Latest / The Captains Council Podcast / El profundo impacto al transporte aéreo global de la guerra en Medio Oriente
Transcript
- Capt. Francisco Díaz: Greetings friends, welcome to second episode of the Captain's Cancel Podcast. Today we will about the crisis in the Middle East and how this is impacting globally, mainly air traffic around the world. We as guest the captain Jonathan Mendez who works for one of the most important of the Persian and lives there. Well, gentlemen, today we a special Captain Jonathan Mendez, an aviation and partner. We together on the Latam many years ago and we have maintained a nice friendship for years. Jonathan is graduate of the University of Embry-Riddle with a degree and a master's Well, with this crisis, this has had an impact in all these countries and in the air, in many crews. This, as they say, was a surprise and has left many people scattered around world. Here in Miami, every time we and leave the airport, we see many Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad in the business administration. He is certified in the 1900 Delta and in the Boeing 737, 757, 767 and 777 and today he is the captain in the Boeing 777. So welcome Jonathan and thank much for being here with us. For a precautionary we decided not to the company or the country where our guest As we tell you, our opinions do represent the opinion of our employer and they our personal opinions. are all parked here. those crews, I imagine, are in all those... those pernodes, well, left there. Tell me if you a friend who is this far from his family. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Let's see, direct friends, my close friends are all here or they're back, but I do know of several cases that have 10, 12 days outside. It depends. Thank you much for the invitation Francisco, a pleasure always. Capt. Francisco Díaz: Well, us a little bit you. Tell us how your life a your in aviation, began and how you this world, what led you join the world. And they in the hotels where they Capt. Jonathan Mendez: In the hotels, yes. Yes, this the company has taken responsibility for this. They an effective in advance of everything that is the meal allowances. And the hotel, of course, paid for by the company and everything. Communication through our company Daily information of what is expected. But yes, have seen many people that the flights, from what I seen, the capacity in all lines of the GoFo is reduced. Capt. Francisco Díaz: Claro. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Well, you did great How did I like everyone else, since I kid, watching airplanes, dreaming of day being in the air. Since I very young. I don't have a pilot I am the first of my family to be with this aeronautical I started when I 17, when had my first pilot student in Venezuela. Unfortunately, school I started had problems with the plane. I had to change schools a couple of times. And that makes many stations have canceled flights not just one day, but two, three, four days. Those are days that the crew has to simply wait for them to them opportunity to return. But the company, wherever you if you on duty when you the company will be responsible for you until you return to your base. In Venezuela at that time was difficult to a school that had Avion working. When I finally got the school where I Avion school, I was 19 years old. In almost two years I the course and from there I my career, as you mentioned, the first regional Dutchman in a company called Avion. With the Vichy for 1900, then the same company I to 737-200. Capt. Francisco Díaz: And I read that you are, due to geographical position you are in, at an area of less than 8 hours of 80 % of global That is, the Persian is in the center between Europe, Africa and Asia. That is, the number of destinations you visit is a huge Capt. Jonathan Mendez: From there I moved to a company that unfortunately broke down, it's called Santa Barbara, 757. Later I was in Chile, which is where we met, in 767. And from there moved to the East, where I for 10 years, I a few months ago, in 777 since I arrived. I was first official and later as captain. me here. Correct. Yes, totally. The whole There few places that can tell you that I haven't been to fly. It also depends on each company, they have their network. There are companies that only white bodies, so they are a little more limited. Capt. Francisco Díaz: El mundo entero. Excellent. You have had a very beautiful When think that you want to be a in the they imagine that kind of past that you You lived in your country, you in national Fuselage, fuselage ancho. Fuselage, si. and then you left and now you're in one of the best airlines in the world. So, I truly congratulate you. And well, you mention that you are in the Middle East, you are there with the family. Tell us how was that transition from Latin to the Middle East, what were the things that were positive and good and what have been a challenge for you and for the family. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: you Capt. Francisco Díaz: Well, with that same topic of the situation, talk to about the evacuations of the planes. Because the planes are already becoming military in this kind of thing. So there are rumors that there are countries that are evacuating planes, moving planes so that they are not objectives. