Ruben Flowers III could be said to have a family connection to aviation. He had always wanted to be a pilot, and he did become one, but his true desire was to sit in the co-pilot’s seat next to his father who had worked for Southwest Airlines for nearly 30 years.
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How did this pilot father and son duo recreate a special moment from 29 years ago?
Flowers III’s second official flight with the firm was significant, according to PEOPLE, because he got to co-pilot with his father on his farewell flight.
Before their journey from Omaha to Chicago, the father and son team shared a hearty breakfast. “I wanted to be in that seat,” Flowers III, 30, told the site. He remembered flying beside his father in the co-pilot’s seat as a toddler in the 1990s.
Flowers III was resolved to recreate the photograph and the special moment, and he planned to do so before his father retired.
“It was coming down to the last moments,” Flowers III admitted after successfully replicating the antique shot. “We didn’t know if I’d make it through training in time. It was fantastic to be able to accomplish that. It seemed weird to see him over there.”
How did the pilot son manage to recreate the special moment with his dad?
When he was 17, the Detroit resident chose to follow in his father’s footsteps in the aviation sector after observing how happy his father seemed to be about going to work. “I love flying, it’s the best office view in the world,” Flowers Jr. added.
Flowers Jr.’s brother is also a Southwest captain, thus flying is a popular career choice in their family. Meanwhile, his cousin is a first officer studying to become a Southwest captain, and his younger brother and sister are both pilot license holders pursuing commercial airline pilot careers.
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