Not everyone gets a chance to see what goes into keeping an airport operation running smoothly, so earlier this month, a few student pilots got a behind-the-scenes look at how the Envoy and American Airlines teams at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) work together to achieve their operational success.
Members from chapters of both the National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA) and Professional Asian Pilots Association (PAPA) in the ORD-area met with Envoy and American leadership to tour everything from underground baggage operations to the control tower.
“This was a great opportunity for these student pilots to see how an airline operates at a major hub,” said Dan Hopkins, Envoy First Officer and NGPA Windy City Flyers Chapter President. “When you’re a student pilot, you spend a lot of time studying and learning how to operate smaller aircraft out of smaller airports, so this was an interesting change in pace for them.”
During their tour, attendees hopped on an Embraer 175 to check out the flight deck and ask Envoy Captain Jessica Christofersen all about her experience of becoming a pilot and what it’s like to fly for Envoy.
“Everyone has their own path to the flight deck,” said Jessica. “One of the greatest things about aviation is that no matter who you are or how you get your start, there will be a place for you in the flight deck, if you stay focused and work hard. The needs of the industry will always fluctuate and evolve, but applying yourself to your work will ultimately lead you to an incredibly rewarding career as a pilot.”
After a few stops throughout the main terminals, all the event attendees headed to one of the meeting rooms downstairs to end the tour with some pizza and closing words from NGPA and PAPA chapter leadership.
“This was the first time we’ve gotten these groups together for something like this, and I feel like everyone got something fun and informative out of the experience,” said Clifford Villanueva, Envoy Captain and PAPA Outreach Committee Chair. “Seeing how successful this event was, we’re already excited to start planning the next.”
We’re looking forward to seeing some of these attendees in the flight deck at Envoy some day!