🛫 Episode 14 with Captain & TRI Mark Blois-Brooke  🛬 My ex-chief Pilot at Tag Aviation, Mark, joins me for another fascinating chat on today’s podcast. Mark has a CV as long as you can imagine, having started flying in the 1970’s.  His first commercial roles were In the corporate/air-taxi environment, flying all types of characters to far-flung places around Europe, some of them highly dodgy. He went on to fly commercially for cargo operators such as DHL on Boeing aircraft before returning to the corporate world on Gulfstream, Challenger, and Falcon aircraft. With well over 40 years under his belt, he still flies the Falcon 7x for a private family under Tag Aviation management. I had the unenviable position of going to Mark with my tail between my legs, having had a ramp check in Vienna a few years back. I had come up short in some paperwork representing the correct amount of fuel on board the aircraft and had to take the need for more professionalism on the chin. As always, the emotional discomfort of that taught me a lesson.  Not living with shame but choosing to see it as a gain is one of my mottos for success in life.  After the emotional feeling faded, that’s precisely what happened. Mark is one of those characters who has so many fascinating stories to relate that he has put them to pen in the form of a book that is well worth reading. ‘Life In A Tin: Stories From A Flying Life’ https://lifeinatin.com/ Mark shares his impressive aviation career and insights on human factors and CRM in the podcast. Mark emphasises the importance of passion and variety in the aviation industry and the challenges and rewards of flying in the corporate world. He discusses the evolution of CRM and the need for effective communication and emotional intelligence in the cockpit. Mark also highlights the value of being friends on the flight deck and creating a supportive and inclusive environment. Mark and I talk about the importance of resilience, learning from mistakes, and finding purpose in life. We discuss the need for professionals to work together and respect each other's ideas, even if they don't always agree. We also touch on the evolution of safety practices in the aviation and medical industries, emphasising the importance of analysing mistakes and learning from them. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the value of stepping out of one's comfort zone and embracing challenges as opportunities for personal growth. Keywords aviation, career, human factors, CRM, passion, variety, corporate aviation, communication, emotional intelligence, flight deck, resilience, learning from mistakes, purpose, teamwork, safety practices, comfort zone, personal growth Takeaways Passion and variety are critical in the aviation industry Effective communication and emotional intelligence are crucial in the cockpit Creating a supportive and inclusive environment on the flight deck is important Being friends with your co-pilot can enhance safety and performance Resilience is essential in both professional and personal life. It allows individuals to overcome challenges and learn from mistakes. Even if you disagree, working together and respecting others’ ideas is crucial for achieving common goals. Analysing mistakes and learning from them is crucial to improving safety practices in industries like aviation and medicine. Stepping out of one's comfort zone and embracing challenges is an opportunity for personal growth and development. Finding purpose in life and being grateful for our opportunities can lead to a more fulfilling and resilient mindset. Titles The Benefits of Being Friends with Your Co-Pilot The Importance of Passion and Variety in Aviation Finding Purpose and Gratitude in Life Working Together: Respect and Teamwork Sound Bites "I love the industry. It's funny, I think in the corporate world, you find guys who are quite happy to go on because it's a fantastic job, but it's a very privileged job." "The gradients are not a