Going to Switzerland tomorrow

[saab2000]

I polished my shoes and put all my papers in order. Got a meeting with the folks from SWISS International Air Lines Ltd. on Tuesday.

We'll see.

Prolly won't end up there for good. But I will get to see the Ronde on TV live when I arrive on Sunday morning. That'll be neato.

If they make me an offer I can't refuse, or if I meet a cute Swiss or Italian woman, I'll stay. :banana:

This is the airplane (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0485642&WxsIERv=ONR%20Flfgrzf%20Nieb%20146-EW100&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Fjvff%20Vagreangvbany%20Nve%20Yvarf&QtODMg=Mhevpu%20%28-%20Xybgra%29%20%28MEU%20%2F%20YFMU%29&ERDLTkt=Fjvgmreynaq&ktODMp=Qrprzore%2028%2C%202003&BP=0&WNEb25u=Ebgngr&xsIERvdWdsY=UO-VKB&MgTUQtODMgKE=Fgvyy%20qnex%20bhgfvqr%20ng%208%3A35. %20Frra%20fubeg%20Ejl%2034%20vasebag%20bs%20n%20ir el%20avpr%20onpxqebc.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=3623&NEb25uZWxs=2004-01-07%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=R3284&static=yes&width=1200&height=816&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Oevg vfu%20Nrebfcnpr%20ONr-146%2FNieb%20EW%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%2 0%27ONR%20Flfgrzf%20Nieb%20146-EW%2FEWK%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Fjvf f%20Vagreangvbany%20Nve%20Yvarf%25%27%20BE%20nveyv ar%20YVXR%20%27Fjvff%20Fha%20%28Fjvff%20Vagreangvb any%20Nve%20Yvarf%29%25%27%20BE%20nveyvar%20YVXR%2 0%27Hagvgyrq%20%28Fjvff%20Vagreangvbany%20Nve%20Yv arf%29%25%27%29%20%20beqre%20ol%20ivrjf%20QRFP&photo_nr=19&prev_id=1162789&next_id=1043874&size=L) I will fly if I go back. Against that backdrop. Yay.

[chakatrain]

I've been reading your posts about the whole Switzerland thing. Sounds like things might really work out for you. Hope things work out for the best, one way or the other.

[Karin Kirk]

Good luck Saab,

I hope you have a good trip and they treat you extremely well, as they should!
We'll all be happy to chime in on your decision when you get back, so let us know how it goes.

[Kevan]

best of luck SAAB.

[stevep]

good luck saab.
bon voyage.

what plane is that?

[AgilisMerlin]

good luck.

going home must feel pretty good.

snap some pics for us.
-----------------------------

buono fortuna

Hals und Beinbruch

[BoulderGeek]

Huge envy.

Live your dreams.

[saab2000]

That's an Avro-100. Successor to the BAe-146 built by British Aerospace in the 80s and 90s. It is a 100 passenger plane made for steep approaches and short runways. Slow (relatively - only 450 MPH instead of 500 MPH) and is ideally suited to some of the mountain airports in Switzerland as well as flying the steep approach to Lugano in southern Switzerland where I used to live and into London City airport near the city center in London. Nothing like a 4-holer to feel safe, huh? :D

We'll see. Odds are I won't take their offer. But I have to go see first hand what they have to tell me. Plus it's a good chance to see some family and friends and maybe even the former Mrs. Saab2000. I'll be staying with my sister.

[Louis]

and maybe even the former Mrs. Saab2000

That can only lead to trouble :no:

Maybe you can hook up with the Schweizer Luftwaffe aka Forces aériennes suisses aka Forze Aeree Svizzere and fly some of their F-18s. That will take your mind off of her.

Louis

[Lifelover]

I wish you good fortunes no matter what you decide.

I will be in DC for a day or two at the end of this month (27-29) doing the tourist thing with the family. If you are around I would love to borrow a bike and have you lead me on an early morning tour of the monuments.

[saab2000]

I wish you good fortunes no matter what you decide.

