Dog Is My Copilot: Rescue Tales of Flying Dogs, Second Chances, and the Hero Who Might Live Next Door

by Patrick Regan

  Sam had equipped me with a headset for cockpit communication, but I was quiet during our ascent south out of Leavenworth’s army airfield on a bearing that would take us to northern Arkansas, where a homeless bloodhound awaited our arrival. Though not really familiar with cockpit protocol, I assumed shutting up on takeoff was a good idea. I watched the city of Leavenworth gradually recede, looked at the wispy morning mist hanging over the wide Missouri River, and let my eye follow the train tracks running alongside the levy. I was, inexplicably, very relaxed.

  Once we reached our cruising altitude of thirty-five hundred feet, I adjusted the mouthpiece of the headset and resumed my line of questioning, working through the instruments (all analogue, most original equipment vintage 1964) on the panel one by one: “What’s this do?” “How’s this work?” “What’s this called?” Sam resumed his role as remedial teacher and answered every query dutifully and patiently. Finally, after being informed that our airspeed was about 110 knots—or about 125 MPH—I asked another: “How slow can you fly and stay in the air?”

  “I don’t know,” he shot back. “Do you want to find out?” No further questions—at least for a while.

  I survived that mission with Sam and many others in the months that followed. Telling friends about our animal-rescue adventures in Sam’s Lyndon Johnson–era plane, I’m often met with a concerned look meant, I suppose, to remind me that I have two young sons at home. I sometimes try to explain my blind confidence in Sam, but if they ever met him, no explanation would be needed. He’s a pilot through and through; and after all the hours we’ve flown together—even through some “interesting” weather—I’m confident that even if he were flying a 1964 John Deere riding mower, he could safely land her should the engine fail at three thousand feet.

  Flying with Sam has afforded me some incredible benefits, not the least of which was providing me with the perspective and experience necessary to do a credible job of writing this book. Best of all, though, has been the time spent together in flight, watching the humble, workmanlike way he goes about the business of saving dogs by moving them from point A to point B in old November-Seven-Six-Zero-Niner-Whiskey—and listening through the headset while a patient teacher, a top-notch pilot, and a very good man shares a small percentage of what he knows about flying and life.

  Thanks, Sam.

  —PR

  APPENDIX

  Airplanes Used in Animal Transports

  Story Airplane

  1. “Cassidy Rides Again” Cessna P210

  2. “Home at Last, Home for Good” Mooney M20E

  Piper PA-28 Cherokee

  3. “Appetite for Aviation” 1972 Cessna 180 Skywagon

  4. “Angel Gets Her Wings” Baron B55 (Jim Carney)

  Cessna 182 (Keith Decker)

  Piper Cherokee 140 (Jim Bordoni)

  Cessna 172 (Mitchell Stafford)

  5. “Mojo and Mom” 1977 Piper PA-32

  6. “A Sweet Southern Girl” Piper Aztec

  7. “Pups on Approach” Cirrus SR22

  8. “A Pilot’s Pilot” Unknown

  9. “Boxer, Undefeated” 1966 Piper Cherokee

  2006 Van’s RV-9A

  10. “Runt Triumphant” Cessna 182

  11. “Up in the Air with Uncle Jim” Baron B55

  Cessna 182

  12. “Pilot Sam Gets a Few Pointers” 1964 Piper Cherokee 180

  13. “Hell on Wheels” Piper Cherokee 140

  14. “Preston” Cessna 172

  1972 Beechcraft Baron

  15. “Phoenix Rising” Baron B55

  16. “A Moving Story” Cessna 152

  17. “All-Species Airways” Cirrus SR22

  18. “Honorable Discharge” Hawker 800

  19. “Ernie’s Journey” Cessna 172

  20. “Chance Encounter” Grumman Tiger

  22. “Dorie’s Story” 1964 Piper Cherokee 180

  23. “The Round-Tripper” Cessna 182T

  24. “Out of New Orleans” Various

  25. “Saving Christmas” Piper Seneca II

  26. “Learning to Fly” Piper Cherokee Six

  Beechcraft Bonanza

  HOW YOU CAN HELP

  Every year, approximately four million shelter animals are euthanized in the United States. Here are some ways you can help homeless animals find loving homes and put an end to pet overpopulation:

  •Go to PilotsNPaws.org to learn more about how to volunteer as a pilot or foster-care provider.

