Sun, May 22, 2005
Calm Voice Saves Three
At an awards banquet
earlier this week, the National Air Traffic Controller Association
(NATCA) presented the "Presidents Award" to Ken Hopf this week for
his life saving actions on August 9th of 2004. Hopf is a pilot, a
flight instructor and an air traffic controller who started his
career in the Air Force.
NATCA President John Carr presented the NATCA "President's
Award" to Hopf, who had earlier in the evening been presented the
New England Region's "Archie League Medal of Safety" award.
On August 9th, when a distressed passenger of a 1988 Piper
Malibu called for help, Hopf went into action right away to calm
her and find out what was happening on the aircraft. The pilot, her
father, was not responding, and she had never flown a Malibu
before. The aircraft had just taken off from Laconia Airport in
central New Hampshire. After her mother also became unresponsive,
Hopf asked her to open some vents in case carbon monoxide poisoning
was an issue.
His calm voice and manner helped her return to the airport and
make a safe landing to meet the fire department and ambulance.
"This was an incredibly dramatic event. It was Hopf's calm voice
that had an immediate effect on the person at the controls and she
was better able to focus on piloting the complex aircraft despite
the traumatic circumstances," Carr said. "When you meet Ken, you
immediately understand why he is not only a deserving, but likable
honoree. A calming nature, engaging personality and infectious
sense of humor help to ease co-workers and pilots alike. We are
very honored to present him with this award for an absolutely
outstanding and heroic save."
AOPA President Phil Boyer attended the presentation to
congratulate Hopf, an AOPA member.
"Hopf was able to make this remarkable flight save because of
his experience as a pilot and a controller," Boyer said.
"Controllers like Hopf help pilots get from destination to
destination every day without incident."
More News
Airbus Racer Demonstrator Makes Inaugural Flight Airbus Helicopters' ambitious Racer demonstrator has achieved its inaugural flight as part of the Clean Sky 2 initiative, a corners>[...]
A little Bit Quieter, Said Testers, But in the End it's Still a DA40 Diamond Aircraft recently completed a little pilot project with Lufthansa Aviation Training, putting a pair of >[...]
Line Up And Wait (LUAW) Used by ATC to inform a pilot to taxi onto the departure runway to line up and wait. It is not authorization for takeoff. It is used when takeoff clearance >[...]
Contributing To The Accident Was The Pilot’s Use Of Methamphetamine... Analysis: The pilot departed on a local flight to perform low-altitude maneuvers in a nearby desert val>[...]
From 2015 (YouTube Version): Overcoming Obstacles To Achieve Their Dreams… At EAA AirVenture 2015, FedEx arrived with one of their Airbus freight-hauling aircraft and placed>[...]
Airbus Racer Helicopter Demonstrator First Flight Part of Clean Sky 2 Initiative
See All