Today is September 11, 2007, and this a special Hotline message to honor the memory of our brave colleagues who perished in the line of duty six years ago today. This is Tommie Hutto-Blake, APFA President.

Each of us has our own memories of September 11, 2001, which began as a beautiful fall morning. I was working Position #1 on an 0800 JFK – SFO departure. We were a NY crew of 13 on a newly refurbished 767-300. We, of course, never reached our original destination that day, and through the next five days we became a very bonded crew – watching the tragic events unfold far from home. We returned to New York on the fifth day on a special flight full of ‘need to go’ passengers – each carrying a photo of their loved one who was missing in New York.

Today, I ask that each of you take a few minutes to remember our crews who worked Flights 11 and 77 that morning. Those two crews followed their training procedures to a tee, thankfully never truly realizing the magnitude of their tragedy and how it changed the world. We honor their stories and their bravery in the line of duty.

This morning the APFA Executive Committee, members of our wider leadership base, and our headquarters’ staff will hold a private memorial celebration-of-life service in honor of our Flight 11 and 77 Crews at APFA’s 911 Memorial Garden at headquarters.

The APFA leadership and membership face many collective challenges ahead, but today, it is time to reflect. This will make each of us stronger for the work ahead.

Please stay on the line for the rest of this week’s Hotline.

Note: The Skyword honoring those we lost on September 11, 2001, is available for download from APFA’s Web site.