This month marks the tenth anniversary of the biggest event in our nation's history since perhaps Pearl Harbor. And although the effects of 9/11 on the general population can't be overstated, aviation was dealt an even bigger blow than most.
From a flight training perspective, many schools closed. The combination of the economic slump that immediately followed, the Draconian requirements that were put on schools—and the fact that we trained the terrorists to fly—proved to be too much for some to survive. ATP Flight School, now one of the nation's largest, was one of the lucky ones. The school cut the cost of its professional pilot course in half in late 2001 to try to attract students who shied away from the idea of flying for a living. Eventually things came back, and continue to improve today. ATP showed the spirit of cooperation and resolve that most Americans felt immediately following the attacks, which it displayed by flying a group of Red Cross workers from Atlanta to New York City in a Cessna Citation.
Selfless acts similar to those ATP demonstrated after 9/11 are common in aviation. Ours is a small community, and we like to support those who have yet to make their career break, their training breakthrough, or even their initial break into flying. That spirit is evident in the Capt. Jason Dahl Scholarship Fund.
Captain Dahl's story is like so many others that ring of passion for aviation. He learned to fly before he could drive. He was involved in the Civil Air Patrol, and he graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in aeronautical science. After stints delivering airplanes, and with Flight- Safety International, Dahl secured a job with United Airlines as a flight engineer on the Boeing 727. He worked hard and rose up the ranks, eventually making captain on the Boeing 757/767. Throughout much of his career, Dahl was an instructor pilot, meaning he mentored and taught new line pilots the ins and outs of their aircraft. In other words, he gave back.
In May 2001, Dahl decided to go back to line flying. On September 11, 2001, he was the captain on United Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. Thanks to the cockpit voice recorder, the flight data recorder, and calls from passengers and crew, we know what happened to Dahl, his six crewmembers, and the 37 passengers that morning.
Dahl wasn't able to finish out his career, so his friends, family, and colleagues are ensuring that the next generation has the best chance possible to make it. The Jason Dahl Scholarship Fund provides both $5,000 and $1,000 awards to students of San Jose State University, Dahl's alma mater, and Metro State College of Denver, near where he lived. These gifts are made possible through personal commitments and local fundraisers.
To date, 18 students have received a Jason Dahl Scholarship Fund award. There's Sarah Lemmer, a San Jose State graduate who has worked with NASA, flown for Mesa Airlines, and is now entering the U.S. Air Force. Luke Denooy was a winner from Metro State, and he's now flying for Great Lakes Airlines. Justin Dean is an Atlantic Southeast Airlines pilot and Samantha Covert is a research engineer for Jeppesen. There are more than a dozen other examples of successes just like these.
Often the compassion and camaraderie that follow difficult circumstances fade as the pain of those memories slips away. But the work to which Captain Dahl devoted his life lives on, thanks to the support of others. The scholarship fund is now open to all college aviation programs in the country. Visit www.dahlfund.org.
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