I will be in DC for a day or two at the end of this month (27-29) doing the tourist thing with the family. If you are around I would love to borrow a bike and have you lead me on an early morning tour of the monuments.

You are more than welcome to ride any of them!! I think you would fit the Serotta CIII the best. Seriously, drop me a PM and if it works out you are more than welcome to take the CIII for a spin.

Oh, and seeing the former Mrs. Saab2000? Well, that is a long story. Too long and complex for here. But for many reasons the last chapter of that story was not ever written. We are still good friends and that is a good thing. Still, it's an odd story.

[Serotta_Andrew]

I polished my shoes and put all my papers in order. Got a meeting with the folks from SWISS International Air Lines Ltd. on Tuesday.

We'll see.

Prolly won't end up there for good. But I will get to see the Ronde on TV live when I arrive on Sunday morning. That'll be neato.

If they make me an offer I can't refuse, or if I meet a cute Swiss or Italian woman, I'll stay. :banana:

This is the airplane (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0485642&WxsIERv=ONR%20Flfgrzf%20Nieb%20146-EW100&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Fjvff%20Vagreangvbany%20Nve%20Yvarf&QtODMg=Mhevpu%20%28-%20Xybgra%29%20%28MEU%20%2F%20YFMU%29&ERDLTkt=Fjvgmreynaq&ktODMp=Qrprzore%2028%2C%202003&BP=0&WNEb25u=Ebgngr&xsIERvdWdsY=UO-VKB&MgTUQtODMgKE=Fgvyy%20qnex%20bhgfvqr%20ng%208%3A35. %20Frra%20fubeg%20Ejl%2034%20vasebag%20bs%20n%20ir el%20avpr%20onpxqebc.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=3623&NEb25uZWxs=2004-01-07%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=R3284&static=yes&width=1200&height=816&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Oevg vfu%20Nrebfcnpr%20ONr-146%2FNieb%20EW%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%2 0%27ONR%20Flfgrzf%20Nieb%20146-EW%2FEWK%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Fjvf f%20Vagreangvbany%20Nve%20Yvarf%25%27%20BE%20nveyv ar%20YVXR%20%27Fjvff%20Fha%20%28Fjvff%20Vagreangvb any%20Nve%20Yvarf%29%25%27%20BE%20nveyvar%20YVXR%2 0%27Hagvgyrq%20%28Fjvff%20Vagreangvbany%20Nve%20Yv arf%29%25%27%29%20%20beqre%20ol%20ivrjf%20QRFP&photo_nr=19&prev_id=1162789&next_id=1043874&size=L) I will fly if I go back. Against that backdrop. Yay.
:fight:

Good Luck and if you get the chance... pick me up some Cailler Rayon milk and i will trade you something Serotta!!!!

[saab2000]

:fight:

Good Luck and if you get the chance... pick me up some Cailler Rayon milk and i will trade you something Serotta!!!!

How 'bout a paint job on a CSI!!! ;)

Anyway, I am travelling out of uniform. As a civilian. I hate it. When travelling as a 'passenger - self-loading cargo' we are limited in the liquids they let us carry. Tonight I had to go shopping to find the 'trial size' toothpaste and other stuff. What a farce.

I would love to bring you some Cailler Rayon milk, but I doubt the men with machine guns in Switzerland will let me near the airplane with a liter of milk!!

[Serotta_Andrew]

How 'bout a paint job on a CSI!!! ;)

Anyway, I am travelling out of uniform. As a civilian. I hate it. When travelling as a 'passenger - self-loading cargo' we are limited in the liquids they let us carry. Tonight I had to go shopping to find the 'trial size' toothpaste and other stuff. What a farce.

I would love to bring you some Cailler Rayon milk, but I doubt the men with machine guns in Switzerland will let me near the airplane with a liter of milk!!


Sure... paint on a CSi.... i think i have a box of Crayola's around here somewhere....

i am thinking something a little more solid

[saab2000]

Sure... paint on a CSi.... i think i have a box of Crayola's around here somewhere....

i am thinking something a little more solid

That could happen.......

If I remember what a Serotta is during the next 6 days I will try to bring you some. You will hear from me if it is to be.

