nevansm

Oh, that was you!

Glad you both took a few minutes to chat!

LASUA1K

Thx to the captain for taking time to take a picture with my kids! They have flown many many miles and they still remember the time a captain gave them wings!! Thx for the new wings Captain!

And thx to UA for allowing us to attend even though we didn't fly in. Awesome job UA.

Pat89339

No special food, but there was a white cake with chocolate frosting served at boarding.

rustykettel

Like LASUA1K upthread, I'm quite sentimental towards UA and this sendoff has been great. I don't believe I've ever flown with Capt Denny and my schedule didn't fit with with his final flights, but living vicariously through FT has been awesome. Capt Denny, I wish you the best in your well deserved retirement!

Thank you Pat89339 for the many parts you've put together on this (getting FTers to UA for passes, posting pictures, coordinating threads & events, etc.), not to mention the month in/month out schedule updates and everything else you've been doing. Capt Denny couldn't have a better PR rep here on FT and however much he's paying you should be doubled. Or tripled.

Pat89339

Denny has paid me me a thousand times over with kindness, respect, and friendship. With that type of salary, I am truly blessed. I never felt used or put upon. We forged a great friendship over the years. I will miss all those phone calls. He had a sixth sense when I was in a TSA line, boarding a flight, or waiting for a hotel shuttle my phone would ring and it would be Denny. It seems his calls during the day were timed perfectly during a quiet moment between meetings or conference calls. It all just worked.

I wish someone had recorded the speech he made at the dinner. Among other things, he said he had two women in his life, his wife Terri and me. It's a wonder that I made it through that without tearing up.

I especially want to thank FlyerBeek for his outstanding help with the dinner in Seattle. I couldn't have done it without him. If I ever make it back to Seattle I am going to the Steelhead Diner and having the Grilled Columbia River Salmon again.

I hope that many of the photos taken this weekend eventually appear here or links are posted. There were many smartphones and a few real cameras at all of the events.

If you participated in any of the events this weekend, my sincere thanks to you. Denny was truly honored. The Dahl Fund will be receiving a donation in his honor from me and I hope that if any of your lives have been touched by Captain Denny, you will at least think about doing the same.

wtigerFF

I too hope that photos will be posted. Most of the ones I took are not great.

I do, however, have the recording that you seek. I don't have the very beginning, but what I do have starts right before the part about the 2 women in his life. You may not want to watch it if you are prone to motion sickness, but the sound is fine . I'll look into the best way to get a copy of it to you. It's huge because of the video.

Until recently, I had very little control over my travel schedule, so I too had been living vicariously through FlyerTalk but was honored to be able to fly with him, his beautiful family, and the FTers for his final 2 segments as well as attend the dinner in Seattle. What an amazing experience! I'm a bit bummed that it's over and I have to go back to work in the morning...

Thanks for reminding me about the Dahl Fund. I would be happy to make a donation.

Pat89339

There are a few photos popping up in the dinner thread--and a good one of you and Denny.

That's great about the video. Thanks!

Also, many thanks for the donation.

Pat89339

A word of warning to the people who are graciously posting their photos of the various events. Someone already took the photo I posted of Denny and Oscar and posted it to his images on Instagram. He never asked me and frankly isn't Instagram a place to post photos you took yourself?

cawhite

It's common courtesy and has been an unwritten FT rule (for as long as I've been here) to ask first and then to give appropriate credit. Unfortunately it's also been disregarded by many through the years. Thanks for the reminder/warning, Pat.

cawhite

Speaking of photos, if anyone has a good photo of Denny with his family (preferably with Denny in uniform), please send me a PM.

wxguy

What a whirlwind trip! From meeting Denny's family, to riding in 2K on a 763 on the second-to-last flight (with Channel 9 and a "tour" of Mt. Rainier), to the great dinner, to meeting Oscar... thanks to Pat and everyone who made it happen!

aacharya

Any thoughts/speculation on what's next for Captain Denny? One would think he would be able to do other work. Then again, I don't think the chief pilot (Bowers) did anything for UA after his retirement. (Though he moved to Illinois - maybe there was a job for him at HQ?).

http://www.northjersey.com/news/busi...76990?page=all

MatthewLAX

Great photos.

Marty, glad you could get onboard in ORD.

Pat89339

wxguy, it was my pleasure.

Pat

P.S. LOL at my photobomb of your pic with Oscar.

Flying Machine

Wow! That's a much better ride than our last meeting with Captain Denny at LAX (Ops Tour) When we both sat in the rear of that small imported car (and you had the middle seat) on the way to Lunch seems to me you traveled in style this time! Thanks for posting. And on a serious side. Captain Denny thanks for all that you have done and availed yourself to the Flying Public. Enjoy your time off. Warm regards..