for a legal loophole to remain unaccountable and if they get away with this, the behavior continues. 

This is not the first time Captain Haak behaved badly. This is the culture of SWA. Remember the story of the two pilots who were fired at SWA for flying naked and were terminated? The first part is true... they were flying naked, the second part is that they both got their jobs back. And how could that happen? Because, it wasn't fair that others were doing far worse at the airline, so claimed Captain Jim Austin. He also knew all the bad actors and he deposed the parties involved, providing a detailed record. At this point, I will just show the highlights of one, of many documents, from a hearing of which Captain Brink Cobb, the Union Grievance Chairman was testifying. 

Naked Pilots. Blow Jobs. Fights. Threats. Racial Attacks. FBI. Breaching Secure Areas and more...

Following was asserted in the transcripts. Only those with arrest records and FBI investigations have been fully investigated. These are the words from Captain Jim Austin and Captain Cobb's hearing. 

None of the Following Pilots 
Were Disciplined or Discharged!

  • CA Jim Austin - Reported and investigated by SWAPA and SWA for flying naked while at controls of aircraft. (Flight attendant reported them Redacted).
  • CA John Boobas - Reported and investigated by SWAPA and SWA for flying naked while at controls of aircraft. (Flight attendant reported them Redacted).
  • CA Sumner Wyall - Reported for flying naked while at controls of aircraft.
  • CA and Chief Pilot - Steve Dalton - Reported for flying naked while at controls of aircraft.
  • CA Rick Duke and Chief Pilot and Management Check Airman - Reported for oral sex while at controls of aircraft from Flight Attendant Redacted.
  • CA and Check Airman Tom Lakin - reported for being drunk and exposing himself and “ball walking” through the lobby of the Ontario hotel.
  • CA Sam Cohn - Reported for having oral sex in an airport jetway.
  • CA TJ Rueschenberg - Reported and investigated for assault of Flight Attendant Redacted.
  • Nevada court records show captain Rueschenberg was charge with two counts of sexual assault, and over the course of a year, entered an Alford guilty plea in criminal court for his conduct. 
  • TJ Rueschenberg won his grievance hearing and was reinstated at Southwest. 
  • CA John Priess - Investigated by FBI for hate crimes/racial violence and threatening an African American Flight Attendant (Flight attendant was paid 7 figures for her silence, but nothing happened to Priess.)
  • Management pilots CA John Otiker and CA Bob Torti raced their cars in Dallas HDQ parking lot and crashed, penetrating the Dallas Love Field Airport security boundary fence and prompted an Federal investigation for the security breach.
  • CA Alan Tellam Phoenix pilot got in fist fight in employee parking lot with another pilot and threatened to kill him. 
  • CA Don Renfro was being stalked by ramp agent got in fist fight in PHX employee parking lot, and the ramp agent was never disciplined. 

Good Moral Character?

To hold an ATP a pilot must be of good moral character. Morality is subjective and depends upon who the judge and jury are. But... an arrest record for assault and the Captain speaks volumes. How is this even possible? The bottom line is that this behavior does not belong in the flight deck, and I can't imagine what the pilots would do if they were naked and an emergency occurred. Would they deal with the emergency or get dressed first, sacrificing the safety of the passengers?

Imagine if SWA Flight 1380 had not been Captained by Tammie Jo Shultz and her amazing first officer, Darren Elliser? What if a couple of SWA naked management pilots were up there instead, or one or both were getting blow jobs when the fan blade took out the window, a passenger, and half their systems were not functioning. I would imagine the outcome of that flight would have been quite different. If you have not read this book you should and you will see the need for professionalism at all times, especially when you least suspect it. 
 

Captain Jim Graham perjured himself in court on multiple accounts, he violated federal law, so says the judge and the administrative review board, both of which indicates lack of morale character.  I filed a report with the FAA, and yet he was promoted to CEO of Endeavor... proving that lying and violating federal regulations in the industry is okay. The FAA did nothing. The FAA has done nothing to reach out and place a thumb on this behavior at any of the airlines.  Yet, if a pilot has one glass of wine at their daughter's wedding and gets a low level DUI, despite never drinking otherwise, they will be classified as an alcoholic, placed in the HIMS program and their life destroyed, as the FAA designates them an alcoholic. Where is the justice. 

