The following information is a listing of what I did each day, if I remembered to write it down. Most of the information is the hours that I spent working and a record of items purchased. There are links to the pictures that I took on a daily basis so you can see what I may have been doing on that particular day.

Some abbreviations used:
USD = United States Dollar
GBP = British Pound (symbol: £)
IRP = Irish Pound (symbol: £, same as GBP symbol; not monetarily equivalent to the GBP)
I.T. = Information Technology. The best job in the world (inside joke for MW!)

May 31, 2000
On this day, I was leaving my house for Orlando International Airport.
I took the following pictures: 1 2 3

June 1, 2000
I spent this day travelling into London Gatwick from Oceanic flight, then missed the flight to Shannon. I had to board a bus to London Stansted and take the 1800 hour flight to Shannon. That flight was delayed, therefore, I had to wait until 2200 for the aircraft to be repaired. Not only was it a long day, but I was also jet-lagged and tired, because I did not sleep more than 10 minutes on the oceanic flight.

My first view of England was very close to the runway at London Stansted airport. I saw a truck driving on the left side of the road. You never quite believe it until you see it with your own eyes, but they do drive on the other side of the road!

Exchanged 60 USD for 37.52 GBP
Bought bus ticket LGW-STN (Gatwick to Stansted) for 16.00 GBP

June 2, 2000
Arrival in Shannon at around 1:00 AM. Spent the night at the Oak Wood Arms Hotel. The boss called at 9:00 AM and shortly afterward, I was on my way to the office.

Work: 1200-1930 Around office meet and greet

I took the following pictures: 4 5

Exchanged 500 USD for 383.46 IRP (minus 11.50 IRP fee for exchange)
Exchanged 10 GPB for 11.78 IRP (minus .50 IRP fee for exchange)
2.65 IRP on coffee at airport with the boss

June 3, 2000
First flight Shannon to Barcelona. Weekly charter flight. I flew on the jumpseat both directions. We were empty coming back, so the indications during takeoff were: 170 knots, 4500 feet per minute, 20 degrees nose up. Outside, it looked like the space shuttle going up!
Work: 1445-2245 Jumpseat to BCN

I took the following pictures: 6

June 6, 2000
Interesting fact: Supermac's is an Irish originated restaurant similar to McDonald's

Work: 0845-1800 I.T.

1.30 IRP on a soda (dying of thirst!)

June 7, 2000
Interesting fact: gasoline is .769 IRP (76.9 pence) per liter

Work: 0900-1745 I.T.

4.00 IRP on a taxi to the office

June 8, 2000
Work: 0800-1800 I.T.

I took the following pictures: 7

.75 IRP on bus fare
1.99 IRP on sandwich lunch

June 9, 2000
Work: 0845-1730 I.T.

June 10, 2000
Work: 1715-2015 Paper work help-Ground Operations

June 11, 2000
I went to the Coonagh Airfield (EICN) this day. Flew for about half an hour in a Ralleye.

I took the following pictures: 8 9 10 11 12 13

20.00 IRP on steak dinner

June 12, 2000
Last day at the Oak Wood Arms Hotel. Moved my stuff to the house in Limerick, where I would spend the rest of the summer.

Work: 0845-1800 I.T.

I took the following pictures: 14 15 16

50.00 IRP for a week's rent at the house
5.01 IRP at supermarket
3.17 IRP lunch

June 13, 2000
Work: 0800-1800 I.T.

I took the following pictures: 17

June 14, 2000
Work: 0800-1830 I.T.

4.00 IRP on lunch

June 15, 2000
Work: 0745-1800 I.T.

4.15 IRP on lunch

June 16, 2000
Work: 0800-1715 I.T.

