The Special Olympics Airlift is the largest peacetime airlift in the world with an aircraft landing every two minutes. [Courtesy: Dick Karl]
Key Takeaways:
The author volunteered his private jet and piloting skills for the Special Olympics Airlift, a massive, highly coordinated effort by Textron Aviation to transport athletes to Orlando.
The trip involved meticulous logistical planning, strict air traffic control coordination for hundreds of private aircraft, and navigating unexpected severe weather conditions upon arrival.
Despite initial anxieties and the eventual cancellation of the return flight due to passengers testing positive for COVID-19, the author found the experience of flying the athletes and witnessing their reception deeply uplifting.
A bowling ball can weigh up to 16 pounds. A Bocce ball weighs 2 pounds. Bocce balls come in eight packs, so 16 pounds. Why would you want to know this?
When I signed up at a Citation Jet Pilots (CJP) meeting to provide support for the Special Olympics Airlift in the Cessna CJ1 that my wife, Cathy, and I own, I had no idea that I’d be looking up bowling ball weights.
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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.