PS - the CSI in question (which I still have to pay for) already has a remarkably cool and creative colorscheme of primer and magic marker. I am hesitant to besmirch it as it clearly is sorta neato. But adding some crayon colors to the mix might be in order.

I'll see if I can find the Cailler!

[NicaDog]

Enjoy the trip back "home" and good luck with the interview.

[stevep]

That's an Avro-100. Successor to the BAe-146 built by British Aerospace in the 80s and 90s. It is a 100 passenger plane made for steep approaches and short runways. Slow (relatively - only 450 MPH instead of 500 MPH) and is ideally suited to some of the mountain airports in Switzerland as well as flying the steep approach to Lugano in southern Switzerland where I used to live and into London City airport near the city center in London. Nothing like a 4-holer to feel safe, huh? :D

.

saab,
i thk i flew on one of those into marseilles a few years ago.
the plane felt like it stopped in mid air in its descent.
strange feeling.

[saab2000]

saab,
i thk i flew on one of those into marseilles a few years ago.
the plane felt like it stopped in mid air in its descent.
strange feeling.

Well, they have very effective speed brakes on the tail as well as huge, effective flaps. So it is very possible that the airplane slowed rapidly to a lower speed.

We used to fly these at my current employer and they are comfortable planes. But fuel pigs with the 4-engine design.

Nice ride and they make the smoothest landings by far of any airplane I have ever ridden on. On a good landing you can literally not feel the transition from flying to rolling on the ground.

[zeroking17]

Ich drücke Dir die Daumen!

[saab2000]

Ich drücke Dir die Daumen!

Vielen Dank! Mal schauen wie Es aussieht. Ich freue mich wenigstens die Berge nochmals zu sehen!

Nachrichten zu folgen Naechste Woche..... :beer:

[onekgguy]

saab...best wishes to you. will this be the view (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0462513&size=M&width=1200&height=912&sok=&photo_nr=&prev_id=&next_id=) from your new office if you say yes?

Kevin g

[saab2000]

saab...best wishes to you. will this be the view (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0462513&size=M&width=1200&height=912&sok=&photo_nr=&prev_id=&next_id=) from your new office if you say yes?

Kevin g

That's the view OF the office. The view from the office would be a bit nicer! :D

Thanks for all the wishes folks. It is all a bit murky at the moment and hopefully will become more clear in a couple days. My heart leads me one direction and my head another..... :crap:

[Len J]

Enjoy the trip back "home" and good luck with the interview.

and remember to trust your instincts....you'll know!

Len

[Ginger]

You'll do fine SAAB...

Good luck!

[bostondrunk]

That's an Avro-100. Successor to the BAe-146 built by British Aerospace in the 80s and 90s. It is a 100 passenger plane made for steep approaches and short runways. Slow (relatively - only 450 MPH instead of 500 MPH) and is ideally suited to some of the mountain airports in Switzerland as well as flying the steep approach to Lugano in southern Switzerland where I used to live and into London City airport near the city center in London. Nothing like a 4-holer to feel safe, huh? :D

We'll see. Odds are I won't take their offer. But I have to go see first hand what they have to tell me. Plus it's a good chance to see some family and friends and maybe even the former Mrs. Saab2000. I'll be staying with my sister.
Money ain't everything. Cycling in Switzerland has to be better than Eastern US!
With the Avro, did they get rid of the grinding noise the flaps made on the BAE after take-off??! Sometimes the pilot would come on before take-off and warn everyone of the noise. When he/she didn't, it was always fun to see the look on everyone's faces when the flaps retracted... :)

[A.L.Breguet]

Money ain't everything. Cycling in Switzerland has to be better than Eastern US!
With the Avro, did they get rid of the grinding noise the flaps made on the BAE after take-off??! Sometimes the pilot would come on before take-off and warn everyone of the noise. When he/she didn't, it was always fun to see the look on everyone's faces when the flaps retracted... :)
Cycling en Suisse is brilliant! Saab, if it were I, I'd do whatever it took to work a deal. Good luck.

