Sweet words...

A very dear and close friend called me yesterday. I hadn't talked with him for awhile but we share a mutual interest in the world of art. He is my former boss in the form of Chief Pilot at my former employer American Airlines. We agreed we would meet up in San Francisco next week to attend yet another Retirement Party for a few of our former pilot friends. I'm looking forward to it.

Airline pilots are a close knit group. Former airline pilots, those of us that are forced away from our livelyhood due to our age, though not as close knit (because of the old time distance equation) still share a concern for each other. The retirement party, although it is a celebration of a life that is like no other, has it's downside. It's the awakening call that the real party is over. We want to be there to ease them into their new life. They will no longer hear the question... "Captain, what should we do now?"

Fortunately my friend, we'll call him John Paul Rogers, had another life in the making. John is also an artist, which includes the visual and the written word. It is one of his poems I want to share with you that he composed just before his retirement in 2001.

The Cockpit

There is a place where only pilots meet

A place like no other place

A small place

No chairs for visitors

A place where moonless nights contrast

with morning rays to set the tone

A tone of extremes

Where aerodynamic noise is silent

And catastrophic events breed silence

There is a place where accountability is accepted

Where performance is measured

Where philosphy abounds

And lifetime bonds are formed

There is a place where teamwork

and discipline are supreme

A place where perfection is the expectation

There is a place where only pilots meet

And I will miss it

Captain John Paul Rogers

American Airlines Retired

July 2001

I'm happy I can share this with you because I could not say it as well.

Thank you JP.