.75 IRP on bus fare into town
3.70 IRP on bus fare to office
4.75 IRP on dinner at mall cafe

June 17, 2000
I took the following pictures: 18

June 18, 2000
I took the following pictures: 19

50.00 IRP on rent
3.79 IRP lunch
6.99 IRP at supermarket

June 19, 2000
Work: 0745-1715 I.T./Intro to Flight Operations

.50 IRP soda

June 20, 2000
Work: 0800-1730 Flight Operations

I took the following pictures: 20

3.91 IRP on lunch

June 21, 2000
Work: 0800-1745 Flight Operations

5.65 IRP on lunch

June 22, 2000
Work: 0800-2000 Flight Operations

6.70 IRP on lunch

June 23, 2000
Work: 0800-1900 Flight Operations

3.70 IRP on bus fare to office 3.91 IRP on lunch

June 24, 2000
Work: 1250-1435 Flight Operations
Work: 1435-1935 Jumpseat (The Captain made me do stuff! I am not joking.)

Today is my mom's birthday! I thought that I would go to London Gatwick on a jumpseat. I found out that it was also the wife of the Captain's birthday today. Strange.

.75 IRP bus fare into town
3.70 IRP bus fare to office
3.90 IRP on coat cleaning

June 25, 2000
50.00 IRP on rent
9.95 IRP at supermarket
3.49 IRP at McDonald's (this American fast food is terrible!)

June 26, 2000
Work: 0800-1800 Flight Operations

Interesting facts: Shannon broadcasts weather on HF radio. Frequencies 13264, 8957, 5505, and 3413 kHz.

3.70 IRP on bus fare to office
0.75 IRP on bus fare into town

June 27, 2000
Work: 0800-1830 Flight Operations

3.70 IRP on bus fare
3.77 IRP on lunch

June 28, 2000
Work: 0815-1800 Flight Operations and video camera work

4.20 IRP on lunch
3.87 IRP at supermarket

June 29, 2000
Work: 0800-1800 Flight Operations and video camera work

I took the following pictures: 21

3.75 IRP on lunch
1.32 IRP on a jug of milk

June 30, 2000
Tonight is the Virgin Express Summer 2000 Party at the Old Crescent.

Work: 0815-1730 Flight Operations

I took the following pictures: 22 23

5.00 IRP on lunch

July 2, 2000
4.75 IRP on lunch
8.94 IRP at supermarket
50.00 IRP for rent

July 3, 2000
Work: 0815-1745 Flight Operations

3.77 IRP on lunch
Exchanged 400 USD for 314.00 IRP (no fee because I have an airport ID badge!)

July 4, 2000
Today is Independence Day in the United States. In Ireland, it is a normal working day. I was talking to an inbound Virgin Express flight on the radio and I was wished a Happy 4th of July by a British pilot. Somebody remembered!

Work: 0800-1800 Flight Operations

I took the following pictures: 24

15.85 IRP on lunch for 3

July 5, 2000
Work: 0800-1800

3.70 IRP on bus fare to office
4.00 IRP on lunch
5.50 IRP on bus fare to house
.75 IRP on bus fare out of city

July 6, 2000
Work: 0800-1815 Flight Operations


July 7, 2000
Work: 0800-1815 Flight Operations

4.20 IRP on bus fare round trip to office and back to house
13.61 IRP at supermarket

July 9, 2000
50.00 IRP for rent
3.49 IRP on lunch
2.77 IRP at supermarket

July 10, 2000
Work 0815-1800 Flight Operatons/I.T. assistance

3.72 IRP on lunch

July 11, 2000
Work: 0815-1730 Crewing

I took the following pictures: 25

3.70 IRP on bus fare to office
2.91 IRP on lunch (The sign viewable on this day's picture says why I ate lightly)

July 12, 2000
Tonight was a charter flight to Aberdeen, Scotland. I was all set to go-acquired permission from the captain and from the flight operations department, prepared the flight plans and weather package, assisted the captain with the charts. When the weight figures were calculated, it was found that if I had gone, we would be 60 kilograms over weight. Shucks, I was not able to go.