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Look, change, like any change, has difficulties, obstacles that must be overcome. And the first I think we have when we are in Latin America or we know this part of the world, there many prejudices. One thinks or imagines the Middle East very different from what really Perhaps today with all the social media one understands little more how, especially, Dubai is seen lot. It's where I but... Look, this is Jose. I haven't heard from big that are trying to summarize operations as quickly as possible. I only heard in Bahrain. It seems that was a movement of planes this morning. I haven't read any just rumors that we talked and apparently a lot of planes are leaving Varennes this morning. But, as I rumors. Let's through that window you can see what the rest of Medellin is. Much more modern, much more friendly to expatriates, what it seemed me at first. But of course, the first thing is to learn to make the decision, take the risk of saying, you know what? I leave my house, I my comfort and I go on adventure, to get this part of the world. That's Actually, for those arrive here, it is very gratifying. Capt. Francisco Díaz: and move to Saudi is further away from Iran, further away from where the situation Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Yes, well, a little further and it's a lot bigger country. Obviously they have a lot more airports, more bases. I don't know if they to Saudi Arabia or to another country, another base, but as I say, it's just a rumor that I this morning, I would have to verify because the idea is to spread false news It's just a rumor. My wife at first didn't want to here. That was one of the biggest Trying to convince her and tell her, let's see this opportunity, let's see what it can offer us. And nowadays she is in love with the place. Her perception changed completely because, of as I told you, one has a very different of what it in reality. And here life is very similar to what one has in Latin America. A comfortable life, let's say. Capt. Francisco Díaz: Claro. And when you operate in this situation, use corridors. What is a corridor and how is inside these corridors? Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Well, what I've heard, in two or three these countries, the Gulf, they've some corridors called Teguro. It's a airspace that allows for entry and of planes from the airport or base, outside of the FIIRS, or the information that are compromised in this case. They quite small Taking away what's happening right now. Very calm, relaxed, working I can tell An exquisite to live. Capt. Francisco Díaz: And your wife is also Venezuelan, so she's a person who... It's first time she went there, it's first time she lived there, and it's a strong for her, right? So the fact that she has changed her perception totally, and now she likes it, well, it a to be about the place, that it's a positive that it's a good right? And when... Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Venezuelan agor. and they are designed to enter and exit. Capt. Francisco Díaz: We operate in areas close to conflicts, because conflicts not only happen in the Middle East. As you know, there the war Ukraine, what happened in the Caribbean with Venezuela. All these conflict where now with technology are used to block the GPS, to confuse the GPS. Si, si, claro, claro, claro. Si, si, si. ⁓ Capt. Jonathan Mendez: And the thing is, about because it's very easy to adapt to the place. You lot of facilities and the transition from here here It's prepared because most the live here are expatriates, we're not locals. So the country is prepared for us, in sense that all companies understand when you Capt. Francisco Díaz: In English, the blockage is called GPS jamming and the confusion of the GPS is the GPS spoofing. Tell us how you deal with that when you on the Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Correct. Well, it's quite common in certain areas of both the Middle East and also the Far East. About Yangon, Myanmar, which would be the field of Myanmar, it's quite common lately. They had, I think, a coup d'état some time ago and as result of that event it's quite common to get what is the new, that you don't know how it works, and they take by hand in all the processes. Capt. Francisco Díaz: And as they in aviation, happy wife, happy life. The important thing is that the lady is happy, the family because as a pilot you go out to fly and you are in all parts of the world and the who are there are the family, the ones who stay behind in the house. So is very important that they are comfortable. That is essential. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Exactly. the signal All the companies in Middle East, from what I understand, have designed procedures regarding how deal with it. In fact, is in the Boeing a procedure like that of GPS unreliable. And that is a list of checks that takes you to deactivate the GPS and navigate with inertial and ground Correct. Thank you. Capt. Francisco Díaz: How was your beginning in the company? Let's now about the difference in flight or in the business culture between what we live together in Latin America, in TAM and the other airlines that you in Latin America and what you have lived here in this new Middle East Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Look, it's not as different as one would imagine, ⁓ comparing it least with LAN, in my case or in our case. But yes, the main difference that one notices is much greater rigidity in what the operational are. Capt. Francisco Díaz: And in big I remember now with the 5G There were some issues with that two years ago, also because of signal issues. In the 787, seems to that specifically had issues because it seems that confused the ground the GPWS, and it took the things. This does cause any of that, but it is a change. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Now, this taking into account that the companies have more than 120 nationalities working together and most of them are not native speakers in English, so they other languages. They have to write everything very clearly and very precisely so that all this range of pilots that we have in all parts of the world understand and act in the same way and it works. You start to see, I've flown with pilots from Capt. Francisco Díaz: the source that the computer is calculate the position. