I Want THAT pilot flying MY Plane...

I swear I was thinking about this blog entry back on Tuesday already....when I was coming in for a bumpy landing into the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, after being delayed in Dallas so they could change a tire that was cut (nice catch on that one guys). It's always bumpy going into XNA - I know that - I've made that flight 50+ times over the last 7 or so years. But for me, it makes it no easier because I don't like to fly.

GREAT! My job requires me to fly, and over the course of time, I have gotten only slightly better about it. Some flights are better for me than others - and there's no rhyme or reason why. The demeanor of a pilot, age, facial hair, gender (I know, hush) can sway me one way or another on how I feel about a flight. I think it may be a control thing too. I know these people are trained, and highly-skilled professionals...but I'm not driving.

When a plane goes down like it yesterday, it's make my fears no better. But I have to say, after the head up, cool as a cucumber, we lost both engines so let's take it into the Hudson River landing by a pilot so decorated I have no idea why he was flying such a random flight, I have a re-newed respect for the pilots who fly me around.

I forget many of those pilots were in the military, flew high-tech fighter jets, and are skilled enough to take a 747 into a barrel roll. But I have also talked to commercial pilots who don't like turbulence (they say it's worse when you know it's coming...great), or passengers (and you fly commercial airlines because....). I have even talked to FedEx pilots who are as amazed as we are they can even get off the ground they are so heavy with freight (nice).

But with that, I am reminded of one of the best flights I ever had going from NY to St. Louis. No fear start to finish. It was an evening flight, and the pilot was a kindly, smiley, grey-haired gentleman who greeted us all as we came on board. He then pointed out the beautiful NYC skyline as we were ascending right after takeoff. He also came on several times during the flight to let us know how we were progressing (more that normal). It is the 1st and only time I had a pilot go so above and beyond, and in his voice you could tell he'd LOVED his job. Others noticed it too and the flight attendants said he was always like that.

When we landed, it was announced that was his last flight - he was retiring. The plane was only about half full that night and nearly every one of us stopped to congratulate him and shake his hand or hug him. I hugged him because he got me to my destination in one piece and made me feel safer than I ever had on a plane. If a kind word and smile can do that for me, I can't imagine how those passengers yesterday feel about the pilot who saved their life and how they will look at their air travel in the future.