Work: 0800-2100 Crewing

I took the following pictures: 26 27

3.95 IRP on dinner
4.50 IRP on a lotto ticket (hey, anybody can use 3.5 million IRP!)

July 13, 2000
Work: 0745-1845 Crewing

I took the following pictures: 28

July 14, 2000
Work: 0745-1845 Crewing

I took the following pictures: 29

4.08 IRP on lunch

July 15, 2000
Work: 1000-1630 Video camera work

I took the following pictures: 30

4.50 IRP on lotto ticket (I am now hooked!)
10.58 IRP at supermarket

July 16, 2000
Work: 1230-2200 Flight Operations/Aberdeen flight papers preparations/jumpseat work

I took the following pictures: 31

60.00 IRP on rent and miscellaneous expenses
3.50 IRP on taxi to bus station (feet were tired)
4.20 IRP on round trip bus ticket to office and back home
3.85 IRP on dinner
3.00 IRP on taxi from bus station to house
0.40 IRP on phone call to get a taxi (they were really busy that night; jumping out into the street in front of a taxi did nothing)

July 17, 2000
Work: 0900-1730 Crewing/I.T. Assistance

5.50 IRP on round trip bus fare to office and back home
.75 IRP on bus fare into town

July 18, 2000
Work: 0800-1830 Crewing/I.T. Assistance

I took the following pictures: 32

July 19, 2000
Work 0800-1800 Crewing

7.50 IRP on lunch for 3

July 20, 2000
Work: 0820-1600 Crewing

I took the following pictures: 33 34 35

4.20 IRP on round trip bus fare to office and back home
4.50 IRP on lunch
.75 IRP on bus fare out of town
Exchanged 500 USD for 405 IRP (the Euro was weak compared to the USD so I took advantage of it)

July 21, 2000
Work: 0800-1730 I.T.

3.70 IRP on bus fare to office
4.22 IRP on lunch

July 22, 2000
8.95 IRP on haircut
0.75 IRP on bus fare into town
12.58 IRP at supermarket
4.50 IRP on lotto ticket

July 23, 2000
This afternoon, I would leave Shannon and go to London to retrieve some records from an office in Crawley, West Sussex (a city south of London Gatwick Airport).

Work: 1245-1730 Flight Operations/Company requested travel

I took the following pictures: 36

50.00 IRP on rent
3.00 IRP on taxi to bus station
3.70 IRP on bus fare to office
3.52 IRP on lunch

July 24, 2000
I did my work in Crawley and finished earlier than expected. I'm a good worker, that's all! I took the bus up to London Stansted Airport for the late departure. This is the day of the greatest picture of all time, #39, so be sure to visit it.

Work: 0800-2100 Paperwork retrieval, packaging and travel back to Shannon

I took the following pictures: 37 38 39 40

5.50 IRP on round trip bus fare to home and back in the morning
3.00 IRP on taxi from city to house

July 25, 2000
Work: 0800-1730 Crewing

10.60 IRP on lunch for 3

July 26, 2000
Work: 0745-1745 Crewing/I.T. Assistance

4.40 IRP on lunch

July 27, 2000
Work: 0745-1830 I.T.

4.22 IRP on lunch

July 28, 2000
Work: 0745-1830 I.T.

1.32 IRP on a jug of milk

July 29, 2000
I took the following pictures: 41

.75 IRP on bus fare into town
4.20 IRP on round trip bus fare
.80 IRP on snacks while I wrote my "What I learned while on my Internship" paper
.75 IRP on bus fare out of town

July 30, 2000
50.00 IRP on rent
17.52 at supermarket

July 31, 2000
Work: 0745-1845 I.T.

3.52 IRP on lunch
7.30 IRP on drinks for 2

August 1, 2000
Work: 0815-1845 I.T. (I.T. manager went on vacation, so I was it for 2 weeks)

3.80 IRP on bus fare to office
4.27 IRP on lunch
3.15 IRP on coffee at office for 4

August 2, 2000
Work: 0800-1845 I.T.

4.20 IRP on round trip bus fare to office and home
0.40 IRP on sending "What I learned while on my Internship" letter to the university
4.27 IRP on lunch

August 3, 2000
Work: 0830-1730 I.T.

4.20 IRP on round trip bus fare to office and home
4.84 IRP on lunch

August 4, 2000
Work: 0715-1745 I.T.