[De Vingard]

I'd say there are places worse than Switzerland for cycling... :cool:

Some pictures of my rides last week... :)

SWITZERLAND:

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2461/2007032701fs5.jpg

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/7219/2007032702tt9.jpg

[De Vingard]

AUSTRIA:

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/6712/2007033101za1.jpg

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/7353/2007033107bp1.jpg

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/7175/2007033109cf5.jpg

http://img460.imageshack.us/img460/125/2007033110ef2.jpg

[De Vingard]

LIECHTENSTEIN:

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/7002/2007040102kv9.jpg

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/4888/2007040103fv0.jpg

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/6249/2007040105zv4.jpg

[De Vingard]

Still winter, though. So, the higher roads are still closed! In spring and summer, it will be like this in Switzerland:

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/310/2006072303hu2.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2230/2006072312ls7.jpg

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6526/2307200503tf0.jpg

[djg]

Good luck with the trip and the decision-making.

If you're going for good, maybe we can get a DC group ride going to see you off.

[Ray]

Saab, late to the thread, but good luck.

As much as I pushed the wonderfulness of SE Pennsylvania when you were looking around here, I think I'd jump at Switzerland if I were in your shoes. From the sound of things, it doesn't seem like a fast track career to the top is really very possible in the airlines these days. If you assume there's gonna be a pretty significant level of professional compromise regardless of what job you take, I'd say it again all comes down to location, location, location. With not a lot of ties in the states (not that you can't get back for visits pretty easily) and a real history over there, I would think the lifestyle tradeoffs would weigh heavily in favor of Switzerland.

Obviously your call and good luck making it. If I'm wrong about the professional options, forgive me, but that's what I've picked up from reading your posts over the past couple of years.

-Ray

[93legendti]

Good luck!

[saab2000]

I am here. Slept about 15 minutes on the plane and visited some friends at the airport as soon as I landed. Nice! Took the train from Zurich to Baden to my sister's apartment and went for a 35 km mountain bike ride with my bro-in-law and my sister. Slow, but fun. With a break in the middle at a bar for a Coke and a glance at the progress of the Ronde.

Anyway, It is clear to me that I fit in here in some ways better than in the US. That said, the job might not be the best career move and while that is not the sole deciding factor it is major.

I go for my meeting on Tuesday and then I will be able to decide. Fact is that I need two things to make my career more whole. I need to upgrade to captain. Soon. That is a big hole on my resume. Second, I need to fly a big airplane. The Avro on offer is an improvement in size here, but there is real reason to believe that it would be the end of the line as far as career progression. And as much as I do not need full, aggressive career progression, I don't want it to stall out either.

So, we'll see on Tuesday. In the mean time I will enjoy being in this place, my other home. :beer:

My heart would have me stay here. My head tells me otherwise. Not because the US is 'better' or anything like that. But I am reasonably assured that there would be some career stagnation here. Better cycling, but career first officer is not for me either.

Having fun for now though! :D

[Ray]

My heart would have me stay here. My head tells me otherwise.
Go with your heart. Your head will change its mind 20 times in the next few days, but your heart knows.

That's been my experience anyway. I think things through until I'm dizzy. And then I go with my gut. Hasn't led me wrong yet. When I was younger, I sometimes let my head overrule my heart. Led me astray a few times on fairly big stuff. Now I know which to trust.

Good luck, though. Never an easy process.

-Ray

[mdeeds71]

I think you decison path is very sound...Stagnation could be a bad thing but also include the issue if the pay is the usual low FO size you see in the US (No one wants to make 30K-40K a year for being a professional pilot for 5-8 years). Also look at the work rules for them to see if you quality of life will be suitable for other non-work ventures like cycling. I know work rules are one reason I turned down Cathay Pacific...no sense of being a droid with very few days off. I also left XJT for CAL then they (XJT) open a west coast operation not one month after I moved to the East Coast....that was a kick in the kaneegees. But it would have been a more difficult decision if I could have lived in Monterrey and commuted to Ontario.

