Michael O'Connor

From Flight Attendant to Pilot 🚀 — The Jumpseat That Changed Everything 🙌

Empty flight attendant jumpseat on a commercial jet next to the aircraft exit door, with runway visible through the windows under soft daylight.

Discover how one jumpseat flight transformed my career from flight attendant to Air Force pilot. Learn how patience, belief, and reflection led me to the flight deck.

Fly Like You Mean It: A Pilot’s Journey to Purpose and Passion

View from an airplane cockpit looking down a runway at sunset, with a clear horizon, illuminated instrument panel, and golden sky—symbolizing the thrill of flight and aviation inspiration.

Discover the true meaning behind becoming a pilot—flying with purpose, protecting your wingman, and coming home to what matters most. An inspiring look into aviation, discipline, and life on the flight deck.

Shine Light on Darkness

So often, people feel emboldened to share their perspective as a way of keeping you down, making you feel small, so their tiny existence can be fortified in the bigoted castle in which they hide.

Healthy Energy Management

We can manifest the life we want, not just by believing it, but by working hard for it.

🔋 The Power of Energy: How Shifting Your Mindset Can Transform Your Life

Glowing incandescent light bulb hanging from a cord with a vibrant sunset sky in the background, symbolizing positive energy and inspiration.

Discover how energy and persistence can conquer any obstacle. Learn how to shift from negative to positive energy and supercharge your impact on those around you.

Overcome Doubt

I graduated college from Vanguard University, dreaming of flying for the United States Air Force. I have worked hard my whole life, studied, cared, and been involved in activities left and right. If you know me personally, think back, and try and find a moment I wasn’t doing something. Yet, in all of my success,Continue reading “Overcome Doubt”

✈️ “Is This Your Route?” What Flight Attendants Really Want You to Know 💬

Satellite map of the United States displaying domestic airline routes originating from major American Airlines hubs.

“Is this your route?” It’s one of the most common questions flight attendants hear. Discover what this question reveals about life in aviation—and the mindset it takes to thrive in a flexible, fast-moving career.

Why start as a flight attendant 🤷🏼‍♂️?

I need to be able to wrap my head around variables before I can truly excel at something. If I was going to seriously get into aviation, I wanted to make sure I could handle the lifestyle.

That’s so Chocolate Bar

The last post left a lot of people wandering, what on earth is Chocolate Bar? 5 years ago, this story was shared at flight attendant training, by an amazing instructor. It was introduced as a reminder to enjoy the little things in life. To better understand this concept we’ll first look at the origination ofContinue reading “That’s so Chocolate Bar”

✈️ Why I Became a Flight Attendant: My Journey Above the Clouds ☁️

Empty commercial airplane cabin with rows of blue leather seats and overhead storage, viewed from the rear aisle toward the closed cockpit door.

Discover how working as a flight attendant prepared me to become a better pilot. From schedule chaos to handling adversity, here are the three life lessons that shaped my aviation journey.