Early Career
Convair 440 Metropolitan
My first real airliner. A twin-piston workhorse that taught me everything about hand-flying, weather, and the unforgiving nature of mechanical systems. No automation. No excuses.
About the Captain
Captain Neal
Forty years in the skies. From propeller-driven airliners to wide-body jets — one pilot's journey from first officer to captain.
Over 40
Years Flying
30,000+
Flight Hours
5
Aircraft Types
The Story
The Man Behind the Wings
I didn't grow up dreaming of corner offices or stock portfolios. I grew up watching airplanes and knowing, with the kind of certainty that only a child can have, that I was going to fly them.
What followed was a career that spanned four decades, took me to every corner of the globe, and put me in the left seat of some of the most remarkable aircraft ever built. I flew when aviation was still finding its footing — when the Convair 440 was a workhorse and the Lockheed Electra was the future — and I was still flying when the industry had transformed beyond recognition.
Now retired, I'm writing down the stories I never had time to tell. The close calls. The extraordinary passengers. The routes that no longer exist. The aircraft that deserved better. This site is my logbook — the one that doesn't fit in a binder.
The Fleet
A Career in the Air
From regional turboprops to intercontinental wide-bodies, the aircraft I flew shaped how I see the world — and how I think about flight.
Regional Operations
Lockheed L-188 Electra
The turboprop that divided opinion and won hearts. Loud, powerful, and demanding — the Electra rewarded pilots who respected it and punished those who didn't.
Wide-Body Transition
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
One of the most beautiful aircraft ever built, and one of the most sophisticated of its era. Flying the L-1011 felt like being trusted with something genuinely special.
International Routes
Airbus A300
Europe's answer to the wide-body question. The A300 introduced me to fly-by-wire philosophy and a different way of thinking about the relationship between pilot and machine.
Senior Captain
Boeing 757 / 767
The aircraft I flew longest and loved most. The 757 is a pilot's airplane — responsive, powerful, and honest. The 767 took me across the Atlantic more times than I can count.
The Stories Are What Matter
The logbook records the hours. The stories record what those hours actually meant.
Read the Stories