Logan Flood thanked his family and fellow AOPA members for supporting his unlikely—but ultimately successful—effort to become a professional pilot after being severely injured in a 2001 aircraft accident.
“My family supported me all the way,” said Flood, 30, now a first officer with Republic Airways. “They always supported my desire to fly, and they never gave up on me.”
During Expo’s Nov. 7 general session, Flood encouraged pilots to work hard to overcome whatever roadblocks they experience in life.
Flood suffered third-degree burns over most of his body and lost all the fingers on his right hand in a Part 135 charter accident. He was the subject of an October story in AOPA Pilot, “ No Airline Would Ever Hire Me.” It told of the icing encounter that nearly killed the young flight instructor and his determination to return to flying. Flood became a first officer for Republic Airways this year, and fellow AOPA members gave the inspiring pilot a standing ovation at the general session on Friday.
During the San Jose, Calif., show, many AOPA members approached Flood, telling him how much his story inspired them. Fellow pilots also have spotted Flood at airports across the country, stopping to congratulate him for his courageous journey back to the cockpit.
Karen Gebhart, AOPA executive vice president of communications, said the association will continue to feature inspiring people and address difficult and complex subjects in future publications and online.
Flood’s wife Andrea was in the audience along with his parents, David and Lennette. The Floods reside in Lincoln, Neb.
