Spring 2011 - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Alumni

“ WORKING HARDIS THE KEY TOEVERYTHING.YOU NEEDCREDIBILITY ANDACCOUNTABILITYWITH OTHERPEOPLE.”Tell us about your background in the Air ForceQ. and how you were selected as the Air ForceOne pilot?I think it was about being in the right place atA. the right time—and that I worked and playedwell with others. For the selection process, theAir Force provides a list of qualified pilots to theWhite House military office. Because I was theDeputy President Pilot and Pilot in Commandduring Clinton’s reign, it gave me the experienceand credentials to take over for President Bush.Tell us about your first flight on Air Force OneQ. and the thoughts and feelings you experienced.My very first flight was taking former PresidentA. Clinton to Akron, Ohio. I was flying as Pilot inCommand. I’m nervous on every flight—I’m flyingthe leader of the free world. It is always a challengingmission because everything is recorded byvideo and audio and if anything happens, it’s in themedia. I had to keep it perfect. I also had to takeaway any of the President’s fear and keep the focuson his message.Tell us about the historic flight on 9/11.Q. What was your strategy and what thoughtswent through your mind that day?My goal was to get him underground and safeA. so that our airliner wouldn’t be attacked. ThePresident wanted to go back to Washington, butbecause we weren’t sure if the White House wasthe target for another attack, we couldn’t go there.I knew I needed to take him somewhere that wasn’texpected, so we ended up keeping him airborne fora while until things started to settle down.When all the planes were eventually grounded,we landed at Barksdale AFB so that the Presidentcould make an address to the nation. We were allhighly trained to support the President in any kindof national disaster or an attack on our countrylike this, but our training didn’t involve the chaosof buildings and airliners being the terrorists’ targets.Our biggest challenge that day was gettingin touch with people, which seems so simple, butour communications were hindered because of theenormous call volume, as everyone was trying toreach their loved ones on cell phones. Our satellitecapability became saturated as well, so we had torely completely on the military’s satellite capabilities.And while the President was able to speak to theAmerican people, he wasn’t able to send images orvideo of him talking because the plane didn’t havethat capability. Today, the plane has those communicationscapabilities.Please tell us about some of your otherQ. historic flights.In 2003, the President wanted to visit theA.military troops in Baghdad for Thanksgivingto let them know we support them. This first visitwas a secret because it was very dangerous for himto go there. Only a few people knew about it, and16LIFT SPRING 2011 WWW.ERAUALUMNI.ORG