SWISS cockpit talents
reasons why I’m active in the Lufthansa Group orchestra where employees from all divisions get together to play music. It’s a great place of exchange between musical and aviation topics. Which lesson from music facilitated your entry into the world of aviation? The success of a concert depends on various people working together as a team. The same applies to flying. During the assessments on the road to becoming a pilot, much emphasis is placed on coordination and sensorimotor skills. Parallels also exist with regards to communication: Chamber music, in particular, relies on people communicating their intentions clearly and factually; but, at the same time, they need to show empathy. One of the most important skills to have, however, which I have identified between music and aviation is the ability to continually be aware of what’s coming up next. It doesn’t matter if you’ve experienced a setback or if you’ve made a mistake: Giving up is not an option. I think that this attitude has helped me greatly during the assessment.
Wenn Jan Liebich nicht gerade im Cockpit sitzt, steht er oft auf der Bühne und verzaubert mit seinem Geigenspiel. When Jan Liebich isn’t above the clouds, he often stands on stage playing the violin.
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Is a passion like that compatible with your job? It works reasonably well. Of course, at times I don’t get to rehearse as much as I’d like, but this can be offset with some extra practice, which is especially true during my holidays or when a concert is coming up. Welche Erfahrungen aus der Musik haben dir den Einstieg in die Aviatik erleichtert? Der Erfolg eines Konzerts hängt immer vom Zusammenspiel mehrerer Menschen ab, die gemeinsam auf ein Ziel hinarbeiten. Dasselbe gilt fürs Fliegen. Im Auswahlverfahren zum Piloten wird grosser Wert auf koordinative und sensomotorische Fähigkeiten gelegt. Weitere Parallelen sehe ich in der Kommunikation: Speziell in der Kammermusik ist es essentiell, seine Anliegen klar und deutlich, aber mit dem nötigen Respekt und Einfühlungsvermögen
Working at SWISS
And you take your violin with you wherever you go, right? My silent violin allows me to practice in my hotel room without disturbing my neighbours. It doesn’t have a “body”; instead it absorbs the vibrations of the strings, which are then converted into an audible tune, which I can listen to with my headphones. This way of playing comes very close to that of a genuine violin, which makes it an excellent alternative to one made of wood. The violin bow c onsists of Mongolian horsehair, renowned for maintaining its elasticity – even in