911
Do you remember when 911 was the number you call in case of emergency? Instead of the day that our transport airplanes were used as weapons against innocent Americans. Early in the morning of Sept 11th, 2001, my Mother called and told us to turn on the television. Mike worked at home and we lived in an apartment in North Richland Hills near DFW airport. We watched as the second airplane flew into the tower in New York and tried to understand what was happening. I had tennis drills scheduled with my USTA team at 10 am. Later at 1:30 pm I was scheduled to attend security training at American Airlines. As I sat there trying to decide whether to get ready and how to process what was happening. I didn't quite understand how this event would change my career in the coming months and years.
I went to drills and then came home to get ready for my security class. I decided to call to make sure that the class was still scheduled. Flight Standards told me to come but to bring an ID because there was media everywhere and only people authorized were getting into the building. Normally, the flight academy was full of life. People chatting, studying, drinking coffee, or on their way to the next class. It feels like college but the students are a little older. When I arrived I noticed the halls were almost vacant. You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet. Many of the pilots fly into DFW to start classes. Because of all of the diversions not many of them made it to training. During our break we huddled around a small black and white television at the vendor who sells our AA trinkets and study guides and listened to every word the reporters had to say. There were rumors and theories floating all around. It was a confusing day to say the least.
Our training facility is part of the building where the entire Airline is operated. They have a special room where the lawyers and upper management make decisions when things go wrong. There were quite a few people who weren't normally around walking around with suits and ties. Everyone knew that this could be the end of American Airlines. If we were liable for everything and everyone in those two buildings that our aircraft hit. In security class the instructor just looked up at the projected image and said, "this information is all going to change." He read through the slides and we talked a little about what had happened that morning. That day there were a lot of questions, not a lot of answers. They grounded flights for three days. I was very thankful that I was home and not on a trip. That morning there were pilot candidates being interviewed. One of the new hires in my security class said that he knew this was the end for him. He was right. American would eventually furlough 2,500 pilots. Everyone left, was affected by our new contract. I was never furloughed, but my job would change drastically. I was moved to the Super 80 from the 757 which is a pay cut in and of itself. In 2003 our contract was revised and we all took massive pay cuts to, "save the airline." I was doomed to a terrible reserve system for the next seven years. With all of that I was still happy to have a job. Most of the airlines were in bankruptcy. The government did not allow law suits to put the airline out of business. The people of the United States were united for a short time period.
Most of that day and the next my friends called to make sure I was not in one of those aircraft that were hijacked. I was happy to tell them it wasn't me that was flying any of those jets. At the time I flew the 757 and had just two weeks before flown the Boston to Los Angeles flight that flew into one of the towers. Somehow that thought made me mad. Mad that they would pick on civilian's who are not prepared to defend themselves. In a few days when it was time to go back to work. I was ready and willing. It was kind of hard because there weren't many customers and the ones we had were visibly scared. I didn't show any anxiety and I tried to talk to them and say something funny to let them know that I was not afraid.
A few weeks later I had a trip that laid over in downtown New York City. I took the subway to ground zero with the Captain that I was flying with. As the train got close to the station the air started to heat up. There was this smell that wasn't pleasant. I remember walking around a street corner and seeing the damage for the first time. It looked like a war zone. It was unreal the scale of devastation. Television cannot do it justice. It made you feel so small and insignificant. The buildings were still smoldering. The smell was awful. I have a hard time watching the footage from the attacks. It brings back the sights and smells of that visit. New York built a wooden viewing area for family and airline crew to pay their respects. We went to that memorial area to pay our respects. It was an emotional visit to say the least. Some of the people had experienced significant losses. Some of us would never have that carefree flight that felt completely safe again.
Our military men and women certainly had big changes coming. They have been out fighting to keep us safe for most of the last nine years. My American Airlines pilot friend Tim Ashley (flies C-130's for his other career)flew a flag over Afghanistan for me on April 4th, 2002. He brought it home and gave it to me. I had cousin's, friends, co-workers in Afghanistan and Iraq and all of them have come home safe and sound. Which is a blessing.
