It’s Thanksgiving month. Every year, we sit down with our friends and family and try not to discuss politics in an effort to have some level of sanity and fellowship. Jokes and cliches aside, Thanksgiving is truly a time to do just that… give thanks. In this industry, there are many reasons to do so.
As all the superheroes’ mentors say, “With great power comes great responsibility.” We are honored to be surrounded by clients and peers in this industry who take this responsibility seriously.
There are many ways to give back. A simple donation is always prudent and easy to do, but true giving, in my opinion, involves a more in-depth mental and physical aspect. Here are a few ways I have experienced or seen fellow aviation colleagues give back.
Red Cape
One metaphor (and you know I use several) for giving is what I like to call the old ‘red cape’ routine. In reality, it’s just your heartstrings being pulled – causing you to act swiftly and emotionally to another’s aid.
Recently, I had a buddy call me late on a Sunday evening. He started to describe a good friend of his who was having a heart issue and was in some distress. He wanted to get home quickly from the Rocky Mountains. If my buddy was calling me on a Sunday night, it was serious. This wasn’t the first time I’ve received a call from someone wanting to go somewhere–everyone is your best friend when you fly airplanes… but this time, it was different. My buddy also described how this family had suffered the tragic loss of their child a few years ago in an automobile accident. Their child had autism; a topic very close to me. My heart ached listening to my buddy describe the horrible journey that this family had been on the past couple of years. By mid-morning the next day, I was meeting this wonderful family to fly them home. No-brainer.
Quiet deeds are the best, I agree. I only share this story to resonate with the vast majority of the folks reading this. I wager over 95% of the folks reading this have done the exact same thing, and that’s what I love about this business. What makes it so great is the people and the relationships that you grow and help. In many instances, the relationships last a lifetime. Have you ever heard of the phrase “birds of a feather flock together”—simple but true. And, giving back is the one great bond industry partners and clients all share. We ALL have the same mentality.
UHaul or Suburban, both work
What’s better than a friend with a truck? A friend with a plane.
How many times have many of you loaded up everything but the kitchen sink in your Pilatus? We should slap a U-Haul sticker on the side. I won’t go through the laundry list of things I’ve had in an airplane over the last 25 years but it’s long and interesting to say the least. Again, the good news is that you have this wonderful asset, and you share it with your friends and family and colleagues. Why not move a buddy’s wine cellar to Arizona? Why not? Let’s throw in the art collection as well…saved him thousands of dollars and we had a ball!
The Loving Time Machine
Ability to help and spend time with the ones you love.
This is an easy one for all of you. Yes, we love flying airplanes, but what we actually love is the time it affords us–more time with our family and friends. It fosters the growth of a business, etc. I recall a small private ceremony/moment I had with myself after obtaining my private license over 30 years ago. I basically committed myself to never driving again. I would go out of my way to use aviation, even if it meant I probably could’ve gotten there faster and more efficiently in a car. Not this guy. This fall, my wife and I have been very blessed with the ability to chase our daughter around playing collegiate volleyball. Yes, we may seem like the crazy parents. It’s been wonderful. Not cheap, but we couldn’t do it without private aviation (and the awesome team at JetSwiss that allows me the flexibility). I still have a business to run. We have a dog. I like an occasional pedicure. We have commitments… Aviation makes this all possible!
Summary
In this industry, there is a lot of time and money focused on what you don’t have… Don’t have an airplane, need to buy one. Don’t have the latest avionics, upgrade. Don’t have a pilot, find one. More time needs to be spent on gratitude for what aviation affords us…. time with family, flexibility to work and have a family life, memories made, charity and giving back.
I encourage you all to spread the love and joy and good fortune of aviation, it’s always been my underlying tone.
Fly safe,
Bub