4.27 IRP on lunch
3.50 IRP on gift for mom
4.50 IRP on drinks

August 5, 2000
Work: 1600-2200 "Nothing else to do" I.T. work

I took the following pictures: 42 43 44 45

.75 IRP on bus fare into town
4.20 IRP on round trip bus fare to office and back home
3.50 IRP on breakfast
0.35 IRP on chocolate snack to stay awake at the office ;-)
.75 IRP on bus fare out of town
55.00 IRP on rent

August 6, 2000
Work: 1100-1800 I.T.

17.50 IRP on multiple use bus pass valid for 10 days
3.00 IRP on taxi to bus station
4.10 IRP on breakfast

August 7, 2000
Interesting facts: FM Radio stations in Ireland are 2 MHz wide. This means if you tune your FM radio to 92.0, you will pick up the radio station from 91.0 up to 93.0 MHz.

4.00 IRP on taxi to bus station
4.68 IRP on lunch

August 8, 2000
Work: 0800-1700 I.T.

5.00 IRP on lunch
20.26 IRP at supermarket

August 9, 2000
Work: 0800-1900 I.T.

4.34 IRP on lunch
4.50 IRP on lotto
.75 IRP on bus fare out of town

August 10, 2000
Work: 0800-1730 I.T.

4.28 IRP on lunch (I wrote a note to myself to remember this lunch. It was lasagna, and I did not like it very much at all. I found out how much I did not like it when I spotted the first mushroom! It was all downhill from there.)
Exchanged 100 USD for 82.95 IRP
.40 IRP on snack (to supplement the lunch)

August 11, 2000
Work: 0800-1830 I.T. - Achieved 600 hours of work today at 0935 (internship requirement)!

I took the following pictures: 46

4.27 IRP on lunch
3.00 IRP on taxi to house
6.00 IRP on drinks for 2

August 12, 2000
95.00 IRP on rent for two weeks (the remainder of my stay)

August 13, 2000
Today, the boss asked me if I would like to go to the Birr Airshow. We would have to fly up there, so I graciously accepted the offer. It was about an hour flight each way. I was given the flight controls to fly up to Birr. On the way back, I took the rear seat.

I took the following pictures: 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78

August 14, 2000
Work: 0815-2000

4.29 IRP on lunch
.66 IRP on small jug of milk

August 15, 2000
Work: 0745-1800

August 16, 2000
I went on a maintenance check of a Virgin Express 737 this evening. They put me to work! I assisted with the inspection of chip detectors, passenger music player and an engine start.

Work: 1730-2100 Maintenance check (I thought I was going to watch!)

I took the following pictures: 79

3.70 IRP on bus fare to home
5.00 IRP on taxi to house

August 17, 2000
Work: 0745-1730

3.00 IRP on lunch

August 18, 2000
Work: 0745-1730

6.80 IRP on lunch

August 19, 2000
My last Saturday in Ireland. I decided to go to Barcelona on the last opportunity that I would have to do so. Another great photo was taken on this trip. See #81.

I took the following pictures: 80 81 82

.75 IRP bus fare into town
4.20 IRP for round trip bus fare to office and back home
4.87 IRP for breakfast
3.50 IRP for taxi to house

August 20, 2000
Today, I travelled a full day on the jumpseat. We took off out of Shannon and went to Brussels. Returned to Shannon and went to London Stansted. Then returned to Shannon again. It was a ten hour journey for me. Another great photo was taken this day. See #84.

I took the following pictures: 83 84

3.00 IRP taxi to bus station
4.20 IRP for round trip bus fare to office and back to house
Exchanged 100 USD for 82.61 IRP
1.32 IRP for a jug of milk

