Flying Commercial: How Air Travel Works with Truman O’Brien

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes when flying on an airliner? What happens when a plane is flying on auto-pilot? Why do those little flaps go up and down on the wings? How do you land a 737 with caribou on the runway? Come find out the answers to these questions and many more from Truman O’Brien, a retired Alaska Airlines Captain. Having first soloed when he was 16 years old, he had a 25 year airline career.
 
Truman will explain the technical aspects of flying with fascinating stories from his many years in the air. It will be like taking a backstage tour of an airline pilot’s job. You’ll also hear some of the quirky things that happen while flying. How about landing a DC-4 on the beach in Alaska to pick up 23,000 pounds of fish? Or landing a 737 on a gravel runway? Or flying to the arctic in the dead of winter? These are just some of the many interesting stories Truman will share.
 
Truman tells his stories at 4 pm on Sunday, March 3, at Bethel Church. His talk is part of the Telling Stories Speaker Series, by and about Vashon locals. All proceeds from this talk benefit Vashon Community Care. Ticket sales are by donation and are available in advance at Vashon Book Shop or Vashon Community Care. The Telling Stories Speaker Series is made possible by a generous donation from the estate of David W. and Catharine A. Carr.