Flight Deck Podcast

Greg Sumner: Airline Pilot

Written by Sean Mobley | Tue, November 21, 2023

Greg Sumner grew up fascinated by airplanes and managed to parlay that love of aviation into a career as a pilot, flying some of the most iconic aircraft out there for United Airlines. He also served as the co-chair of the National Gay Pilots Association, a worldwide organization dedicated to creating community for LGBTQ+ people across all aviation jobs, and fostering a more inclusive industry. He joined me to share some of his pilot stories, to talk about a 9/11 hero who was a member of the National Gay Pilots Association, and explain why he feels diversity and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords, but a matter of life and death.

Content note: At about 28:40, Greg shares a derogatory term for a gay man that was used to describe him by another pilot.

 

Link to donate to The Museum of Flight

Link to the National Gay Pilots Association website