Last Yellow Wing Tour leg 2

LEG 2 — THE WHATSAPP GROUP (KFLL → KCLT) Fort Lauderdale → Charlotte Mission: Fly another aircraft through the Spirit network while, behind the scenes, Nomadic begins assembling pilots for an extraordinary operation.

📖 Six Hours Bob Allen needs pilots.

Not next week.

Not tomorrow afternoon.

Now.

He has approximately six hours to assemble around twenty qualified Airbus pilots.

There is another problem.

This isn't a normal charter.

These pilots may soon be collecting airplanes from the airline many of them currently work for.

Allen and Steve Giordano begin calling people.

Messages spread.

Then comes the WhatsApp group.

Former Spirit pilots join.

Current Spirit pilots join.

Names appear one after another until the group eventually reaches around 40 pilots.

The situation is surreal.

Some pilots are learning about the potential repossession operation while Spirit itself is still operating.

One pilot has just landed when Nomadic reaches him.

His question isn't philosophical.

It isn't about bankruptcy.

It's much simpler:

Can I fly in shorts?

Essentially, yes.

Nomadic isn't Spirit Airlines.

There are no passengers to impress.

There won't be cabin announcements.

They need qualified pilots capable of safely moving airplanes.

Meanwhile, your aircraft reaches Charlotte.

Passengers walk off.

Cleaners enter. The cockpit is prepared for another flight. Everything still looks like an airline. For a few more hours.