Nothing related to preflight preparations offered even a hint that our 10-hour trip home to JFK from São Paulo would be anything but a normal operation. Reflecting back on the flight, a visit from a fearful flier just prior to our gate departure might have foreshadowed the outcome.
With the enthusiasm of a child anticipating a hypodermic needle to the arm (tears included), a young lady stepped into the cockpit. Her boyfriend escorted her. The boyfriend was demonstrating his best Academy Award performance for toleration. Although directorial assistance was not required, we offered sincere compassion for her fears. In addition to stating the standard summary of our combined flight time experience, my two copilots and I reassured the young lady that the ride would be relatively void of turbulence — a declaration that I would regret later.
