Les Abend

It was a cool September evening when Tim Knutson caught up with me at Signature Aviation in Minneapolis. He had arrived in uniform, the black visor to his cap angled upward in a casual flair. Tim is a 737 copilot for my airline. We exchanged pleasantries and walked out the door, rolling our bags toward […]

I sat in our Miami pilots’ lounge, looking at the faces scattered around the room. It was a typical scene. Some pilots were reclined in lounge chairs while others were seated at a desk, plugged in to their laptops. Some pilots were engrossed in a newspaper. The TV at the front of the lounge flickered […]

My copilot had begun the “Before Starting Engines” checklist. “Rudder pedals and seats?” he challenged. “Adjusted and locked,” I responded without emotion. “Oxygen masks, interphone and goggles?” my copilot continued. “Set and checked,” I mumbled. “Weapon?” “Safetied and secured,” I answered while patting the leather holster on my left side. Okay, let’s stop the checklist. […]

My copilot had begun the “Before Starting Engines” checklist. “Rudder pedals and seats?” he challenged. “Adjusted and locked,” I responded without emotion. “Oxygen masks, interphone and goggles?” my copilot continued. “Set and checked,” I mumbled. “Weapon?” “Safetied and secured,” I answered while patting the leather holster on my left side. Okay, let’s stop the checklist. […]

“Uh … Cherokee Five Two Five Lima Charlie, confirm level at 5,000?” You glance at your altimeter. It reads 4,600 feet. The pointer on the vertical speed indicator is steady on 500 feet per minute down. The sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach is not caused by the rapid movement of back pressure […]