When the mechanics finish working on one of United Airlines’ jets, Mike Green climbs into the cockpit and does his job – testing the airplane to make sure it’s safe.
Green is one of United Airlines’ flight test pilots who ensure the airline’s “friendly skies” are also safe by checking maintenance and making sure it’s done correctly. The work is no small task, considering United flies 700 airplanes to 1,000 destinations in 170 countries on six continents.
Green’s schedule varies. One day he’ll check planes in Houston, the next in San Francisco, and a week later he’ll be in Hong Kong or Beijing.
His father was an Air Corps pilot during World War II and flew the C-47 transport, loved and nicknamed the Gooney Bird by military fliers the world over, so it was not a stretch for Green to join the Air Force in 1979. After receiving his wings, he spent four years as a flight instructor before following his father’s flight path into cargo planes, flying, among other jobs, medical evacuation missions. Such flights, often under combat conditions, are highly demanding. On one flight, Green and his crew flew a medical team from the U.S. into a remote airfield in El Salvador to pick up a wounded American, and then to San Antonio, Texas, where the man was transferred to the military hospital.
“It was a very long day,” Green said.
Green moved on from cargo pilot to test pilot, where he evaluated front line fighters and new cargo planes.
After 16 years, Green left the Air Force with the rank of Major and accepted a job with Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Ga., where he met a young electrical engineer named Ann.
The two were married in 1995 and moved to San Francisco where Green continued his flying career with United Air Lines.
One year later, Mike suffered an injury that would threaten his career.
“An old neck injury flared up,” he said. “I began to lose strength in my arm, and I couldn’t move my fingers. I was frightened, out of work for three months and the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong.” Desperate, Green turned to prayer. He found a specialist who diagnosed the problem and performed surgery to correct it. Green returned to work, but the experience made a lasting impact on him.
“It was a miracle,” he says, “and now I try to surrender my life to God and pray that He will help me accept everything that happens.”
Asked about close calls in the air, Green just smiles. “I’ve had to shut down an engine or two and make emergency landings,” he says.
His favorite flying experience? “In test pilot school I got to fly an old C-47,” he says. “The plane my father flew.”