Ep206: Master Cultural Differences in the Cockpit to Build Stronger Flight Teams

Ready 4 Pushback

Nik Fialka

Business, Careers, Leisure, Aviation

4.8 • 716 Ratings

🗓️ 30 December 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Embark on an inspiring journey with pilot Michael Loswijk as he shares his unique path through global aviation, from flying across continents to starting an airline in Suriname. Along the way, Michael reveals how he navigated cultural differences, built leadership skills, and tackled the challenging process of pursuing U.S. citizenship to further his career. This episode is packed with insights on resilience, standing out in a competitive industry, and creating meaningful connections in the skies. Don’t miss the chance to learn from Michael’s extraordinary experiences and apply his lessons to your own aviation or professional journey!

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE

Michael’s global aviation experience and lessons learned from flying in Africa, Europe, and South America
Navigating cultural differences and stereotypes in the cockpit
The critical role of empathy and leadership in fostering teamwork
A step-by-step breakdown of the U.S. green card process for international pilots
The challenges and rewards of starting an airline from scratch
Why building relationships with ground crew is essential for smooth operations
Insights into balancing safety, communication, and operational efficiency in international aviation

RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED

ABOUT MICHAEL LOSWIJK

Michael is an accomplished international pilot whose career spans Africa, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean. With extensive experience flying the Fokker 50 and Boeing 737 in diverse and challenging conditions, he is widely recognized as a skilled and adaptable aviator. In addition to his achievements in the cockpit, Michael has made significant contributions to the aviation industry as a baggage handler, startup airline leader, and advocate for cross-cultural collaboration in aviation. Now navigating the U.S. green card process, he looks forward to continuing his aviation journey in the United States.

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+597) 8945585

CONNECT WITH US

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SPONSOR

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Set the stage from the beginning, where there's an atmosphere of respect, where everybody can have his or her space to be who they are.
0:11.0	Most pilots don't understand what career opportunities are available in the world of aviation.
0:17.0	They're making career decisions based on advice from friends or posts on internet forums, meaning they are taking huge risks with their livelihood without having all the details.
0:28.1	This podcast was created to help you understand the aviation industry so you can find your dream job.
0:35.1	Let's get ready for pushback.
0:37.2	Here's your host and my dad, Nick Fialca.
0:41.0	Hey, pilot, welcome to Ready for Pushback. I'm Nick Fialca. I am your host. You found the best
0:48.1	dang show in professional aviation. I'm glad you're here. Thankful that you're with me today.
0:54.1	And I'm talking to
0:55.1	my friend Michael. We are having a conversation all about flying internationally, becoming a U.S.
1:02.6	citizen, flying with different cultures, starting airlines, crew resource management, all the
1:09.7	things. Great show, great conversation. And Michael was in Suriname when he was recording with me. And we had a little bit of difficulty with the recordings. Give us a little bit of grace. I'm not even sure how the episodes turned out yet. I do these intros right after I finish the conversation. And if it's a little
1:28.8	chopy or whatever, my editing team's going to work on it as best we can, but it's great content.
1:33.2	It's great information. It's a great conversation with an awesome human. Michael reached out to me
1:38.9	and said, dude, let's record. And I said, man, let's go. Let's do it. So if you want to reach out to me,
1:44.2	you want to be on the show, hit me up. Podcast at spitfireelike.com. We'll make it happen.
1:49.7	So sit back, relax. Let's get ready for pushback. Hey, pilot, did you just get a new conditional
1:56.0	job offer? Are you getting out of the military and going to move your family across the country? Are you going to move in base somewhere?
2:02.6	Or are you going to go out to find that second home that you've been looking for? Well, I want you to stop right now, pick up the phone and call Marty and the team at Trident Home Loans.
2:12.9	It's an organization that's run by pilots. They understand pilot pay, they understand contracts, they
2:18.6	understand military, they have the best VA loans in the United States. Marty and his team have
2:24.5	been doing mortgages for years. They've been doing my mortgages for years. I trust him and his team
	...

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