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Missing my Dad...Capt Roger L Doherty

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Missing my Dad...Capt Roger L Doherty

Old 02-01-2020, 10:57 PM
  #1  
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Default Missing my Dad...Capt Roger L Doherty

I hope this is ok to post, since I'm not a pilot. It's coming up on 25 yrs since my dad died, Feb 8, 1995 of Lung cancer. I guess i am hoping that maybe someone knew him, and would have a story to tell that would make me feel closer to him.
Dad got hired by NE airlines in 1966 at the age of 29. He was one of the oldest pilots hired by them. He had dropped out of high school, got GED, joined navy as a medic, got out, became a land surveyor. He married my mom kn 1960 and had us 4 kids. While surveying an airport, he watched the pilots going to their planes and thought that looked so amazing. He started flying at Hanscom Field, eventually getting all of his ratings and teaching flying on the side. He took a pay cut to get hired with NE. Flew out of Boston starting with DC-3's.
Got stationed in Ft Lauderdale in 60's, then moved to GA when NE merged with Delta in 72. Stationed primarily out of ATL, BOS, MIA. Ended up flying 757s. Was a Line Check Airman on the 757, filled in for the chief pilot in MIA at times, and was on the Professional Standards Committee.
Flying was his life. He was the consummate professional. When he retired, it was in the Bos Chief pilot's office, with a piece of the wreckage from a NE flight that crashed in the NH mountains behind the Chief Pilots desk, and my dad made the comment..."well, at least I never hurt anyone". He took passenger/crew safety so seriously. Once, on a long car trip, right after he completed his annual training, my brother was sitting behind my dad, in a big Buick Electra with the windows up. My brother cracked his window behind my dad, causing a rush of air, and my dad yelled "OXYGEN!" and looked at my mom while reaching up behind him. We kids laughed so hard, and my dad got mad and said, "well dammit! If that had been a decompression, you all would be dead!" We still laughed, but the training did stick with him. When i was still in elementary school, I used to practice his checklists with him, reading off items, as he would answer, check, set, off, on. Good times.
I did ATC in the military, and was going to be able to give him his landing clearance as the local controller, on his final flight, but my connecting flt to BOS was late arriving, so missed doing that. I really wish I could have.
I don't know if there are any crew that might have flown with him, but would love to hear it if so.
Thanks for lending an ear. He is so missed. I can still hear his laugh.
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Old 02-02-2020, 11:49 AM
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Default Old poem

Aviators' Heaven


I hope there's a place way up in the sky, where old flyers can go on the day they die.

A place where a guy can buy a cold beer, for a friend and a comrade, whose memory is dear.

A place where no doctor or lawyer can tread, nor an FAA type would 'ere be caught dead.

Just a quaint little place, kind of dark, full of smoke, where they like to sing loud, and love a good joke.

The kind of a place where a lady could go, and feel safe and protected by the men she would know.

There must be a place where old flyers go, when their flying is finished, and their airspeed gets low.

Where the whiskey is old, and the women are young, and songs about flying and dying are sung.

Where you'd see all the fellows who'd flown west before, and they'd call out your name, as you came through the door.

Who would buy you a drink, if your thirst should be bad, and relate to others, "He was quite a good lad".

And then through the mist, you'd spot an old guy, you had not seen in years, though he taught you to fly.

He'd nod his old head, and grin ear to ear, And say, "Welcome, my son, I'm pleased that you're here.

For this is the place where the true flyers come, when their journey is over, and their war has been won.

They've come here at last to be safe and alone, from the government clerk, and the management clone,

Politicians and lawyers, the Feds and the noise, where all hours are happy, and they're all good ol' boys.

You can relax with a cold one, maybe deal from a deck, this is heaven my son..... You've passed your last check!"
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Old 02-02-2020, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by tomgoodman View Post
Aviators' Heaven


I hope there's a place way up in the sky, where old flyers can go on the day they die.

A place where a guy can buy a cold beer, for a friend and a comrade, whose memory is dear.

A place where no doctor or lawyer can tread, nor an FAA type would 'ere be caught dead.

Just a quaint little place, kind of dark, full of smoke, where they like to sing loud, and love a good joke.

The kind of a place where a lady could go, and feel safe and protected by the men she would know.

There must be a place where old flyers go, when their flying is finished, and their airspeed gets low.

Where the whiskey is old, and the women are young, and songs about flying and dying are sung.

Where you'd see all the fellows who'd flown west before, and they'd call out your name, as you came through the door.

Who would buy you a drink, if your thirst should be bad, and relate to others, "He was quite a good lad".

And then through the mist, you'd spot an old guy, you had not seen in years, though he taught you to fly.

He'd nod his old head, and grin ear to ear, And say, "Welcome, my son, I'm pleased that you're here.

For this is the place where the true flyers come, when their journey is over, and their war has been won.

They've come here at last to be safe and alone, from the government clerk, and the management clone,

Politicians and lawyers, the Feds and the noise, where all hours are happy, and they're all good ol' boys.

You can relax with a cold one, maybe deal from a deck, this is heaven my son..... You've passed your last check!"
very sweet. Thank you!
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