Human Interest - HL 227 (2)

From: Carol

Date: 3/11/2015 7:58:26 PM

To: Undisclosed-Recipient:,

Subject: WAL/DAL Wilkinson family of flyers

....news off the DeltaNet....the WAL/DAL Wilkinson family of flyers ...............

Cf

One family, one airline - A story of airline DNA

March 11, 2015

By Michael Thomas, Corporate Communications

Anyone who has doubts that aviation is in the DNA of those who love it need not look further than the Wilkinson family for proof. The bug of human flight was wound into the thread of their family beginning not long after the Wright Brothers first took to the skies in 1903.
And that DNA has for decades included Delta Air Lines.
When Don Wilkinson heard news that Western Airlines, where he’d been a pilot for 23 years, was merging with Delta in 1986, his son Paul reportedly found him “dancing in the front yard” of their home outside Salt Lake City. Don remained with Delta until his retirement in 1996.
That enthusiasm and excitement for the Delta brand hasn’t wavered, and in the decades since that merger, four of Don’s sons, Paul, Mike, Tom and Joe, followed in their father’s footsteps to become pilots at Delta—with Joe joining in February as the airline’s latest recruit. Paul’s daughter Suzy also joined the Delta family in 2013 as a Salt Lake City-based flight attendant.
“Like flying, Delta is no doubt in our family’s DNA,” Mike said. “I grew up, as my brothers did, with my face pressed up against the glass, watching airplanes and loving the smell of jet fuel. That DNA had us hooked from day one, and it means so much to be a part of the Delta family.”
Each brother took a different approach to joining Delta: two flew for regional partner SkyWest Airlines, one came aboard through Mesa Airlines and another through private jet operator NetJets. Two brothers, Paul and Mike, joined the Delta team within a week of each other just as Delta did away with its nepotism clause in 2000.
When Joe, the NetJets pilot, left his job to join Delta last month, his fellow airmen cautioned him about joining the airlines.
“They told me there was no camaraderie and no sense of family,” he said. “But I can tell you Delta defies that. I’ve already experienced it in the first couple weeks here and I’m so fortunate to be here.”
Joe was joined by two of his brothers, his mother and father and niece Suzy at a new-hire dinner at the Delta Flight Museum. He and 63 other pilots were welcomed to the airline and Suzy presented with her one-year anniversary pin by Salt Lake City base leaders.
It was a fitting tribute—if only by coincidence—that the new airmen sat within eyeshot of a glistening DC-3 and below the wing of the Spirit of Delta Boeing 767—the two aircraft Don Wilkinson began and ended his commercial career flying.
Steve Dickson, S.V.P.–Flight Operations, said to the entire group of soon-to-be Delta first officers, “You’re here because we expect you will be outstanding Delta captains. It takes hard work, sound judgment and decision-making, flexibility and leadership but know you are joining the finest pilot group in the world. You are part of the next chapter in Delta’s proud history.”
Steve commented on Delta’s culture as Suzy was presented with her pin saying, “We’re all in this journey together. We as pilots can’t do the work we do in the cockpit without the safe care and service of our flight attendant colleagues in the cabin, our technicians who maintain our aircraft, agents who load our planes with customers, bags and cargo and our reservations agents who book customer travel.”
Chris Frederick, Delta’s Atlanta Chief Pilot and Base Director, echoed that sentiment saying, “You’re not just getting a job at Delta. You’re joining the family, so welcome home.”
Delta will likely see a fifth Wilkinson brother join the pilot ranks soon; Stephen Wilkinson currently flies for Delta Connection partner TransStates and according to his siblings, is eager to keep up the family tradition.

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From: robert moser

Date: 3/8/2015 12:44:09 PM

To:  Mark Sztanyo

Subject: Fwd: Fw: NEVER TOO LATE FOR A NICE STORY

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

GREAT STORY-- AND TO KEEP IT QUIET WAS AMAZING.  

Here's a 'today' story that occurred 3 weeks ago ~ The idea started last
Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while
listening to radio reports of injured American troops. "We have to let them
know we care," Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring
soldiers from WalterReedArmyMedicalCenter and BethesdaNavalHospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly,

on Dec. 3. The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it. Yes, there are people in
this country who actually own real trains.

Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I
commish - is one of them. He owns three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany
paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two
locomotives, which he stores at his JuniataPark train yard.

One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F. Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and '62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby's body to D.C. for burial. "That's a lot of
history for one car," says Bennett.  He and Vivian wanted to revive a
tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried
Army-Navy spectators, around the country directly to the stadium where the
annual game is played. The Levins could think of no better passengers to
reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at
Walter Reed in D.C. and Bethesda, in Maryland. "We wanted to give them a first-class experience," says Bennett.  "Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the
stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment."

Through the ArmyWarCollege Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed's
commanding general, who loved the idea. But Bennett had some ground rules
first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone:

No press on the trip, lest the soldiers' day of pampering devolve into a media
circus. 

No politicians either, because, says Bennett, "I didn't want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op." 

And no Pentagon suits on board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax. 

The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his
hands. "I had to actually make this thing happen," he laughs. 

Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other
sumptuous rail cars from around the country - these people tend to know each
other - into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary
train? The Liberty Limited. 

Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D.C. - where they'd be coupled together for the
round-trip ride to Philly - then back to their owners later.

Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train track to the football stadium for the game. 

A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game - on the 50-yard line - and lunch in a hospitality suite. 

And corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees: 

From Woolrich, stadium blankets.
From Wal-Mart, digital cameras.
From Nikon, field glasses.
From GEAR, down jackets.

There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member.

The Marines declined the offer. "They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines," says Levin, choking up at the memory.  
 
Bennett's an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he'd react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D.C.'s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs.
Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the
day. "They made it easy to be with them," he says. "They were all smiles on
the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They're so
full of life and determination." 

At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army's loss to Navy
could deflate the group's rollicking mood.  
Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal - heroes get hungry, says
Levin - before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda. "The day was spectacular," says Levin. "It was all about these kids. It was awesome to be part of it."

The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodbye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station.

"One of the guys was blind, but he said, 'I can't see you, but man, you must be beautiful!' "
says Bennett. "I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn't even answer him."

It's been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day's love. "My Christmas came early," says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. "I can't describe the feeling in the air." Maybe it is hope. 

As one guest wrote in a thank-you note to Bennett and Vivian, "The fond memories generated last
Saturday will sustain us all - whatever the future may bring."

God bless the Levins.  And bless the troops!! 

 


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