By HARLAN HAMLIN
“Hey, Harlan, you free today?” Bill, an 81-year-old retired Delta Airlines captain, asked casually over the phone.
Bill, who bases his Eclipse jet at Peachtree City’s Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field (KFFC), had a plan for the day.
“Rockey and I are going to check out some airplanes, and I thought you might want to log some jet time.”
Did I!
For most civilian pilots, flying a jet is a rare opportunity, and this was my chance not only to fly a jet but also to learn from a pilot with decades of invaluable experience. Bill, with a long and distinguished career, has generously shared his passion for flying with some of us at FLYT Aviation, introducing some of our instructors to the world of jet aviation. This time it was my turn.
Before we took off, Bill gave me a quick overview of our trip. We’d be covering quite a bit of ground, starting from Peachtree City, Georgia, with stops in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Bridgeport, Connecticut, before heading down to North Carolina then to southern Georgia to drop his friend Rockey off and eventually back home. It was going to be a long day, but an incredible one.
From the moment we lifted off from Atlanta Regional Airport, the learning began. Bill’s calm but insightful instruction was evident at every step of the way.
Among the first lessons was cockpit resource management — a crucial skill for jet operations. Bill emphasized the importance of working effectively as part of a professional flight crew, which became even more critical as we cruised at 40,000 feet, managing altitude restrictions and aircraft speed to avoid exceeding 0.64 Mach during our descent.
One of the highlights of the flight was when we encountered significant weather near our route. Bill seized the moment to demonstrate the jet’s onboard radar system, walking me through interpreting the data and adjusting our flight path.
Patches of red and yellow on the cockpit displays indicated areas to avoid, and with Bill’s guidance, we safely navigated around the storms. It was a hands-on lesson in aviation safety and decision-making that I won’t soon forget.
Our first scheduled stop was Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport (KBDR) in Bridgeport, Connecticut. However, before reaching Bridgeport, we made a quick fuel stop at Lynchburg Regional Airport (KLYH) in Lynchburg, Virginia.
After a smooth RNAV approach — my fourth in the jet — I noticed something felt off during the rollout. The jet began veering to the left, despite full right rudder input. Bill quickly took control and together we managed to keep the jet on the runway. It turned out we had a flat tire.
With it being a holiday weekend, I expected a long delay, but the team at Freedom Aviation in Lynchburg came to the rescue. They had a replacement tire in stock and had us back in the air in just a couple of hours. Though we missed our planned lunch in Bridgeport, we were grateful for the quick turnaround.
As we approached New York airspace on our way to Bridgeport, the skies were as busy as I remembered from flying there more than 20 years ago.
After checking in with New York Center, we were given an extensive reroute. Programming the new clearance into the Flight Management System (FMS) was a great learning opportunity and, with Bill’s guidance, we adjusted our course and made our way through the congested airspace.
Landing at Sikorsky Memorial Airport brought back a flood of memories for me. It was at this very airport where I had completed my multi-engine flight training 30 years ago at Three Wing Aviation.
Stepping back onto that familiar tarmac from the jet’s cockpit reminded me of how much I’ve learned since then and how much more there still is to explore in aviation.
Our journey didn’t end there. We continued to Davidson County Airport (KEXX) in Lexington, North Carolina, for another RNAV approach and fuel stop, before flying south to Cook County Airport (15J) in Adel, Georgia, where we dropped Rockey off.
By this time, it was late at night, and with the FBO closed, we fueled up at the self-service pump — a first for me in a jet.
Throughout the day, every interaction we had — from linemen and women to airport staff and even the firefighter who met us after our tire incident — was a reminder of the professionalism and camaraderie within the aviation community. It truly is a family, always ready to help when needed.
Finally, we made our way back to KFFC, concluding our day with an ILS approach.
By the time we touched down, I had logged seven hours of jet time, completed three night landings, and covered more than 1,700 miles. The variety of weather, airspace challenges, and learning experiences made for an exhausting but incredibly rewarding day.
I want to extend my deepest thanks to Bill for the opportunity to fly his jet and for the invaluable lessons he shared. As every good pilot knows, the learning never stops, and this day reinforced that lesson for me in spades. I’m a better pilot today because of it, and I’ll carry these experiences forward as I continue to hone my skills.
If you ever have the chance to fly with someone like Bill, take it. Experiences like this are truly priceless, and they remind us why we fell in love with aviation in the first place.
Harlan Hamlin, a seasoned technology executive and experienced pilot with over 30 years of flight experience, currently flies a Cessna 414A. He has more than 5,000 hours in single and multi-engine piston aircraft and holds private instrument and multi-engine land ratings.
