Kaye Riggs

805-225-4805

800-832-9682

I flew airplanes for a living for almost 30 years and with Continental Airlines for 22 of those 30. I was based in New York/Newark as a Captain flying the Boeing 757 and 767. My flying from New York was somewhat different than what I had been used to as a mostly domestic Captain; I started out flying European routes but gave up because, uh, I didn't like Europe and especially the U.K. where I was spending most of my time. My trips in July, 2009 (as an example) were fairly typical: Los Angeles, Honolulu, Aruba, Punta Cana, Orlando, and Cleveland. We lost our former Honolulu 767 flying in September 2009 to the mighty 737 because Continental Airlines management couldn't find an even-smaller airplane that could make it across the Pacific. Most people can barely stand the 737 to fly from Los Angeles to San Francisco; now you get a middle coach seat and no meal on a 5-hour flight.

I was elected to union office in late 2008 as Secretary-Treasurer of EWR Council 170 of the Air Line Pilots Association. I was also the Director of Communications for our local which means I did all the writing. It was a good fit; I hate Continental Airlines management and the 22-plus years of rage they allowed me to build just flowed to my keyboard.

After a couple of months of deliberation, reflection, and head-scratching (that began in the summer of 2009), I decided to call it a career with Continental. I flew my last trip as a Captain on the Boeing 767-400 from Honolulu to Newark on November 28, 2009, one day before my 55th birthday. Not only did I make my last landing in 35 knot gusty crosswinds, I got to land my very large wide-body aircraft on the shortest runway Newark has--about 6800 feet long--after making my approach to another runway then circling to land. This is a maneuver we only (usually) do in the simulator and I couldn't have scripted my last approach and landing any better if I was the one to write it. I had an absolutely great crew and was able to extend my layover in Honolulu so that (former wife) Trish and I could spend 5 days in the islands. In typical fashion, flight operations management went out of their way to make my last trip miserable but also typically, they failed.

My (previous) wife, Trish--the former Miss Tope--and I (used to) live on 15 acres (affectionately known as "Rancho Perro") in the Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio and about 25 miles from Luckenbach--although, technically speaking, we haven't actually seen Waylon, Willie, or the boys. We did stumble over Jerry Jeff Walker once--he was passed out on the floor of Gruene Hall and didn't smell too good. We (used to) have a half-assed dog rescue facility--which means we take them in but they never leave. We're (formerly) housing, feeding, and cleaning up after 23 dogs, 3 miniature horses, a couple dozen chickens, 2 exotic birds, and a longhorn cow named Rosie. She likes to lick the tractor. Oh, we recently added 2 new kitties to the collection. Their destiny is to keep the mice out of our barn once they're grown and are done clawing the furniture in the house. They only have one chair left to destroy so they'll be moving on as soon as they finish that up.

I used to spend way too much time away from home without adult supervision and, now that I'm retired, will (not) be back under the supervision of the ultimate adult, my (former) wife Trish. ***UPDATE*** We actually did (formerly) buy the motorhome we talked about for years, a 35 foot Tiffin Allegro. Now that I'm retired, I will probably never set foot on an airplane again--unless, like, I actually have to go somewhere. But I haven't--yet.

A couple of years back I discovered writing talent I never knew I had--really it was more like someone else discovered it but they were kind enough to slide a note under my hotel room door telling me where I could pick it up--and have finished my first book, a story about an Orange County serial killer; I have 1 more novel finished and 2 more plotted that I will be working on as soon as I get over the writers block.

If you remember George Reich from our class, he is also a Captain with Continental Airlines and I run into him now and then. He's still handsomer than me.

No, never.

Steve Rogers

Saint Francis