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Heroes Behind the Heroes

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An emergency arose when the sole qualified pilot of a King Air 200 died mid-flight, leaving an inexperienced passenger to fly the plane with his family aboard.
  • Air traffic controllers, notably Dan Favio and Brian Norton, quickly enlisted Kari Sorenson, an experienced King Air pilot, to remotely guide the passenger over the phone.
  • Through simplified, real-time instructions and collaborative "cockpit resource management" from outside the aircraft, the passenger successfully landed the plane, earning the team an FAA Award of Excellence.
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Easter Sunday had begun as just another holiday to spend relaxing. Connecticut was finally beginning to show consistent signs that spring would actually occur. With the encouragement of more pleasant weather, Kari Sorenson started the Model A. He and his girlfriend, Ashley, climbed into the antique car and went for a drive. Neither one of them would contemplate the irony that they were about to experience. Upon their return home, Kari would become involved with a life and death struggle. The life and death struggle would require technology that moved eight decades beyond the Model A.

When Kari’s BlackBerry rang, the caller ID indicated that Dan Favio was calling. Dan had spent two years as an air traffic controller at the Danbury, Connecticut, tower up until his transfer to Naples, Florida, a year and a half earlier. He had transferred again and had begun working at the Fort Myers Tracon/Tower facility within the last month. Dan and Kari had become friends over the years through the typical network of local pilots.

FLYING Staff

FLYING Magazine is a one-stop resource for everything aviation, including news, training, aircraft, gear, careers, photos, videos, and more.

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