Pilot of 35 Years Nearly ‘Broke Out Crying' Due to Family's Surprise After Final Flight (Exclusive)

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2 days ago

After over three decades of flying, a dedicated pilot reflects on the challenges of life in the air
From military jets to international routes, his passion for aviation remained strong through every stage of his career
A surprise retirement celebration at the airport brought his family together after his last flightAfter 35 years soaring above the clouds, pilot Brad Hachat has officially touched down into retirement.
The 64-year-old's decades-long journey began in college, where a T-38 mockup on campus sparked a lifelong fascination with aviation. In 1982, he entered the Air Force Initial Flight Screening (IFS) program at 22 years old and had the opportunity to fly a T-41, solidifying his path to becoming a pilot.
'I always had a love for flying,' Hachat tells PEOPLE exclusively. 'My dad was a big aviation enthusiast and even built his own airplane.'
After earning his engineering degree and completing the Air Force training program, he went on to serve eight years in active duty and another eight in the Air National Guard.
Meanwhile, in 1990, he started working as a carrier airline pilot for American Airlines, where he spent 35 years before his career in the clouds came to a close.
On his final flight from Hawaii to Arizona on July 1, 2025, Hachat's family surprised him at the gate – decked out in Hawaiian shirts, leis, and holding handmade signs – marking the perfect ending to a remarkable career.
'My dad didn't want any kind of celebration or retirement party but we knew deep down he would be so excited to see his family when he got off the plane,' Hachat's daughter, Lindsay, 31, tells PEOPLE exclusively.
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She and her stepmom, Denise, planned the surprise at a gate in Phoenix. Though they hoped to meet him in Hawaii, the layover was too short, so instead, the entire family flew to Arizona days in advance.
'We thought it would be super difficult to get the whole family there on a relatively short notice, but everyone in the family, without hesitation, committed and said they would make it work to be present,' Lindsay says.
With help from American Airlines and Denise, a Delta flight attendant, the group secured special gate passes.
The pilot's three children, their spouses, two of his grandchildren, and his mother and stepfather came in from all around the country — from Colorado to Nebraska and South Carolina — to make it a moment he'll never forget.
'I just about broke out crying but I knew once I let out that first tear, I wouldn't be able to control it so I tried hard to fight that back,' Hachat tells PEOPLE. 'I felt grateful to be able to share such a special moment with my entire family.'
Hachat knew his daughter and son-in-law would be at the gate, since he had invited them a week earlier, but he had no idea the rest of the family would be there too. Denise had accompanied him on the flight from Hawaii, and could be seen behind him in a now-vrial video.
Normally, surprises are hard to pull off in their family because they all share locations, but Hachat hadn't checked the app while in Hawaii. Thanks to that, the surprise went off without a hitch.
The whole family gathered at his home for celebratory drinks, food, and a fun pool day to cap off the unforgettable milestone. He spent the rest of the day beaming with gratitude, thrilled to have his entire family together to celebrate the end of his career.
'There was a sense of relief and lifted weight of responsibility, you know, never again would I have to go to work and have hundreds of lives be my responsibility to get them to their destinations safely,' Hachat admits. 'At the same time, on my last flight, everything I did crossed my mind that I would never have fun getting to do this again.'
Over his decades-long career, Hachat flew military aircraft like the A-10, AT-38, and F-16, and later piloted the 757, 777, and Airbus 321 with American Airlines.
He averaged four to five trips a month, often spending three days working and four at home, with his favorite routes being to Rome, London, and Santiago, Chile.
The job came with sacrifices: missed family milestones, sleep deprivation from time zone changes, and the constant routine of hotel stays and eating out. But despite it all, he truly loved his career.
'The best parts about being a pilot were the many people from all walks of life that I got to meet,' Hachat reveals.
'I had the best office in the world, being up in the sky... I got to travel to some amazing places all over the world.'
Read the original article on People