Page 8 - Nov21T

Congratulations to my friend and T&T contributor Kevin Dingman.
If you’ve read Kevin’s work through the years, you know how much flying is a part of his being. A former F-16 pilot and Air Force veteran, flying has defined his professional legacy but is also deeply personal to him. Planes are more than machines; they have the ability to invoke great joy, angst, frustration and nostalgia. (Remember his article on anthropomorphism?). He once wrote, “Every plane is deserving of our appreciation and respect. It’s something we have to remember when talking about our planes to others. I try to start off with several compliments about someone’s aerospace vehicle before I list the things about mine of which I’m proud.”
In 2016, he volunteered to ferry American Airlines’ last MD-80 to the Roswell, New Mexico boneyard. CNN documented the flight (which you can still find with a quick Google search) and captured Kevin’s emotional farewell to an airplane as it reached its final resting place. If you know Kevin, you know how much he loves the Mad Dog.
Fast-forward to the summer of 2021: Kevin sent me a short note announcing his last flight as captain at American Airlines. He was honored with a water cannon salute as he taxied an AA Boeing 737-800NG (featuring the airline’s “legacy” tail insignia) to the gate for the final time.
Congrats Kevin, on your retirement and all that you’ve accomplished. Keep flying that Duke and writing nuggets like this: “We’ve all tasted flight, and someday you will ‘walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return’ (da Vinci).” Still though, for now, “We’re still flying, and that’s enough.”
Dianne White is the executive director of MMOPA and editor of MMOPA Magazine. For a total of 14 years, she was editor of Twin & Turbine and has worked in the business aviation industry for nearly 30 years. She also serves on the board of directors for Angel Flight Central. An active multi-engine, instrument-rated pilot, Dianne lives in the Kansas City area and can be reached at editor@diannewhite.com.
6 • TWIN & TURBINE / November 2021
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