About the Pilot

12,000+ Hours of Perspective

I'm Jeff Broomall — a professional pilot, Captain, and Line Check Pilot at Wheels Up with over 12,000 hours of flight time and an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) certification. For more than two decades, I've had the privilege of commanding aircraft across this great nation, from the rocky coasts of Maine to the sun-soaked runways of California.

But this site isn't really about aviation — at least, not entirely. It's about what aviation has taught me about life, freedom, and what it means to be an American.

The Certificate vs. The License

In aviation, we don't receive a "license" to fly — we earn a certificate. The distinction matters. A license is permission granted by an authority. A certificate is recognition of demonstrated competence. One is given; the other is earned.

I believe this distinction applies far beyond the cockpit. As citizens, we don't need permission to live free — we need to demonstrate the competence and responsibility that freedom requires. Personal accountability, systematic decision-making, situational awareness — these aren't just pilot skills. They're the foundations of self-governance.

What I Believe

I'm a conservative — not in the partisan sense, but in the philosophical tradition that stretches back to Edmund Burke. I believe in personal responsibility, earned opportunity, and accepting both the risks and rewards of individual decisions.

Every flight teaches this lesson. When you release the brakes and commit to takeoff, there's no committee to consult, no vote to take, no consensus to build. You are the Pilot in Command. The consequences — good or bad — are yours alone.

I think there's wisdom in that model. Not because we should go it alone in life, but because accountability begins with the individual. A society of people who understand this — who embrace rather than flee from responsibility — is a society capable of genuine freedom.

Why "The Logbook"?

Every pilot keeps a logbook — a record of hours flown, routes taken, lessons learned. It's not just paperwork; it's a chronicle of experience, a testament to continuous learning.

This site is my attempt to keep a different kind of logbook. Bi-weekly entries reflecting on freedom, flight, and the American experience. Sometimes I'll write about aviation directly. Other times, I'll explore how the principles that keep us safe at altitude apply to navigating life on the ground.

If you value competence over credentials, responsibility over entitlement, and earned freedom over granted permission — I hope you'll find something worthwhile here.