Father and son co-pilot commercial flight decades after adorable picture was taken - Mirror

Richard Hocking is about to retire as a commercial airline pilot after 45 years in the cockpit but before he went he had a special flight with his son, also a pilot

A father and son have co-piloted their first commercial flight together to mark a momentous milestone.

Richard Hocking, 64, is about to retire after 45 years as a commercial airline pilot, 41 of those years as a pilot with Thomson Airways .

Son Henry Hocking, has also been flying with Luton-based Thomson for three years, but had never flown with his dad due to a clash in their schedules.


However, their timetables were switched by the company so that the pair could fly together to honour the special occasion.

The father-son duo finally sat in the cockpit together on 12 April, with Richard serving as captain and Henry as first officer on the 10 hour flight from London Gatwick to Cancun, Mexico.

During the flight, Richard announced to passengers that it was a special day for him as he was flying with his son.

Richard, who has clocked up more than 25,000 hours during his impressive career, commented on the experience: “It was a really special moment for me and I was extremely proud to have Henry beside me – it was the perfect way to mark my retirement.”


“Flying with my dad has always been a dream of mine, so this has definitely topped the list as a career highlight”, Henry added.