How a Pilot Surprised Her Sister on Their Very First Flight Together (Exclusive)

This brother and sister relationship is beautiful.

Grace Lanker buckled up for an exciting ride on her United flight to Hawaii — not only because she was heading to her dream destination from Denver, but because her sister was the pilot on her flight!

In a heartwarming video shared on TikTok, the 24-year-old software engineer captured the moment her sister Rachel Earnhardt hilariously called out to her over the plane’s intercom before takeoff — a gesture that was met with cheers and applause from passengers on board.

In the TikTok video, which has garnered 1.8 million views since it was first posted in June, Lanker posted a clip of her face reacting to the shouts overlaid with text that read: “POV: Your sister is the pilot on your flight.”

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Grace Lanker and Rachel Earnhardt take a selfie in their airplane seats.

Grace Lanker

“First Officer Rachel is speaking. This is an extra special flight today because we’re flying with one of the best captains United has to offer, Rick Dubois,” Earnhardt began over the intercom in the video.

“And we have my best girl on board, my sister Grace, she’s sitting in 41D!” she continued, which immediately caused cheers from the passengers on board. “So, uh, just pat her on the back and tell her how great it must be to have a sister like me. Thanks so much!”

Lanker spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about the moment, explaining that “it was actually my first flight with my sister.” Earnhardt has had a private pilot’s license since he was 17; now 28 years old, she is a first officer.

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Rachel Earnhardt poses in the cockpit of an airplane.

Grace Lanker

“It’s crazy that it took me so long to get on one of her flights,” Lanker says in disbelief, though he cites COVID-19 as a big reason why it wasn’t easy to coordinate the schedule. “It just didn’t quite work.”

Lanker says the key to making it after all these years was “flying readiness” (aka the “biggest advantage” of having a sister as a pilot) during their trip to Hawaii. When Earnhardt greeted his sister during the flight, excitement was in the air.

“Everyone was cheering and everyone around me said, ‘No way. That’s your sister!’ ” Lanker recalls the passengers’ reaction to her sister’s announcement. “So everyone was so excited. It was super cool to experience – and then all the flight attendants were super excited about it too, which was fun.”

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Grace Lanker and Rachel Earnhardt hang out in Hawaii after their first flight together.

Grace Lanker

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Lanker says she “knew” her sister was going to post something — though she “didn’t know exactly what to say.” She adds: “I was very proud to be on one of her flights and be one of her passengers because she’s so cool.”

As for whether Lanker was nervous being in her sister’s hands as a pilot for the first time in her life? Not at all, given that several members of Lanker’s family are pilots, including her husband and another sister.

Lanker, who founded Altitude Collection, a company that sells custom aviation apparel, says she was “just excited” and filled with “pride” on that flight to Hawaii.

“I’m so proud of her and she’s so cool. She’s so badass.” Lanker adds, “I look up to her so much.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education