Ruminating on death
Today, one of the Flying Cowboys shuffled off this mortal coil , together with his passenger. Reading the Facebook comments from when the plane was still “overdue” and a search was underway, is sobering. Two weeks ago, we were making the same jokes, secure in the same assumptions, regarding a friend of mine ‡ . “He’s the best pilot among us, if anyone could have something happen and set her down safely, it’s him.” “I’m sure he’s standing on the side of the road with no cell phone signal.” “Did he owe anyone any money? He’ll probably turn up in Phoenix, going by a fake name.’” The not knowing is the hardest part. Reading tea leaves. Following a 1200-squawk aircraft until it drops off radar - we thought because that was the edge of the coverage are, but, no, that’s where he crashed. Etc. I’m not talking about him (though it appears he, a CFII and line check pilot and a chairman of a prominent pilots’ union’s Accident Investigation Committee, with thousands of hours in USAF fast jet