SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 329
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize Tammie Jo Shults for her heroic actions on April 17, 2018,
while piloting Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, which departed from
New York's LaGuardia Airport and was bound for Dallas; and
WHEREAS, En route, the plane suffered catastrophic engine
failure that jolted the plane and sent metal debris into the air
and cabin, causing rapid decompression and a window to rip open;
Mrs. Shults and her copilot were forced to use hand signals to
communicate with one another because the cockpit was loud and
shaking, yet amazingly, Mrs. Shults managed to remain calm and
used her prior training as a fighter pilot in the United States
Navy to safely land the plane in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, After the remarkable emergency landing in
Philadelphia, Mrs. Shults walked back to the cabin to personally
comfort each of the passengers, one of whom had unfortunately
sustained life-threatening injuries; and
WHEREAS, Tammie Jo Shults has had an exceptional aviation
career; she was one of the first females to fly the F/A-18 Hornet,
and she assisted her squadron by serving as an aggressor pilot in
training missions during Operation Desert Storm; and
WHEREAS, She was awarded the rank of lieutenant commander
in December of 1995, and she continued to serve in the navy
reserve until August of 2001; she was inducted into the Texas
Women's Hall of Fame in January of 2019; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Mrs. Shults is an active member in her
community; she teaches Sunday school at her church, among other
humanitarian endeavors, and she has generously allowed victims of
Hurricane Rita to stay in a cottage on her property; she is known as
a woman who has nerves of steel and who treats others with the
greatest of kindness and empathy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th
Legislature, hereby commend Tammie Jo Shults for her outstanding
career in aviation and for courageously saving the lives of the
passengers and the crew by piloting Southwest Airlines Flight
1380 to a safe emergency landing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
honor of Tammie Jo Shults and as an expression of highest regard
from the Texas Senate.
Campbell
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 19, 2019.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate