What It's Like To Be... with Dan Heath

Pitching airline executives during route-planning speed dates, opening a $1.7 billion new terminal, and making space for emotional airport reunions with Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport. Why does she have a beekeeper on contract? And what did a missing freight elevator teach her about leadership?
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1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean?
2. What’s a specific story you tell your friends that happened on the job? It could be funny, sad, anxiety-making, pride-inducing or otherwise.
We can’t respond to every message, but we do listen to all of them! We’ll follow up if it's a good fit.

Designing runways for hot air and heavy planes, inspecting pavement cracks with measuring wheels, and protecting vicious little owls from construction crews with Eileen Vélez-Vega, a civil aviation engineer in Puerto Rico. What does the color of runway lights reveal to a pilot? And what's a "spall"?
WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be... "starter pack". It's a curated Spotify playlist with some essential episodes from our back catalogue.
GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com
FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Email us at partnerships@whatitslike.com
WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions:
1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean?
2. What’s a specific story you tell your friends that happened on the job? It could be funny, sad, anxiety-making, pride-inducing or otherwise.
We can’t respond to every message, but we do listen to all of them! We’ll follow up if it's a good fit.

Sequencing departures like a moving puzzle, scrambling when a jet takes off without clearance, and catching what radar misses with a glance out the window with Michael Rejent, an air traffic controller. What does "tally ho" mean to a pilot? What phrase makes every controller in the cab look up?
WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be... "starter pack". It's a curated Spotify playlist with some essential episodes from our back catalogue.
GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com
FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Email us at partnerships@whatitslike.com
WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions:
1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean?
2. What’s a specific story you tell your friends that happened on the job? It could be funny, sad, anxiety-making, pride-inducing or otherwise.
We can’t respond to every message, but we do listen to all of them! We’ll follow up if it's a good fit.

Hugging a mother through an anxiety attack, bidding for the best routes, and absorbing strangers' confessions at 35,000 feet with Linda Beall, a flight attendant. What does it mean when the cabin bells ring three or four times? And what makes a trip a “dog”?
WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be... "starter pack". It's a curated Spotify playlist with some essential episodes from our back catalogue.
GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com
FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Email us at partnerships@whatitslike.com
WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions:
1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean?
2. What’s a specific story you tell your friends that happened on the job? It could be funny, sad, anxiety-making, pride-inducing or otherwise.
We can’t respond to every message, but we do listen to all of them! We’ll follow up if it's a good fit.

Shooting cat-three landings in the fog, using the “voice of God” on unruly passengers, and declaring Mayday after an engine fire with Paul Drusch, a commercial airline pilot. Why does the pilot’s paycheck start with the parking brake? And what does “sterile cockpit” mean? (Spoiler: it doesn’t mean “clean.”)
WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be... "starter pack". It's a curated Spotify playlist with some essential episodes from our back catalogue.
GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com
FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Email us at partnerships@whatitslike.com
WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions:
1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean?
2. What’s a specific story you tell your friends that happened on the job? It could be funny, sad, anxiety-making, pride-inducing or otherwise.
We can’t respond to every message, but we do listen to all of them! We’ll follow up if it's a good fit.