Common Cause
Unsung GA Heroes
It’s so easy to forget that when fly, we are really at the end of a long string of unsung heroes that helped us into the cockpit and the sky. You rarely if ever see these people, and thank them even less. It’s really not only about us, the pilots, but rather the entire team, the general aviation community. So, who’s on the team?
Who designed and built your plane? Do you know; do you care? It was someone who loved aviation, and made sure it was done right. Who fixed your plane when it was last broken? Do you know the name of the underpaid A&P technician, or the IA who approved the work as correctly done? You might want to know since your health and well-being depends on his or her work. Do you remember your flight instructors along the way to your current ratings? How about the names of the flight examiners that said you were good enough? Did you ever say thanks? Did anyone else?
Do you know the airport manager? Find him and say thanks for the runway, the ramp, tie downs, and hangers. They don’t get a lot of recognition. Ever talked to and thanked the FAA certified technicians who maintain the airfield navaids? Or the folks that keep the runway lights working, or the ramp rats that gas your plane? The FBO folks have tremendous economic pressures everyday to survive, depending on serving and satisfying your needs to keep going; try saying thanks once in a while.
The tower folks would love to be flying too, but only get to share the joy over the radio. When they help you get back on the ground, you might want to say thanks occasionally. Same goes for the TRACON controllers and the ARTCC controllers; many are pilots too, but they are happiest when we stay safely separated. The Flight Service employees quietly serve in the background of the ATC system until we call them for help or service, and the FSDO folks actually work pretty hard at keeping us safe, but we usually only see them when we have a bad day. We might make their day by saying thanks on a good day.
Should we include the insurance company rep who said we were an acceptable risk? And the finance company or bank rep who approved our aircraft loan, so we could fulfill one of our dreams? There are others to be sure that I have forgotten, but not intentionally. I am sure you can think of a few more, like the folks who paint our planes or replace the interiors so we can be proud (again) owners. It’s a dirty thankless job, but they do it; yes, many of these folks do their aviation jobs for compensation, but we all know that some jobs, and some days, really tax our sense of endurance and humor.
Common Cause: This is only a snapshot of the folks who have helped us along the way. Many of us are them, and many of them are us. And for all the hype and noise in the media, it is this team that feeds the airline industry its pilots for the big iron. We should be mindful that the whole team must play together for us to survive and grow. Those that wish our airfields would be turned into shopping malls or condos are many; don’t give them a reason to prevail. The media thrives on controversy, accidents, and the perceived injustice; ordinary news and people and good deeds always get the back page. Noise comes with planes and airports; they knew it when they moved nearby, but we can do our best to minimize it. Take a reporter for a local flight.
If I left someone out of this picture, let’s hear from you. You all get to share the limelight. Fly safe.
By Mike SullivanCOM SMEL, CFI, MEI, INSTRIC177pilot@live.com,