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Yes, remember that the GPS is that the plane navigates only with the GPS. In reality, platform that navigates is the plane's inertial that uses the GPS to update the position continuously. But it is comparing the position that it calculates inertial, is, once we are on land, the position and from that moment it navigates alone. You have the position through ground radio and the position through the GPS. Those three positions, the plane uses them and determines which one the most correct. When you an invalid GPS simply lose the GPS So, if doesn't exist, the plane doesn't it the next priority. When you the spoofing that you it receives a very wrong signal, so the plane obviously understands that it teleported to a position, because when that happens, the GPS jumps. Sometimes... Capt. Francisco Díaz: And you have seen in terms of technology, because one always thinks, as you said, the Middle East, mainly when we say the Middle East, we refer to the Persian Because when one thinks of the Middle East, one of Egypt, thinks of Morocco, thinks of all the variety, but the Persian itself, an oil area of many wealth, because one already thinks of countries of high technology, as you Dubai, Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Okay. hundreds of miles you can jump into position. Sometimes it's small, but the plane doesn't leave immediately, but starts to drift into position. So, of the training is in what we the first signal, that there's something wrong with the GPS You can deactivate it so that the plane and simply discard the GPS Capt. Francisco Díaz: Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, etc. So, you who are there in the Persian and mention high technology, how is the use of technology in your company? How do you see the use of these new tools in the cabin and in the day day? In scheduling, which is the role and everything else? We know that you are flying because of conflict, but there other countries in the Middle East, the Gulf, that are flying in very restricted way. you finding drones, are finding missiles, combat they are sharing the airspace with number of military that could be dangerous. Have you found yourself situations, flying? Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Well, it has evolved a Since I arrived in the Middle East, little over 10 years ago, today, has been an advance. That is, since I arrived we use everything that is digital manuals. We carry everything through the iPad. Systems that updated automatically every Thursday with manual especially what is the part of Jepsen, navigation Recently my company in started using the digital as Aviator and also for flight even HR, everything that is human resources. We now using tools through an application from the company where we can ask directly to the department or they direct us to the correct Many things are automated. Even the flight is still not done. The release. Well, I haven't flown since the last event started. But normally, when these situations we are well separated. If there is military activity by any means, or they the traffic, or simply stop You don't see the situation where they are sharing the space, Elio says. ⁓ Very weird, it should be something from the minute. I can't give you any because I didn't think of and I don't know of other people who have been through let's constantly. If something like this it has been by tweet. but is expected that a short you to change your preferences and automatically, every time there is a flight that you can change your preferences, the system will tell you, look, I have these options, if you would to change them. Capt. Francisco Díaz: Yo pregunto porque... The truth is it is much more advanced than what we in United States in some things. For example, my company, has talked about the issue of implementing that the flight plan is electronic, but it has done And in the topics you mention about roles and HR, are still a little behind on many those things. And that is why the Persian Gulf in particular has always been more advanced in implementing those technological Transponder. one can see the height and where they but in these situations where obviously the artifact, whether it a drone, a missile or a house, does want to be seen, it will not appear on the screen and becomes ... It dangerous not to be to it. So I was talking to a colleague this morning who is also in the Persian and his company has decided to continue flying, in a restricted And he was very upset because he me that he saw as an irresponsibility on their thank God it is your that you are there and your company has kept everything stopped for a security Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Many of them are in trial, they are 100 % operational. These are new yes, many times you new things too. It is the companies with the cutting-edge it other companies that have other more advanced But yes, generally we are at the forefront of many these technological Capt. Francisco Díaz: Entonces, si. Yeah. Claro. Come here, and you as an aircraft it's the same to have the vision of co-pilot, of first officer, of the company, of the operation, that when you have as commander, as captain, there are many issues of responsibility that are already from what to fly the plane itself, many things outside of the plane is, the decision-making and everything. What did think of the ascent there, the position of So, Captain Mendez, thank you for your time, thank you for taking us to your home and giving us opportunity to understand how life there, to that this is an isolated that is not normal, that life in the Gulf is a good, positive for those who in the future may be thinking of moving and working there and taking their family there. It is a positive life for the good Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Okay. Okay. Capt. Francisco Díaz: of leadership. How you it? How has it and as I was is structured for those expatriates who are to live Thank you much for all that explanation. