12/15/2020
“It was around 1 a.m. when the beautiful city of Cairo, Egypt illuminated my view from the cabin. Once my co-pilot and I landed, I felt a wave of calmness take over me. There were no more risks. No more possible dangers. The difficult mission was completed. I thought of my family: my wife, my four children (including my son-in-law), and my grandson who will soon make his debut on earth. I felt joy and peace that I made it safely, because I owe it to them. I thought of my beautiful Paraguay and its people, because I owe it to them, too.”
After completing a successful mission, a transatlantic Hawker 800 XP ferry flight from Addison, Texas to Cairo, Egypt as pilot in command, our captain relates and reflects on this unique experience - one of the toughest flights of his entire career.
“Before assuming the responsibility of a complex mission, the most basic personal duty for a professional pilot is to prepare mentally and think through all possible scenarios,” he says. “I thought of previous flights, my technical knowledge, experience flying across the Atlantic Ocean, ice formations and weather I may encounter, methods of communication available in case of emergencies, and all possible risks.”
In his perspective, for pilots, safety and success mean grit, courage, and determination.
“We, as pilots, must train our minds and emotions to be tamed and prepared to remain objective and calm,” he says. “Assuming risks implies identifying all possible scenarios and implementing action plans - every possible danger must be a controlled risk.”