Hello Captain Flanagan!

My name is Robert [last name redacted]. I am 17 years old and live in Denver, Colorado. I doubt you remember me, but my mother and I were traveling on one of your flights about six or seven years ago. It was a flight on board a Boeing 757-200 from Chicago O'Hare to Denver. We arrived to the airport in the late afternoon and were scheduled for a flight right about then. That night changed my life.

I had always had a passion for aviation, but that night you helped shape my future and became a role model in my life. Our flight kept having rolling delays due to weather in the Chicago area and it was on my birthday. All I wanted was to be home to see the rest of my family. When the flight was continuing to be delayed, you stepped up and made a personal announcement from the podium to the passengers asking us to sit tight and that you would soon return with food for us. A few minutes later you returned with pizza and a basket of fruit. As you walked around and personally greeted everybody while passing out food, you took the time to stop and give me a brief hello accompanied with a Boeing 757 trading card and some plastic wings. We struck up a small conversation and got on the topic of flying and how I wanted to be a pilot when I grew up. Without even a second thought, you escorted my mother and I down to flight ops and gave us a personal tour. You stopped to show me how to look up weather on the computer, show me how you planned a flight, and personally introduced me to a handful of pilots that night. On our way back up to the B gates, you handed me the large book on the history of United Airlines. But you didn't stop there. When we were finally boarding the aircraft, you took me up into the cockpit even so you were extremely busy trying to get a severely delayed flight into the air. Last but not least, you gave me the business card where I found the email address that I am writing this email to.

That night changed my life. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. From that moment on I have been working to become a pilot at United Airlines. Not just any pilot, though. I hope to someday carry on your legacy of premier customer service. There is one quote from you that I live by every single day. You have said that, "The cockpit is my office and I am the CEO of the airplane." You go above and beyond to make sure everyone has a very pleasant experience flying on your aircraft. I read in an article a few weeks ago about your retirement flight coming up. Tears came to my eyes when I read this. I wanted very desperately to get on your flight just to be able to fly on one more of your aircraft. Unfortunately, it seems as if all of the seats have now been sold and I must attend my college orientation the very next day. This coming fall I will be attending Metropolitan State University Denver to continue my pursuit of aviation. I will be study Aviation and Aerospace Sciences with an emphasis on being a Professional Flight Officer. I am currently working on completing all of the coursework for my Private Pilot License and hope to have that completed by early or mid summer. To this very day, my favorite aircraft of all time continues to be the Boeing 757, and I am jealous that you have gotten to log countless hours on it. I hope to complete my turbine time with a regional carrier and my ultimate goal is to become a Captain at United Airlines. Thank you so much for continuing to be an inspiration to me and many other pilots who strive to be the gentleman and excellent pilot that you are. I hope to someday continue your legacy of wonderful customer service in the friendly skies. I hope all is well with you and your family and hope that you enjoy a happy retirement.

Thank you for being a true role model,