screamin jet

Many whether at UPS or otherwise that had the pleasure of either knowing, flying with Capt. David L. Bottom will be saddened by his sudden passing on. On Sunday morning early, October 31, 2021, Ret. senior Capt. David "Davey" L. Bottom succumbed summarily to his health issues and has died. At age 63, his life ended way too soon. As his long time friend of 45 yrs., and in college studying aviation together in 1975, and then flying together later on at a Texas commuter regional airline called Rio Airways (1981). Later he would go on to Evergreen and fly DC9's, DC8's as a Capt. prior to UPS starting their own eventual airline flight operations. Where there he continued flying the DC8's as Capt. until they were retired, and then finally as Capt. on the MD11's. I am truly saddened to have to report this. He was known to so many in the Aviation community that he came into contact with. As a consummate, a very generous, diplomatic, kind hearted, an easy to be around professional aviator who if you knew him or even be fortunate enough to cross his path. You'd be magnetized towards his outgoing, warm, fun loving and humorous personality. He loved to cook, please others and show off his skills for anybody. His love for his family (#1), close friends, many homeless pets, cats or any animals he always had locally supported and so often had helped. He had donated to the causes as well, tremendously. The world has a lost a great soul who made this a better place. Tailwinds, blue skies mein David! May you rest in peace my good friend. You've been taken way too soon from this planet.

Skylarking

Very sorry for your loss. It sounds like CAPT Bottom was a great guy.
RIP.....

CaptYoda

Sorry for your loss. I know/knew quite a few of those former RIO guys. Good bunch.

biigD

Sigh...dammit. I'm not UPS, but Davey was a big deal in my life and I feel the need to post.

Back in the early 90s I was a middle schooler that loved airplanes. At some point I realized that flying for a living was something that could be done, and perhaps somewhere around 9th or 10th grade I started seriously thinking about it. My Dad had this CompuServe account, and on there I found an aviation forum where I asked about being a professional pilot. Now keep in mind that I was probably 14 years old - the questions were naive as hell I'm sure - but Davey answered them with patience, and I was blown away that an actual DC-8 pilot was giving me advice! Davey always gave a balanced account of the positives and negatives of the industry, but one thing he said stood out: regardless of the negatives, whenever he got into his uniform - straightening his tie in the mirror of a hotel somewhere - he'd think about how privileged he was to fly airplanes for a living.

I never forgot that, and it's the big reason I went forward with being a pilot. I never got to fly for UPS, but I'm a captain at a major airline and think about him every time I straighten my tie in the mirror. He was right. Is it the perfect job? Nope, but I'm incredibly lucky that I get to do it for a living. RIP Dave Bottom - I don't think I'd be here without you. Can't wait to 'raise a little cain' the next time we meet.