August 21, 2000
Work: 0745-1830

August 22, 2000
Work: 0800-1845

12.00 IRP for lunch for 2

August 23, 2000
This afternoon, I boarded an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin. I went up there to watch a simulator training session. They finished up a little early so they let me try out the 737-300 simulator. I flew 2 ILS's, 2 visual approaches, experienced 2 engine failures, one of which was at decision/rotation speed, practiced a go-around and even an imminent collision with traffic. The pilots who were there for training were fooling around with the computer and wanted to see if I keep my head outside the aircraft or not! So, they gave me traffic at 12 o'clock, less than a mile. I cut the thrust and pitched down. In the 737, when you cut thrust, the aircraft automatically wants to nose down. I added a lot of nose down. It resulted in me clearing the traffic, but I also heard the ground proximity computer say "TERRAIN TERRAIN, [WHOOP WHOOP], PULL UP!" I added some thrust, and pitched up. The 737 again likes to nose up when you add power, so it ended up really pitching up! I saw the stall and max speed bars come real close to each other (because this recovery maneuver added a lot of G-force to the aircraft) and nearly stalled the the aircraft! The windshear computer even activated because of my rapid recovery technique. It activated because of a quick change in angle of attack, such as what happens during actual windshear conditions. I ended up playing in the simulator for 40 minutes. I had a really great time. It pays to read the 737 manual and watch how it works from the jumpseat. You really know what you are doing at that time.

Work: 0900-1200

I took the following pictures: 85

August 24, 2000
Work: 0745-1700

20.00 IRP for utility expense at house
25.00 IRP for Belgian chocolates gift
1.00 IRP on snack
3.30 IRP on lint remover for jacket (so I look real nice going home!)
10.00 IRP on Irish chocolates gift
3.75 IRP on cake for myself (Congratulations, you survived Ireland!)

August 25, 2000
Work: 0730-1830 Last day at Virgin Express (Ireland). Time to say goodbyes (perhaps for now?).

August 26, 2000
Took the early morning departure from Shannon to Stansted in the hopes of making London Gatwick Airport by bus. This should have saved me the expense of a night at Le Meridien Hotel, but it ended up making me miss the Orlando flight. I still had to spend the night at Le Meridien for a departure the next day.

16.00 GBP on bus fare from London Stansted Airport to London Gatwick Airport
76.00 GBP on Le Meridien Hotel room
13.71 GBP on short international telephone calls to tell people I missed the flight!
Exchanged 20.00 IRP to 13.05 GPB (to be used for spare change, but ended up spending it on the entire phone bill!

August 27, 2000
This time I am not going to miss the flight. I arrived at the terminal 2 hours early. I felt curious to ask the Captain of the Virgin Atlantic 747-200 if I could visit the flight deck for a little while before the passengers boarded, so I gave my Virgin Express ID, U.S. pilot license and university ID to someone who could go onto the aircraft and show the Captain for me. It resulted in being able to sit on the jumpseat for takeoff and landing! On the taxi to the runway, I saw a Virgin Express 737-300. It looked so small from 60 feet up on the flight deck of the 747. The entire time that I spent on the flight deck of the 747 was the most intensive flying I have ever seen! We were on the runway, and I could see the end coming up REALLY fast. We lifted off and used nearly 80 percent of the runway by the time we lifted off. Climb rate was about 700 feet per minute (expected, if you are fully laden with fuel and passengers). The landing into Orlando was a welcoming home. I could hear the familiar voices of the Orlando air traffic controllers and knew where I was in relation to everything. Typical Florida weather was experienced: a small shower about 5 miles before the airport. We landed on runway 35. It took about two thirds of the runway to stop. Since you are so high up, it seems like you are barely moving. Well, we were doing about 90 knots when I thought (if I was the pilot) that I could make the next taxiway. Hmm, better get some more experience flying small aircraft before trying for the 747! At last--I finally get to feel 97% humidity and 95 degrees Fahrenheit temperature again!

I took the following pictures: 86 87

August 30, 2000
Here is home. I've been back in the U.S. for two days and it is now time to go back to work at the university. Everything looks the same as when I left it, which seems like only two weeks have past.

I took the following pictures: 88

Combining all of my expenses while in Europe, I only spent about 1700 USD. This came out to be 220 USD for transportation, 750 USD for room rental, 540 USD for food expenses AND 190 USD for miscellaneous expenses.

I worked a total of 695 and a half hours while on my internship with Virgin Express. I was not compensated one bit for my time (a "bit" would be a unit of monetary value). I enjoyed working for the company and enjoyed every minute that I worked. I feel very honored that I was selected to assist the company and I do believe that my time was wisely invested, based on the experience that I received in return.