Everything Happens For A Reason...

Three weeks ago, Paul Dudley, the director of Linden Airport, called me while I was browsing the shoe department at Target. I answered my cell phone and the always-friendly pilot dropped some news on me that broke my heart: Although he had been planning to take me as a passenger in his helicopter to do a fly-over of Union County MusicFest the next day, the aircraft was in the shop. Even if the mechanical problems could be fixed quickly, Paul told me, the chopper would have to undergo strict inspections before it could be flown. Following yesterday's fatal crash, I now realize that was probably the luckiest call I've ever received.

Yesterday at 3:17 p.m., the 1975 Bell helicopter piloted by 56-year-old Paul crashed, just after taking off from East 34th Street Heliport in Manhattan. Four passengers were with him in the helicopter - one woman was killed when the aircraft went down. The passengers were friends of Paul and his wife. A more than capable pilot, I'm sure he's devastated by the crash - who wouldn't be? I haven't followed my journalistic instincts and attempted to contact him, primarily out of respect.

According to published and televised reports, Paul shouted "we're going down," just before the aircraft crash-landed upside-down in the murky East River. He and the surviving passengers clung to the upturned aircraft and awaited the arrival of rescue workers. Although the crash is still being investigated, all signs point to mechanical issues as the cause of the disaster.

This isn't the first time Paul has experienced the horrors of an emergency landing. An accomplished pilot with more than 20 years of experience under his belt, the father of three was also involved in a crash in November 2006. During an interview I conducted with him when Linden Airport hosted the Red Bull Air Races two years ago, Paul talked to me about the crash. He was flying a Cessna 172 light plane in a park near Coney Island in Brooklyn. The engine failed and he was forced to make an emergency landing. No one was hurt. In my opinion, that's a testament to the fact that his skills as a pilot are exemplary. In both situations, he apparently handled himself as calmly and professionally as possible.

Last year, Paul - who lives in Staten Island - took me for my first ride in a helicopter, which was arranged by Frank Capece, a Cranford resident and mutual friend. It marked one of the most exciting days of my journalism career so far. I remember parking my car at Linden airport and walking out of the terminal along with a photographer from the Union County Sheriff's Office, just as Paul landed outside. I jumped in the helicopter and he helped me get strapped in. I remember feeling very relaxed because when I glanced over at him, he looked as comfortable as someone would be if they were sitting behind the wheel of a car, driving along a country road.

We flew over Oak Ridge Park in Clark, where MusicFest was being held. I - being a slight Facebook addict - posted pictures from the air, as friends excitedly commented that they had seen the helicopter hovering overhead. "How did you get to MusicFest? You drove your car? Me...oh I just jumped in the chopper." Yeah, it was pretty sweet.

After the fly-over, Paul asked myself and the other passenger if we wanted to see anything else. My first though was: "Ummm....hello, this is my first helicopter flight and I'm having a blast, do you really think I'm ready to put my feet on the ground just yet?" So we flew over my apartment complex. Next, we found the home of the sheriff's officer. Side note: navigation in a helicopter when flying locally is kind of like being in a car. The pilot asked us to give him directions as if we were driving...so we did. Not what I expected. After we had taken as many photographs as we needed, Paul landed outside the terminal once again and then flew off, smiling and waving like a parent dropping his kids off at school. I called him a few days later to thank him, and he said he'd be happy to take me up again if I needed to get aerial shots of anything. Awesome.

Needless to say, I was really looking forward to taking another trip over MusicFest again this year. In hindsight, I'm beyond glad that Paul decided to cancel our fly-over. Perhaps the helicopter would've been fine and we would've had another great trip. But then again, what if....

As the investigation into yesterday's crash continues, I'm sure Paul and his piloting skills will be the subject of some criticism. It's to be expected. But I'll tell you this...even though he's got two emergency landings under his belt...even though flying in an aircraft can be dangerous for anyone...even though my family thinks I'm nuts....I would be in the air again right now if I had the opportunity. And I'd post it on Facebook.