Originally Posted by
freshairborne
Careful, loooong post!!
It has been a while since I posted on this forum, but I keep an eye on it periodically. Back a few years ago, there was a thread called UNITED PILOT Q&A, and I used to post things and answer questions on it, but it slowly dwindled down to nothing, unfortunately, because I liked responding to various questions that folks had. Anyway, here nor there, but some of you may remember those days and those threads.
Fast forward to now, and on November 12th, I flew my last flight as a captain for United Airlines. I really hate the word “retired” because it makes leaving my job when federally mandated sound like I just quit before I normally would. I actually did quit 4 days early. My 65th Bday was the 17th, and we could not be scheduled to fly beyond 1 AM the day before we turn 65. That accounts for a delay of up to 23 hours.
My final trip was a four day trip, DEN-PVR-ORD the first day, ORD-PSP-ORD the second day, ORD-YYZ the third day, and YYZ-DEN the last day. Anyone who was passing through ORD or YYZ on the 11th or 12th can attest to the fact that the weather was crap both places, and yes, we got to go through de-icing, delays, slimy runways, the whole thing, and I’m glad I never have to coordinate that stuff again, at least with the airlines.
I had one of my all-time favorite First Officers with me for that last trip. She is not only a dear personal friend of mine and my wife’s, she is also one of the best pilots I have ever flown with, in fact, I’ll say she’s THE best. She was flying for the airlines at the age of 20, and flying jets for the rich and famous, as a Captain at the age of 23, and she made her way every step on her own, no consideration for the fact that she’s a woman. She is a fellow snowboarder, musician, motorcyclist, and scuba diver as well. She’s 35 now, and I’m very proud and thankful that United hired her, along with the current crop of newer pilots, whom are all among the finest pilots of any generation.
My wife got to fly the last three flights with us, which is something that she had previously done.once. DEN-OMA on a Thanksgiving Day in 2011. My kudos go to our flight operations folks in Denver, who, per company policy, arranged for her to be on a positive-space first class seat on all three flights. That’ll be the last time that happens, unless I get savvy with our 1,000,000 MP miles, mostly from MP Vida purchases, but also we have been buying seats lately because of not really enjoying the non-rev games of chance.
I did not have a water arch sprayed over the plane as we taxied in, because it isn’t done here if the outside air temperature is 50F or below, and Denver at 8:30 AM in the middle of November is unlikely to be anywhere near that temperature.
No matter, though. My FO and flight attendants secretly conspired to make those flights very special to me, with cards, notes, PA announcements, and an old safety briefing card (I’m sure you’re all familiar with those) that she had laminated prior to the rip, and had signatures from all my crews, and a few cards that the FAs passed around the cabin on the flights. I wonder if any of you signed it????
There were probably 30 friends, fellow United peeps, and our chief pilot there to meet us when we taxied into the gate. My FO and I finished my final parking checklist, then whipped our side windows open did a fist-pump. All was captured on video.
After a little party in Ops, my wife and I, along with my FO and three others went bar-hopping on the B Concourse. I managed to be out of uniform for that.
If you made it to this final paragraph, let me thank you all for following that thread, years back. I have gotten lots of great advice from you all, being an actual MP member myself, and will continue to do so. I also enjoyed answering your questions along the way.
Thank you, one and all
freshairborne