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Flying the Flight Levels with Rob and Bill

Life’s better when flying with real-deal pilots.

Author Dick Karl poses with Rob, a pilot friend and mentor. [Courtesy: Dick Karl]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article celebrates the profound impact of two highly experienced pilot friends and mentors, Rob and Bill, on the author's flying and personal life.
  • These mentors, with decades of flight experience, exemplify practical wisdom, resilience, generosity, and faith, guiding the author through challenging flight situations and personal growth.
  • Through various anecdotes, the author illustrates how these friendships provide invaluable lessons, whether it's optimizing flight paths, navigating severe weather, or sharing life's deeper spiritual aspects.
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“Outta sixteen-four for two three oh. Lotta guys miss that call.” I sit there wondering if this is for real. It isn’t. It is just Bill being Bill. On another trip, after grinding westward for four hours into 60-knot headwinds, I turned southwest as instructed by approach control to set up for the RNAV 4L at Midway International Airport in Chicago (KMDW). The airplane and its occupants are exhausted. Quietly, I hear Rob say, “We can save about 15 miles if we go direct to the airport. Want me to call the field?”

Of course, that’s the right thing to do. I wish I’d thought of that myself. It wasn’t a command and it wasn’t a rebuke. It’s just Rob being Rob.

Dick Karl

Dick Karl is a cancer surgeon who appreciates the beauty and science involved in both surgery and flying. Dick’s monthly Gear Up celebrates the human side of flying. He writes about his enthusiasm for both the machines and the people who fly and maintain them.

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