As a captain with United Eagle Airlines, I hope you are enjoying your flight. As a foreign captain from the United States I will try to give you a look into my background and my perspective of flying in China.

My introduction to flying began at the age of 15 when I had a job at a dirt field airport washing small airplanes. From the three flying lessons I took then the thrill of flight was planted. With family moved to England and Japan my flying was put on hold for seven years.

After returning to the US, my passion for flying resumed with rigorous training for all the required flight certificates. I worked as a flight instructor, bush pilot, a regional airline pilot, and finally a pilot with a major airline.

The yearning to return to Asia - this time as a pilot, came into being with this opportunity at United Eagle Airlines. It has enabled me to combine my flying career with my interest in Asian culture, having majored in Asian studies at Sophia University in Tokyo.

To cross China on a daily basis - working with a young, enthusiastic, for loving group of professionals has been a good experience. To witness the rapid growth of China in commerce and culture has been fascinating.

The airline industry in china, along with several other industries, is set to out pace and leapfrog that of much of the West. It is a pleasure to be not only an observer of, but a full participant in the booming airline industry in China.

I have seen so much of this great, vast country from good meters above it. It is my intent to, in the years to come, to experience this culture with my feet firmly on the ground of the center kingdom.