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Retirement is always bittersweet, especially for people who are lucky enough to be in a line of work they feel especially passionate about. When it comes to airline pilots, we see a lot of emotional goodbyes around the time of retirement; since commercial pilots are required to retire at the age of 65, plenty of them are still young enough to feel like they've got at least a few more years left! And then, there are those who have become trailblazers in the field, where it's more of a loss for us than it is for them to have them grounded.
One such case is happening right now, as a United Airlines pilot is embarking on retirement after becoming a true aviation legend.
On Thursday, June 6, @united shared this touching video saying goodbye to Captain Theresa Claiborne, who not only is retiring from her job as a pilot with the airline, but who also happens to be the first Black woman to fly in the U.S. Air Force.
The video starts by showing Captain Claiborne as she talks about taking her final trip, calling it "the end of a beautiful career" after 34 years in the air. As she flew into Newark, New Jersey, it wasn't just flight attendants who recognized her achievements; it was also the gate agents, her fellow pilots... the list goes on and on.
Claiborne was also the first Black woman air commander and the first Black woman instructor pilot for the KC-135, so it goes without saying that United was so lucky to have her.
"I'm here to inspire anyone who previously did not have the door open for them," she said. "That's my legacy."
Anyone else crying, or just me?
More About Captain Theresa Claiborne
According to CNN, Claiborne was inspired to join the Air Force after she grew up with a father in the military,
Her mother and other family members were able to join her on her final flight, which flew out of Lisbon, Portugal.
She told CNN she's excited to start a new chapter of her life, but it's still a little sad to walk away.
“After this, walking through the airport, I won’t have a uniform on. People will just look at me like I’m just a passenger like everyone else, that’ll be a little different… I’m hoping that I can still make an impact on the industry," she said. “To still impart that knowledge on young people, and particularly young black women, that they can do this.”
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