Some of our more long-term supporters may recognize Cheryl as one of the pilots from our first ever all-female flight crew back in April 2019. Cheryl is one of the most experienced pilots in the aviation business having started as a flight engineer for FedEx 24 years ago.
Love At First Flight
On Valentine's Day we wanted to share a heartwarming story about two pilots, Captains Cheryl and Pete Pitzer.
Wife and husband Cheryl and Pete in the cockpit of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital.
Cheryl and her husband Pete piloted the Flying Eye Hospital to Ghana in 2019, where they became the first wife and husband team in the 40-year history of Orbis to fly the Orbis plane together.
Cheryl and Pete’s story begins about 20-something years ago when they were both starting off at FedEx. They were on the same flight schedules with layovers in Puerto Rico, spending months hanging out before their schedules changed and they didn’t see each other again for years.
“We had long layovers in Puerto Rico, so we got to kind of know each other - we went to the beach, went to dinner. We flew together for two months, and then I went on another plane. So, we never flew again for years," Cheryl told us.
Cheryl and Pete with Seymour the bear onboard the Flying Eye Hospital.
It was a few years before they were re-united again and Cheryl and Pete have now been married for 14 happy years, living on a ranch just outside of Dallas, Texas. They both love sailing, horses, flying and, of course, helping Orbis fight blindness around the world.
“Orbis to me is an amazing way to give back. I can fly aeroplanes. I don't have a lot of other skills. I can't do eye surgery, so you have to find what you can to give back. And this is such an amazing organisation, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it.”
“It's a very sought after honour to fly for Orbis. So, I was thrilled when asked to do it".
Cheryl loves to hang around and help out at screening days at local hospitals after she’s safely landed the plane.
Cheryl has been particularly impressed by the vision simulation technology on board the aircraft, especially as simulation has been so prominent in her career.
“I think it's amazing, because you can do all those things and make those mistakes and learn from those mistakes without actually hurting anyone.”
Thank you so much, to Cheryl and Pete, for being the skilled and dedicated pilots you are and giving up your free time to help fight blindness around the world.
However you're marking this Valentine's Day, we hope you have a wonderful day.
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