I loved flying a Westwind jet. It added so many dimensions to my world of flying – high altitude, longer distances in shorter times, Guyana in South America, and high-density airports in the U.S. This job was the ultimate in cross-country flying. One day I would be landing the C-402 on a dirt runway on an island, and the next day I would be in my winter clothes, making a fuel stop up north in the states. The jet was also the pick for special dignitary visits, and I was fortunate enough to be part of the crew to fly Archbishop Desmond Tutu from San Juan to St. Thomas. I have a good story about how I came to have my picture taken with the Archbishop.
On any charter we would stay pretty busy with our duties, but on this one the captain and I both kept carrying our cameras around in hopes of getting some good shots. But, when we got to STT, there was such a great procession of important people, that neither one of us could get that special moment on camera. It seemed our chances were gone, when Tutu was ushered into the back of a limousine. We were just sighing in disappointment, when the back door of the limo opened, and Tutu got out. People started scurry-ing around to find out what was the matter, and he said, “I believe the pilots wanted their pictures taken with me.” So, that’s how we came to be arm in arm with this wonderful man.
-Cher Hanssen, woman pilot interviewed for the book Flying Above the Glass Ceiling
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