A train driver stands

The Re460 is a red Behemoth: 84 tons, 6100 kW, or nearly 8300 HP and, theoretically, 230 km/h fast. The Re460 can pull on straight sections up to 2500 tons. She moved to Intercity and interregio trains of the SBB with hundreds of passengers. An Embraer 190 of the Helvetic Airways, on the other hand, almost dainty: its maximum takeoff weight of 50.3 tonnes, it can transport at full capacity 112 passengers. It is faster than the locomotive: If the Re460 reaches its maximum speed, lifts a fully loaded Embraer 190 is not even; the you do around 260 km/h. Maximum, it flies to 870 km/h. And while the train remains on the tracks, swings open the Jet up to 12’000 meters high and will fly up to 4500 miles.

For all their Differences, both machines have one thing in common: Many children, especially those of the male sex, are fascinated by them. Engineer and Pilot, to appear in surveys of jacks at the very top of the hit parade of career aspirations – girls want to be a Doctor, a veterinarian or a teacher. Marcel Mathiuet however, 45 years ago, in aphid-born, a hamlet, with eight out of ten inhabitants in the graubünden Surselva, had a different idea: "We saw as kids fly a helicopter, the felled wood is still unknown." Helicopter pilot, his first dream job was.

it never did. For the time being, Marcel Mathiuets career proceeded in a very orderly fashion. The young Grisons Romansh mother tongue, graduated from the commercial school of Surselva in Ilanz, and an internship at a Raiffeisenbank. His recruit training, he served not in the air force, but in Wangen an der Aare, in the case of the engine drivers. "I came for the first time, with the transport being in touch," he says with a laugh. After a short time as a truck driver in the civilian, he was from 1994 to 1998 operation of the dispatcher first of all, the Rhaetian, then, in the case of the former Furka-Oberalp-Bahn (which today is part of the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn).

life in two worlds

Starting in 1999, but Marcel Mathiuet stood professionally: He was at the same time in the SBB for train driver training in Mollis, GL to become a private pilot. And in 2008, he completed the training to become a commercial pilot, while working on his SBB-employment. "I have the SBB a big Party winds," he says. Because he was training every weekend for the pilot's way, was accepted by the employer without discussion.

Marcel Mathiuet: With one leg in the air, with the other on the floor. Photo: Nelly Rodriguez

Since then, Mathiuet lives in both worlds: He wanted to remain an engineer. At the same time the air attracted. So he hired a private jet company in Zurich, and in 2009 and 2010 was almost one and a half years away from the Rail. But since then, he flies back to his part-time stint as a train driver, while he place since 2016, his other part-time as a Co-Pilot in the Cockpit of passenger jets, the small, fine Helvetic Airways through Europe. There was a career jump in, by the way,: For his promotion to commander, he has occupied a ten-day course in a flight simulator, in Amman, capital of Jordan,. Now, he has to do forty more flights with an instructor; then the new function as a flight captain in the way.

a Lot of Parallels

Except that you can transport both of people through the world, have in common the occupations at first glance, not very much. But that is deceptive. "There are a lot of Parallels," says Marcel Mathiuet in an Interview in the "oasis chez SBB", the SBB Restaurant in the 3. Floor of Zurich main station with view over the country Museum, which is open to the Public. "Both jobs require the highest precision." In addition, the driver must execute prior to departure, as well as the Jet-Pilot before the flight, a check-list. In both Professions, irregular shifts are part of everyday life. That you compete with rail and Airline with a zero level of alcohol for the service, of course. And something Mathiuet has learned when to fly, what can he apply now, occasionally, in the train: "I have no inhibitions more at by to say."

Which brings us to the languages: In aviation, the language of communication between pilots and flight, English is the world's pilots. The SBB is only allowed to drive to Ticino, who may be Italian, and the French speaking part of the country, who to the French is powerful. For Mathiuet no Problem: He is well-versed, in addition to the Rhaeto-Romanic and German, also in these three languages.

Which of the two Professions is so difficult? The flying engineer shrugs his shoulders: "Both are very demanding." Of course, one has when flying an additional spatial Dimension. This is automated in air traffic today, a lot of things. In the case of the railway, in turn, intimate distance is required-knowledge: "I must also in fog and practically no visibility with the respective maximum-speed driving." This means that If Mathiuet driving the Intercity train from Zurich to Geneva, he must section of each track, all stations, all signals are. And it can be lonely: "If everything goes smoothly, I made contact on the road under certain circumstances, with anyone."

the private life?

In the case of two such challenging Professions with shift and weekend work and frequent absences must suffer determined the private life? Mathiuet has also had this luck: "My wife also works at the SBB. She has full understanding of the irregular working hours." It may even happen that the returns to a home, if the other is just starting out to work. Common free Saturdays or Sundays a to two per month, you are able to occasionally even on a day of the week together skiing or shopping. And then there are those few moments, as they are professionally to do with each other, the Lokdisponentin and the engineer.

Ah, one more question, and Marcel Mathiuet for the sake of diplomacy not to answer that with a train or an airplane, which he prefers as a passenger? The answer comes surprisingly quickly, and the PR Department of the Helvetic should now look the other way: "to be Honest: the railway." And why? "On the train I can get up and another place not to look for, if I know the seat will fit neighbor."

(Artur K. Vogel)

Created: 17.05.2019, 16:39 PM