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Well, I think you will see not only in a better any company that gives you command upgrade, you will feel the same way. That change of perception happens where the flight, the handling, actually happens in the background and is the operation in general that you are considering. Here the program is a very complete program, it has several stages, they take you, they prepare you for the position, it is not something that Thank you, Francisco, the invitation. I wanted to close with that, saying that, for last week, which is a very atypical life here is very quiet. I anyone who has that curiosity or that desire to know this part of the world to be encouraged. The truth is that it is a very gratifying and especially for family life, is a life. Muy buena y tranquila. the ⁓ Capt. Francisco Díaz: Excellent. Well, thank you much, Captain. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: See you Capt. Francisco Díaz: Bye. ⁓ Capt. Jonathan Mendez: or by phone too. So we're always with support, say, you feel, or very rarely you're in a situation where you feel alone, which happens a when you're the captain, if you have anyone by your who tells you, okay, a situation on board, what do you You don't know who look where to look. Here always have someone to call, at least for a second opinion, although in the end the decision has been the commander's. Capt. Francisco Díaz: ¿Y ellos respetan mucho eso de la autoridad del comandante? Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Yes, yes, when many times there are situations in areas that are very clear, gray or that are not safe, tell you, your decision, then you decide. And it is questioned. Capt. Francisco Díaz: Well, you know that one of the important as captain of an aircraft is always fuel How much fuel do we extra or if we have to make some changes or whatever. Is that there? If you want to more fuel or depending on the situation? Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Look, I know that no one has that they have been repressed for having added extra Especially the first they you during the song of the ascent or when you enter as a captain, they you if you need fuel, put it on. Nobody is going tell you no. In fact, think is easier to into trouble for not having added fuel when it necessary to ... they look, why did you extra I've had to add extra and in the triple 7 we're talking about 3 tons, 4 tons of fuel, is less. There many cases, but it has happened to They've even sent me an email or notification, nothing, that's not the case. I've heard a couple of stories, but it's more gossip than anything else, so I can't tell that... that you questioned. I have not heard anyone say that they called me for extra Not here at least. Capt. Francisco Díaz: And well, and you mention that you more than 120 nationalities flying. This podcast is designed for Dominican basically. So in the Dominican now, with the growth of airlines, is the discussion of whether we should allow more or less foreigners coming to work in the Dominican Republic. With this international that you have, what do you about the issue of nationalities? I ⁓ imagine that, from what I have seen in the Middle East, the structure... the ⁓ of nationalities. Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Well, the regulations are based on Big Three, the Middle East, and are EASA, the European But I understand that Saudi Arabia is based on EFA. So, they I don't know how much it or if it carried out, that want to a unique aeronautical for everything that is the Gulf. I don't know how long it will take, but it's the idea of unifying the rules. But it is based on European How to work with so many nationalities? As I so structured, designed and explained. We all know our position, our roles within the organization. And that makes it much easier. The truth is that you can fly with someone. Thailand, can with someone from Colombia, you can fly with someone Italy, and everyone will fly in the same way. We all have a way of which through training and manuals, we have standardized it to a point that makes difference. The only thing that costs a little is to get used to the accent, which changes a lot depending on the origin of each person, but apart from that, the truth is that I have seen that both the selection program that has a profile of candidate and training makes it too in fact it's super easy to fly with anyone who is here the company. Capt. Francisco Díaz: And you mention the current and that now brings us to the current to the present. As we know, there has been a war in the Middle East in which it has been involved in an almost involuntary in the countries of the Persian and you are being affected by this situation. How is the family? How is the situation? How are you living Capt. Jonathan Mendez: Okay. Well, uncertainty, in of course, many flight cancellations, not knowing where it's how long it's going to More than anything, calm, in sense that the services continue to I'm at home, I have the I light, I have water. The markets are still open, is still food, so you don't feel a precarious quite the opposite. except when you to the that occur, wouldn't say sporadically, but know, with certain intervals. Other than that, didn't seem like was happening.