I pray that our troops would be safe. I thank them for their sacrifice. I hope that all Americans understand how important they are to our freedom in the best country in the World.
I went to drills and then came home to get ready for my security class. I decided to call to make sure that the class was still scheduled. Flight Standards told me to come but to bring an ID because there was media everywhere and only people authorized were getting into the building. Normally, the flight academy was full of life. People chatting, studying, drinking coffee, or on their way to the next class. It feels like college but the students are a little older. When I arrived I noticed the halls were almost vacant. You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet. Many of the pilots fly into DFW to start classes. Because of all of the diversions not many of them made it to training. During our break we huddled around a small black and white television at the vendor who sells our AA trinkets and study guides and listened to every word the reporters had to say. There were rumors and theories floating all around. It was a confusing day to say the least.
Our training facility is part of the building where the entire Airline is operated. They have a special room where the lawyers and upper management make decisions when things go wrong. There were quite a few people who weren't normally around walking around with suits and ties. Everyone knew that this could be the end of American Airlines. If we were liable for everything and everyone in those two buildings that our aircraft hit. In security class the instructor just looked up at the projected image and said, "this information is all going to change." He read through the slides and we talked a little about what had happened that morning. That day there were a lot of questions, not a lot of answers. They grounded flights for three days. I was very thankful that I was home and not on a trip. That morning there were pilot candidates being interviewed. One of the new hires in my security class said that he knew this was the end for him. He was right. American would eventually furlough 2,500 pilots. Everyone left, was affected by our new contract. I was never furloughed, but my job would change drastically. I was moved to the Super 80 from the 757 which is a pay cut in and of itself. In 2003 our contract was revised and we all took massive pay cuts to, "save the airline." I was doomed to a terrible reserve system for the next seven years. With all of that I was still happy to have a job. Most of the airlines were in bankruptcy. The government did not allow law suits to put the airline out of business. The people of the United States were united for a short time period.
Most of that day and the next my friends called to make sure I was not in one of those aircraft that were hijacked. I was happy to tell them it wasn't me that was flying any of those jets. At the time I flew the 757 and had just two weeks before flown the Boston to Los Angeles flight that flew into one of the towers. Somehow that thought made me mad. Mad that they would pick on civilian's who are not prepared to defend themselves. In a few days when it was time to go back to work. I was ready and willing. It was kind of hard because there weren't many customers and the ones we had were visibly scared. I didn't show any anxiety and I tried to talk to them and say something funny to let them know that I was not afraid.
A few weeks later I had a trip that laid over in downtown New York City. I took the subway to ground zero with the Captain that I was flying with. As the train got close to the station the air started to heat up. There was this smell that wasn't pleasant. I remember walking around a street corner and seeing the damage for the first time. It looked like a war zone. It was unreal the scale of devastation. Television cannot do it justice. It made you feel so small and insignificant. The buildings were still smoldering. The smell was awful. I have a hard time watching the footage from the attacks. It brings back the sights and smells of that visit. New York built a wooden viewing area for family and airline crew to pay their respects. We went to that memorial area to pay our respects. It was an emotional visit to say the least. Some of the people had experienced significant losses. Some of us would never have that carefree flight that felt completely safe again.
Our military men and women certainly had big changes coming. They have been out fighting to keep us safe for most of the last nine years. My American Airlines pilot friend Tim Ashley (flies C-130's for his other career)flew a flag over Afghanistan for me on April 4th, 2002. He brought it home and gave it to me. I had cousin's, friends, co-workers in Afghanistan and Iraq and all of them have come home safe and sound. Which is a blessing.
I pray that our troops would be safe. I thank them for their sacrifice. I hope that all Americans understand how important they are to our freedom in the best country in the World.
Comments
Post a Comment