Final Flight Caps A 36-Year Career With The Airline

He didn't realize it at the time, but when Capt. Lou Freeman had his first interview with Southwest Airlines for a job as a pilot, he would become the first black pilot to fly for the airline.

That was in 1980. On Thursday, he made his last flight for the airline, capping a 36-year career.

Freeman turned 65 on Monday, and was required to retire as an airline pilot.

When Freeman was hired, Southwest had only 187 pilots, according to a story appearing in the Dallas Morning News. During his career, he became the first black chief pilot of any major U.S. airline.

When he walked down the jetway Thursday morning for his 12:40 flight from Dallas to Chicago, he joked that he had been "practicing his landings" to be sure the last one was a smooth one.

Freeman had been the first black corps commander of the ROTC program at Woodrow Wilson High School. He continued in the Air Force ROTC at East Texas State University, now Texas A&M University Commerce. But he initially failed the pilot portion of the aptitude exam.

He admitted that he didn't know much about airplanes at the time, so he spent the next year learning about them, at first because he was upset with himself for falling short. Along the way, he developed an interest in aviation and flying that lasted a lifetime.

He was named Chief Pilot for Southwest in 1992. He also was an inaugural member of Southwest's "Adopt-a-Pilot" program which is designed to develop in interest in aviation among elementary school students.

He also passed his love of aviation on to his son, who is a flight instructor and aspiring airline pilot. They planned to fly together Monday for Freeman's birthday.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.southwest.com