Hero Worship: Airline Pilots Will Always Be Worthy of Utmost Respect

Next, younger generation of carrier aviators don’t seem to have the same attitude as the ones who came before.

Martha Lunken

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Pilot executing preflight procedures in a commercial airliner cockpit before takeoff. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The author expresses deep admiration for veteran airline pilots, particularly those from the 1960s-1990s, seeing them as personal heroes.
Retired pilots fondly recall the unique challenges and sensations of flying, such as specific landings and maneuvers, and especially cherish the strong camaraderie and mutual respect among aviators.
For these pilots, flying transcended a mere profession, becoming an integral part of their identity and offering a profound sense of purpose and escape.
A generational shift is noted, with the older pilots' deep connection to aviation contrasted with a perceived lesser attachment among some younger pilots.

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OK, I’m a hero worshiper…always have been.

From a tot wide-eyed as Peter Pan flew to the “first star on the right and straight out ’til morning,” to sitting in front of a tiny TV screen with Sky King flying his UC-78 Songbird, to seeing The Bridges at Toko-Ri at the local movie theater with those magnificent Grumman F9F Panthers and McDonnell F2H Banshees screaming through valleys.