AIRLINE MENTORSHIP
Captain Christopher Behnam—The Flying Lion—is a retired United Airlines Boeing 777 captain who received the Superior Airmanship Award.
• On February 13, 2018, Captain Behnam was commanding a United Airlines Boeing 777 flight from San Francisco to Honolulu when the aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure of one of its engines rendering the ability to hold altitude impossible due to the massive amount of drag an engine with no cowling created.
• The failure caused severe vibration and a strong rolling tendency, making the aircraft nearly uncontrollable and putting it at risk of a high-speed stall and loss of control.
• Working with his co‑pilot Paul Ayers and on‑board jump-seater Ed Gagarin, Captain Behnam fought the controls for an extended period, and stabilized the aircraft in a completely new performance envelope.
• Captain Behnam spent roughly three decades with United Airlines, flying widebody aircraft and ultimately serving as a Boeing 777 captain and instructor, training other United pilots on the type.
• He was born in Iran, attended high school in England, then moved to the United States around 1980 to pursue aviation training, working his way through flight school to achieve his goal of flying large jets.
• He is active as a keynote and motivational speaker, focusing on leadership, crisis management, decision‑making under pressure, resilience, & loves inspiring others to pursue and obtain ambitious goals.
• The United 777 event is often cited as a modern example of superior manual flying skills and crew resource management saving an airliner in an era when automation is usually in the spotlight.
• Commentary about the flight emphasizes his physical effort and mental composure—maintaining control against strong asymmetric thrust and vibration for nearly half an hour before executing a stable approach and landing.
• ALPA and others use his story to show that, even with advanced systems, airline safety still heavily depends on pilot judgment, training, and superior airmanship.
TIME BUILDING CLUB
Two pilots can legally and efficiently build time together toward ATP minimums by structuring flights so that one clearly acts as Pilot Flying while the other is a designated Safety Pilot (when the other pilot has a vision limiting device) and operates as Pilot Monitoring at other times.
How two pilots can build time together:
• Under the regulations, both pilots can log time on the same flight when one is acting as Pilot Monitoring and the other is serving in a legitimate role as safety pilot (for simulated instrument with a view‑limiting device).
• Pilot A flies on the outbound leg (logging simulated instrument time while under the hood) while Pilot B serves as safety pilot (logging PIC but not XC which only goes to the pilot who’s leg they are supporting as Safety Pilot) then they swap roles on the return leg.
• When you treat each flight like a mini training event—briefing roles, route, weather, and who is Pilot Flying vs. Pilot Monitoring—you can both build high‑quality time instead of just “riding along.”
Doing this in a Cessna 152:
• A Cessna 152 is ideal for affordable, loggable time: you can rack up total, PIC, cross‑country, and simulated instrument hours that all count toward the 1500‑hour ATP requirement, subject to the usual limits on simulated and cross-country time.
• By alternating legs and responsibilities, each pilot can efficiently accumulate hundreds of hours at lower cost while still flying a simple, forgiving platform—perfect for sharpening basic airmanship, radio work, and decision making.
• If your time‑building is structured (routes planned to maximize cross‑country time, IFR/ATC exposure, and real‑world weather), the hours don’t just “check the box” but directly support the kind of experience regional and major airlines want to see.
Weekly briefing with Captain Behnam:
• Structured, scenario‑based preparation significantly improves how pilots handle real‑world surprises and abnormal situations in flight. Captain Behnam act as high‑level Consultant & Mentor debriefing your recent flights, reviewing decisions, and walking through real‑world line scenarios, checklist use, and CRM.
• This coaching extends learning beyond the airplane—letting you pause, analyze, and mentally rehearse complex situations. It turns your logbook entries into case studies, not just numbers.
How the combo prepares you for the flight deck:
• Airline flying is fundamentally about crew resource management, communication, and shared decision making. Building time as a two‑pilot crew, along with guided reflection from a seasoned airline captain mirrors the professional environment long before your first Part 121 sim.
• In your 152 flights you and your partner can deliberately practice airline‑style behaviors—standardized briefings, callouts, division of duties, and threat‑and‑error management—and then refine those habits in person or on Zoom. Captain Behnam critiques your scenarios and your thought process.
• This loop—fly together, log legal time, then debrief with a mentor—turns raw hour accumulation into leadership training: you learn to both think like a future captain, and start communicating like an FO right away. Bringing a disciplined, airline‑style mindset to your time-building.