The Future

What happens with Christine's case, and others like hers, will dictate the longevity of the piloting profession. Pilots, managers and CEOs who behave with such lack of professionalism are placing lives in danger. Southwest Airlines and SWAPA (Southwest pilot association) should end this, and say enough is enough. Hold your people accountable. Set an example. Move on. Everyone has been bought off to silence the facts, and now they might just escape.  

After observing the efforts of both SWAPA and SWA to avoid accountability, I think Christine could file a discrimination case against the company for treating her different than all these men, and another against the union for not supporting her in the same manner they did her male counterparts. The reason for these new claims would be to present this new evidence. Now that she has new information to base her claim, and the statute of limitations clock starts anew. Then all this trash gets made public. Unless of course the parties involve want to simply do the right thing. 

I want to thank Captain Jim Austin for enabling these events to come to light. While he profited from his bad behavior, the transcripts he made available will hopefully help stop this behavior in the future. Time will tell. 

AIR21 The Whistleblower Law 

If you haven't done so yet, please sign the petition to change the AIR21 statute. The solution to eradicating bad behavior is to hold people accountable. 


Dr. Karlene Petitt
PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727






Sunday, March 3, 2024

Sex in the Skies...

Is this Legal?

At some airlines pilots are not allowed to read while flying. Other airlines prohibit pilots from taking pictures aloft. It's even illegal to talk during a sterile environment. Therefore, how is it legal at Southwest Airlines for a pilot to strip naked and masturbate during flight? Apparently the union and management think it's okay. 

A year ago in October, I attended a zoom hearing regarding the legal battle with Christine Janning regarding the naked masturbating pilot at SWA. Well... they are headed back to another hearing and this is going to be interesting. Why did this captain think that behavior was okay? And furthermore, why was nothing done?


Rumor has it, that SWA Management pilots and SWA Chief pilots have also been stripping naked and... well... let's just say that those who are joining them in the flight deck are literally taking "sucking up to management" to the next level. When parents behave badly, the kids often follow suit. I believe that airline management who exhibit bad behavior, set the example for other employees to do the same. This hearing should be lively and you are invited to attend. I'm curious how they learned this new information. 

Mark your Calendar
March 6, 2024 
1:30 pm

You are Invited! 

Join us at the video conference on March 6, 2024 at 1:30 pm (EST). Honorable Judge Eric J. Netcher, Circuit Court Judge for the Ninth Judicial Circuit for Orange County, Florida, will be presiding. This event should last about one hour and is a public hearing therefore you can join. I will be there! 



Videoconference Hearing Procedures are conducted via Cisco WebEx. Following is the link for any remote proceedings in this division. Click the link below

https://ninthcircuit.webex.com/webappng/sites/ninthcircuit/dashboard/pmr/40orange

Video Access Number: 2339 961 4383

CALL IN 

If you don't have access to a computer, you can call in. 
Phone Numbers: 
1-904-900-2303 or 408-418-9388

Phone Access Number: 2339 961 4383

Don't be afraid if they ask you your name. You can reply "Joe Blow" or "Master Bater"... it might appropriate. Hope to see you there! 

Enjoy the Journey
Dr. Karlene Petitt
PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727


Monday, February 26, 2024

AVIATION WEEKEND

SUCCESS

The conference was incredible and so busy.  Which proves one thing, the Passion for Aviation is alive! We had a great mental health talk and I learned of many people who want this subject to move from taboo to an open discussion.  We need to speak about this subject more openly. Many connections from the past stopped by to say hello and those who will be in my future, too. Bur for today... enjoy the photos. 

I even gave away my flight bag to Mike, starting his next career, when he bought all the novels. He also bought Flight To Success for his teenage daughters, who I plan to travel to Portland to speak to their school. Life is beautiful when you share a passion with others. 










Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene 


Friday, February 23, 2024

Northwest Aviation Conference

And Trade Show

February 24 & 25, 2024

SATURDAY 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM 

 SUNDAY 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM


You're invited the biggest and best Aviation Conference in Western Washington... the Northwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show. I will be  at Booth 124 over the weekend, autographing books and giving away great prizes! And sharing the love of aviation. 

Then, at 1 p.m., on Saturday the 24th (tomorrow), I will be speaking in the Pioneer room discussing the hot topic of the year.... Mental Health and the pilot. Yes, the world is upside down. We may not have the ability to upright it, but together we can learn how navigate through the chaos and save our mental health in the process. 


Make sure you drop by my booth to enter and win a great prize! I'm giving away the makings for the next simulator pilot. And... I'm adding a joy stick too! This is a $450 value. I'm also giving away a few more surprises too (priceless) but you'll have to drop by the booth to see what those may be. Collector items for those who love aviation. 



This is the big release of the next novel in the series: 


And the new children's book
The Happy Plane! 


The Happy Plane is children's book to help our kids learn the skill to control negative thinking. Teaching kids how to have better thoughts at a very young age will carry forward to their teen years and for a lifetime of joy and improved mental health.

I'm also giving my flight bag to the first person who buys the entire set of books! Fill her up, and she's yours. Boy... the stories she tells...


We're going to have a great conference! I hope to see you all and catch up on the adventures over the year!

For More Information About the Conference Click Here

Enjoy The Journey!
XO Karlene 


Wednesday, February 21, 2024

When the Plane Falls Apart

 You Hope You Have Competent Pilots Flying

Boeing 747-200 Wing in 2004

Twenty years ago, a panel on my 747 wing broke off. I was a 747 Second Officer at the time. We had just departed Anchorage headed for Tokyo. During the walkaround I had asked about over-servicing one of the landing gear struts, and maintenance confirmed it was within limits We took off, gear up, and Boom! It felt like a sledge hammer hit the side of the aircraft and then she shook violently. 

The first thought was it the gear due to the timing of retraction. The FO called maintenance. I went down stairs to see if any of the cargo was an issue. As I returned the guys were cycling the landing gear. They were also cleaning up the plane, meaning bringing flaps up. When the gear and flaps were retracted, the  vibration stopped. 

We pressed onto Tokyo, and we even made fuel. Meaning... we did not burn what we planned, but less than. In hindsight, it's hard to believe with a hole in the wing we would not burn more. When we began configuring I said, "Do you feel that?" I could feel the vibration in my feet. As we slowed, it got worse. We landed with flaps 15 and kept her at higher speed. 

Not until we landed and I climbed a ladder, did I see the hole. To put it into perspective, the wing is about 48 feet at that area. This hole was every bit of 6 feet long, and a foot wide. 


This week the world watched the video of the B757 leading edge falling apart and the ensuing emergency landing. A question media asked, "Is this a maintenance issue" the answer is "NO". This is an age related issue. Equipment breaks. Old airplanes fall apart. 



This leads me to the question of why haven't these planes been grounded? If this happened on one aircraft, couldn't it happen on others too? Hopefully the next component failure due to fatigue won't be the rudder. That would have catastrophic consequences. Fingers crossed they remember the bolts and pray that the old structures hold.  


Friday, February 9, 2024

Integrity in the Aviation Industry

 ABC News Corespondent  

John Nance

John Nance will tell you he is a self-employed author, wrote a couple of books, and is maintaining his  business of about 32 years running as a professional speaker, mostly in medicine. In truth, he's written over two dozen books, most of which were bestsellers, and some even made into movies. Blackout, Final Approach and Scorpion Strike are some of my favorites, but his novel, the Vendetta Crossing was amazing. I had the privilege of a sneak peek to help out with the Airbus information. He has been such a support throughout my writing and aviation career. More than that, he had the courage and conviction to step up to the plate in my darkest hour. 

John flew for Braniff International. He ended his Braniff career 1982 as the result of a bankruptcy. Then he moved on to Alaska Airlines. He was also a United States Air Force officer pilot commissioned in 1968 who was on active duty until 1975, at which time he shifted to the 97th Reserve Squadron at McCord where her remained for a total of 17 years. If that's not enough, he also holds a law degree. 

