15 April 2013 Meet the pilots!

During the time I have been flying with NASA’s Operation IceBridge, we have had three pilots. Each has come to be a NASA pilot from different directions: one from the enlisted ranks of the Marine Corps, one through Northwestern’s engineering school, and one ‘on loan’ from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They each have their own unique story, but all share the same determination, professionalism, and confidence.

On a personal note, my father was a flight test engineer in the Air Force, stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in the 50’s. He often joked that he helped keep the Soviets out of Florida. As a kid, he would entertain me with stories of flying in various aircraft, doing most of his work in the B-57 Canberra. While flying with NASA and these pilots, I often thought about my dad, and even though he’s been gone for almost ten years, I somehow felt a lot closer to him while flying.