  •Contact your local animal shelter and ask how you can get involved.

  •Microchip and register your pet.

  •Most importantly, please be a responsible pet owner and spay/neuter your pet.

  If you have your own story about an animal rescue accomplished with the help of Pilots N Paws, we’d love to consider including it in a future story collection. Please e-mail your story and contact information to dogiscopilot@gmail.com.

  PHOTO CREDITS

  Jill Clover

  Sam Taylor

  Jim Carney

  Lynn Murphy

  Louise Vickerman

  Brett Grooms; Jim Carney

  Lynn Murphy

  Miles Cary

  Mike Yoder

  Marjean Greenway; Rhonda Mills

  Rhonda Mills; Jim Carney

  Patrick Lofvenholm

  (clockwise from top) Sam Taylor; Linda Schroeder; Jim Carney; Jim Bordoni

  Joe Radford

  Terry Fiala

  Mary Vitt

  (top) Mary Vitt; (bottom) Colleen Wyatt

  (top) Pauline Stevens

  (bottom) Tom Nalle

  (top) Caitlin Nalle; (bottom) Janet Plumb

  (bottom) Rhonda Miles

  (top) Jim Bordoni; (bottom) Keith Decker

  Jim Bordoni

  Devon Barger

  Sawyer Thompson

  Steve Clegg

  (bottom) Brad Elliott

  Rachel Haymes

  Robin Lee

  Stephanie Ogata

  (bottom right) Pete Howell

  Pete Howell

  Stephanie Murphy

  Jim Carney

  (bottom) Patrick Regan

  Sam Taylor

  Liza Bondarek

  Sarah Owens

  Jim Bordoni

  Sara Henderson

  Jim Carney

  Jim Carney; Teka Clark; Roxie Amsden

  Tom Scott

  (top) Glen Phelps

  (bottom) Kathy Chase

  Wanda Taylor

  Tammy Rieser

  Patrick Regan

  (left) Vicki McPherson; (right) Donna Lohmann

  Donna Lohmann

  Linda Gail Stevens

  Betsy Quandt

  Linda Gail Stevens

  (top) Linda Gail Stevens; (bottom) Laura Bradshaw

  Linda Gail Stevens

  Betsy Quandt

  Patrick Regan

  Dog Is My Copilot copyright © 2012 by Patrick Regan. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews.

  Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC

  an Andrews McMeel Universal company

  1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

  www.andrewsmcmeel.com

  ISBN: 978-1-4494-0761-2

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2011932645

  Cover photo by Jill Clover

  Author photo by Patrick Regan

  Jacket design by Johnny Stiff

  ATTENTION: SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES

  Andrews McMeel books are available at quantity discounts with bulk purchase for educational, business, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail the Andrews McMeel Publishing Special Sales Department: specialsales@amuniversal.com

  Cover photo: “Chipper” awaits takeoff in Evanston, Wyoming. He was en route to a Border Collie rescue in Glenrock, Wyoming. Photo by Jill Clover.

  “Penny,” a rescued Pitbull
with Courtnee Mulroy in Onawa, Iowa. Photo by Wendee Mulroy.

  The author (left), in flight with Enzo and Pilot Sam.

  Patrick Regan lives quite contentedly in the middle of flyover country with his lovely wife, clever sons, and their mostly good dog, Pearl (rescued, naturally). While writing this book, he flew on several animal rescue missions with his pilot friend, Sam Taylor, to whom he is most grateful.

  Learn more about Patrick's books, past and upcoming, at patrickreganbooks.com.

  A percentage of proceeds from this book will be donated by the author to Pilots N Paws, a national charitable organization that helps connect homeless pets with loving families. Learn more at pilotsnpaws.org.