Aviation is in some ways quite similar. There are the cabin attendants who welcome us with a smile, serve us with a smile, feed us and, if necessary, offer any other help we may need. Of course, there are the pilots who we don’t get to see during the flight, but who carry our lives in their hands. Thanks to their skill we don’t get thrown around from side to side during the flight and when the aircraft lands we don’t have to clench the seat with both hands. Oh yes, then there’s the charming lady who sold us the tickets. That’s the facade, the attractive side of the operation, the parts we know about. But so many people have had to work in order to ensure that we successfully reach our destination – we just don’t see and don’t notice the work they have done. But they have all played an important role in the course of events that allowed us to take off on time and land safely. For instance, take aviation technicians. These are the people who prepare aircraft for flying, and the course of a successful flight is just as much down to their work as it is the pilots’.

The head of our production departmenat, Andris Lazdińß, doesn’t hide the fact that this particular aspect of his job as an aviation technician does sometimes seem a little unfair. That’s understandable when you think how many times people say: „What a great pilot, performing a landing like that under those weather conditions”, without even considering the fact that, in order for the pilot to even take control of the aircraft, a team of aviation technicians had to first do all the so-called dirty work, spending several hours meticulously checking and preparing the aircraft in much worse weather conditions and at night, so that it’s ready to fly. Andris explains that aviation technicians frequently have to work in adverse conditions – in the winter they might have to work through the night in temperatures of -20°C to -30°C, and in the summer in humid 30°C heat. There’s always something waiting to be done - that’s the nature of aviation. The only way to avoid damaging an aircraft is to keep it covered up inside a hangar and not use it. And when a job needs to be done it can’t be put off until later, because the aircraft has to be ready by a certain time. What’s more, all work has to be carried out with the utmost care and sense of responsibility, because even a small oversight can put a lot of people’s lives at risk.

Andris has been working for airBaltic for just about five years. During his studies at the Riga School of Aviation (aviation technicians are always highly qualified professionals) where he learnt the skills needed to become an aviation technician, Andris realized that this is the area of work to which he wanted to devote his life. But when he graduated in 1996 he wasn’t able to find a job in the Latvian aviation industry straight away. It took a while, and waiting for the right job to come along was hard for Andris, because he knew with all his heart that this was what he wanted do for the rest of his life. Andris doesn’t really want to dwell on that period of time, but he said that his determination not to give in was in part due to his wife’s encouragement. He’s still grateful to her for not letting him give up his aspirations to work in aviation. And it was worth the wait. After making several applications he was finally accepted for a post as aviation technician for airBaltic. A year ago he was promoted and became head of the production department, but his eyes still light up at the mention of hands-on work. Andris is so enthusiastic about his job that he doesn’t even notice the hours passing each day while he’s at work. But he is keen to point out that his work is not his hobby, as it might be for some people who enjoy their jobs. Andris emphasizes that his work has to be done professionally and that a hobby is approached in a much more casual manner. There’s no room for this kind of attitude in aviation.

In that case, what are his hobbies? The head of the airBaltic production department replies without hesitation: sport. With a certain sense of satisfaction Andris explains that he enjoys being active in his leisure time. This inability to sit still harks back to his school days. At school he spent a lot of time playing handball – as goalkeeper. He chose this sport because of his tall stature, and for a time he was quite a successful player: he helped his team win the Latvian championships in his age group, he played in the Latvian national team and in certain tournaments he even beat the current Latvian adult team’s goalkeeper. His health didn’t allow him to continue developing a sporting career, but Andris has no regrets in this regard, because he still manages to spend his free time playing ballgames. These days he tends to play more football, volleyball and basketball than handball. To him it doesn’t matter if the opposite team is made up of friends and colleagues or the boys from his back yard at home – when the game begins he is gripped by excitement and nothing else matters. „When I’m relaxing on my own – riding my bike or exercising in the gym – the most important thing is the relaxation process. But when it comes to team games getting a result and winning are what matter,” says Andris.

The need for excitement is one of Andris’s most noticeable characteristics. He loves trying new things and he never stops at just one activity. One day he might be playing basketball, the next going out on his bike. Recently he tried roller blades, and in the past he’s had a go at martial arts, but that didn’t really appeal to him. Andris is convinced that if he were a bit younger and money were no object he’d be trying his hand at motor racing, competing in the Latvian championships. Andris is pretty sure he’d be successful – he’s good at driving, although he’s only been a car owner for just over a year. It’s the unique wave of emotion created by speed that appeals to him, but the sense of caution that comes with his job prevents him from recklessly tearing down the motorway and he keeps himself in check. Before he bought his car he seriously considered buying a motorbike – a chopper. But his wife talked him out of the idea, „probably for the best”, he says with a smile.

Visiting theme parks is something Andris enjoys even more. One of the best experiences of recent times was during a trip to Canada to visit friends two years ago. He and his wife went on an outing to the Paramount theme park, spending four unforgettable days there, losing count of how many thrilling rides they went on. As he describes this trip Andris’s voice betrays a little sadness that there are no parks quite like that one in Latvia.