Big thing is how far from upgrade are you now? Like you said that is the hole that has to be filled. We (CAL) are hiring 64 month till the summer then 24 indefinite and we are short staff even with those numbers. Since Oct I now have 340 junior and will have 810 by my one year. those numbers will still be going on for some years to come...so that is why the PIC time is needed...but there have been quite a few hired with VERY little PIC.

Drop me a line some time same number or new email @rcn.com.

Cheers!
Mark

PS Good Luck! Hard decision.

(767-200 out ot Zurich)

[mdeeds71]

BTW are you interested in planning a cycling trip to Swiss? Sometime next year 2008. I could help with some of the transportation logistics (i.e. passes). I need to get my bike over there soon. This year I only have 2 vacation days so staying state side.

Mark

[A.L.Breguet]

I'd say there are places worse than Switzerland for cycling... :cool:

Some pictures of my rides last week... :)

SWITZERLAND:

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2461/2007032701fs5.jpg

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/7219/2007032702tt9.jpg
That's not the Chasarelle(sic) near Bienne, is it?

[De Vingard]

That's not the Chasarelle(sic) near Bienne, is it?

No, this one is called "Schwägalp" (1'300 m above sea level) and is near Lake Constance... The mountain is called "Säntis" (appr. 2'500 m high).

[saab2000]

I have been over Schwagalp. Neato.

I like it here in Switzerland much better than the hustle and bustle of the east coast of the US. Much better. No comparison really.

That said, the internal workings and vastly shrunken size of my former airline, SWISS, makes it unlikely I will be able to return to work. It will likely become a place I spend a month or so each year, followed by periods of months wishing I were here and waiting to get back.

I fit in better culturally and politically here than in the US I think..... And I liked sitting around the outdoor fire last night chatting with the Swiss/Italian young ladies who came over! :D

Today we did 50 km on the mountain bikes. No real ride. Street clothes. No intent at anything except to ride. Really nice! Perfect weather. Clear skies. 23C degrees. Light wind. Now I am writing this sitting in my sister's apartment with all the windows open and sitting on the Sitzplatz outside.

Yes, I like it here. But this may turn out to be a case where I will have to follow my head rather than my heart. We'll see.

[Lifelover]

AUSTRIA:

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/6712/2007033101za1.jpg




This bike gives me Wood!

[frenk]

Sab2000 did you use to live in Lugano?
I live there!
Probably one of the greatest place to ride, however with all the troubles Swissair/Swiss has run through it doesn't inspire me much long-term confidence... (but I know nothing, I just read sometimes things in newspaper/tv)

[saab2000]

Sab2000 did you use to live in Lugano?
I live there!
Probably one of the greatest place to ride, however with all the troubles Swissair/Swiss has run through it doesn't inspire me much long-term confidence... (but I know nothing, I just read sometimes things in newspaper/tv)

Frenk,

I spent 2 years in Agno - 500 meters from the Aeroporto Lugano (LUG). Che Bello!!! Yes, it was really beautiful. In some ways it was the best two years of my life. But difficult, challenging years.

Today was the 'day of reckoning'. I like it here better. Much better. Unfortunately it might be a bit of a 'career suicide'. In order to be happy here I would have to disconnect myself entirely from my career ambitions. And as much as I don't live for my career, it is not unimportant to me either.

At the end of the day I feel equally at home in both places and frankly more at home here in Schweizerland. But my folks live in the US and as family is as or more important than the rest it is not a trivial Punkt.

So there.

Neither is really better. Just different. Schlussendlich.

So there.

Anyway, blew my wad today with Psychological/IQ/Personality tests and a 2-hour interview with the psycholoist. In order to prove that I am able to do what I already know I am able to do. 'Twas fun actually. But I am exhausted. And I was interviewing them as much as they were interviewing me. For my old job for which I am already proven and qualified anyway.

I already know my own answer. Probably. Maybe. Perhaps. Possibly.

[PBWrench]

Better than Swiss cheese???

[Ginger]

I already know my own answer. Probably. Maybe. Perhaps. Possibly.
Everybody usually does...you just have to put the miles on it to prove it to yourself.