He even won an award for his book why hospitals should fly


I met John Nance at a book signing about 35 years ago at a Fred Meyer of all places. I had a baby in arms and two toddlers at my side, and told him I was going to be a pilot and an author, too. Then I said I planned to write movies. He advised me to write the book first, and was extremely encouraging toward my dreams of becoming an airline pilot. I did become a pilot, and even followed him to Braniff, but eight years after he was gone. 

In 2008 I was about to take a screen play writing class, but I had remembered what he said and I switched to the novel writing course instead. Years later I reached out to him for his expert opinion as an author, and thus he's read a few of my novels and commented on them. In Flight For Sanity, he wrote: 

"When Karlene Petitt grabs you by the throat with her fast-paced narrative, she doesn't let you go until the early hours of the morning! Flight for Sanity plunges you into a world in which money trumps everything...aviation safety, homeland security, and even the presidency. Couldn't happen? Some of it already has, as with the use of fraudulent mental concerns to silence airline pilots who dare to point out safety problems.

A wild and scary ride with a satisfying and potentially accurate ending. And there may not be enough orange jump suits to go around!" John Nance. 

 

WITNESS 

For those of you who personally don't know John Nance, beyond seeing him on television as the ABC news correspondent, he is a man of integrity. He's approachable, kind, and giving. He took his time to testify in my trial. The fun part was that my attorney Lee Seham and John Nance actually set precedence on expert testimony for pilots. I still smile reading the transcripts. This is something every pilot and attorney should read. 

After the preliminaries of John's experience, Lee asked, “What have you witnessed with respect to Karlene's professional demeanor?” and John began with, “An extraordinary individual," then he continued to explain why he was of that opinion. 

This testimony infuriated Delta's legal team and their attorney said, "I’m going to object to the testimony of Mr. Nance to the extent he’s testifying as an expert on human factors! He’s never been disclosed as an expert, and we certainly didn’t have any notice that he would be testifying as someone with expertise in this matter!" She was livid. 

Well, I'm here to tell you that Lee's rationale as to why John Nance was qualified to give expert testimony, despite not being anointed an expert in this case and having never worked for Delta, was priceless. The judge overruled Delta. John was able to testify. And testify he did. 

SPOILER ALERT

John Nance is the only character in Flight For Justice whose name was not changed. His good friend, a retired Northwest Captain also testified. The question the retired NWA captain posed for the judge regarding people being different is a must read. There were three other courageous Delta pilots who testified as well. You might have to read the book to see if you know who each of these individuals are, by what they said. 

The aviation industry is a small world, I'm wondering if you can guess who all the witnesses are in Flight For Justice simply by their testimony. Yes... I kept the dialogue verbatim from the trial, and just captured enough for the story to unfold. 

Get your autographed copy of
  Flight For Justice today! 
Also on Amazon and Kindle too! 

Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene 

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Flight For Justice

 Is a Fight for Justice 



Flight For Justice is an aviation legal thriller that is more truth that fiction, and based on real events. The trial testimony is verbatim from Petitt vs Delta. The deception and a false mental health accusations are also nothing short of a conspiracy of which the union is complicit, and the FAA looks the other way to the safety of our industry. 

The trial is a distraction to what's really happening behind the scenes. Unfortunately, there is no safety without justice and Darby, Kathryn, and the gals are back fighting the villains of Global Air Lines. Bill Jacobs is also released from prison and the game changes. The stakes increase when Covid is unleashed on world. Who would have known the reasons why. 

After all these years Darby decides it's time to let her hair down, as she steps into the ring for the final round in the fight of her life. She fights for the integrity of the pilot profession and the safety of passengers worldwide. But little does she know how deep the corruption runs within the union, the FAA, and Global Air Lines. Or how badly they want to stop her.

Twists and turns you will never expect are found in this fight for justice. This is the 7th in the Flight For series. And the very unexpected ending, leads to the next in the series: Flight For Revenge. Be ready!


Order your autographed copy on this site

Or GET YOUR Autographed copy at the 


Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene