On the morning of February 13, 2018, Captain Christopher Behnam was the first officer on United Airlines flight 1175, flying a Boeing 777. He and his crew were on a routine flight from San Francisco to Honolulu when suddenly a loud noise, accompanied by several warning signals and severe shaking of the aircraft, was heard. It soon became clear that they were facing a catastrophic engine failure, losing half of their propulsion power, along with significant drag caused by damage to the aircraft's structure. They were hundreds of miles away from their destination in the Hawaiian Islands. The story that follows is a direct account of how he and his crew managed to safely land the damaged aircraft with 381 people on board. As they descended through thick clouds, barely able to read the instruments, the crew somehow communicated with each other in a way that, unfortunately, other crews in similar incidents had failed to do in the past. But this story is not only about a miraculous recovery by a well-trained crew, but much more than that. It is a story of the kind of opportunity Churchill referred to as something very special, unique to them, and fitting for their talents. As you will soon learn, Captain Behnam had seemingly gained all of his life experiences for this very moment.
Captain Christopher BehnamUnited Airlines 777 Captain and Iranian Human Rights Advocate On a fateful day in 2018, Captain Behnam was flying a United Airlines Boeing 777 to Honolulu when it suffered catastrophic engine failure. On board were 381 souls. The 777 was virtually uncontrollable. Were it not for his amazing piloting skills, the plane would easily have been lost. His exceptional valor brought the plane safely to Honolulu. ALPA, the Air Line Pilots Association, recognized his heroic efforts and those of his copilot and first officer. They awarded Captain Behnam and his colleagues the Superior Airmanship Award, an award that has been bestowed only five times since the 1930s. Captain Behnam is also a successful entrepreneur and businessman, as well as a public figure and speaker, conducting leadership and motivational seminars. Captain Behnam, who was born in Iran, is the founder of Help Free Iran, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization. The group aims to unite and collaborate with Iranians and non-Iranians alike in the effort to create a democratic Iran, free of authoritarian rule, corruption, inequality, economic turmoil, human rights violations, and religious doctrine.
