CONNECTIONS
18
DECEMBER 2012
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
DURING THIS SEASON OF GIVING,
you’ve
likely spent days—weeks, even!—thinking
about spreading cheer. This month, pu ing
smiles on the faces of hundreds of special kids
and their families is top of mind for United
co-workers around the world.
United’s annual Fantasy Flight events take
children with economic hardships, special
needs or serious, sometimes life-threatening
illnesses to visit Santa and his elves, while
also helping li the spirits of family mem-
bers who join them for the trip. The care and
a ention that employee volunteers put into
these events enable the children and their
families to be transported to a fairy-tale
se ing and, for just a li le while, think only
about joy and wonder.
Fantasy Flight volunteers prepare all year,
coordinatingwith area hospitals, shelters and
schoolstoconnectwithchildrenfortheevents.
United co-workers oversee all the details of
the day, from when the kids check in at the
airport towhen they arrive at the North Pole.
For more than two decades, United has
teamed up with airport partners and non-
profit providers to offer children a North
Pole visit they will never forget. And for
the grownups who tag along, seeing the
joy on their youngsters’ faces is an equally
unforge able gi .
ASKTHE PILOT
With Captain Mike Bowers
Q: When an aircraft is
taxiing, is the forward
motion driven by just
the engines, or is some
of the power directed
to the wheels?
A:
The aircraft engines
are the only source
of movement while
taxiing. We vary the
engine power and use
brakes to modulate our
speed. When departing
the gate, we utilize
tugs to push us away
from the terminals so
that we can start our
engines. One of the
advantages to using
the aircraft engines for
taxiing is that we do
not apply any power
directly to the wheels;
this results in greater
traction. The engines
pull the aircraft forward
and the wheels simply
roll freely in response.
Do you have a question
for Captain Bowers?
You can write to him at
askthepilot@united.com.
’
Tis the Season
Offering an unforge able journey to kids in need
