Andrew Hall '77

As a pilot for Federal Express, Andrew Hall ’77 captains an MD-11, which he describes as a “beautifully automated, instrumented, laptop-fitted, absolutely first-class airplane” with a 169-foot wingspan and a maximum take-off gross weight of 630,000 pounds, making it just a bit smaller than a 747. Flying to major cities in the U.S. and all over the world, Andrew likes the way being a pilot requires him to be physically fit and mentally sharp. In flight, he must constantly factor in such variables as the layouts and procedures for various airports, ever-changing weather conditions and ground conditions, and even the language or accent of the air traffic controllers—all while being prepared for emergency contingencies. “You’re making hundreds of different decisions just bringing that airplane in to land or taking off,” he says, noting, “I thrive on high-pressure situations.”

 

Not a surprising sentiment from a now-retired veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Andrew flew AV-8B Harrier jets as a Marine Corps pilot, and C-130 cargo planes for the Air National Guard in a military career that lasted 22 years.

 

Andrew says he knew he wanted to be a pilot even as a student at Harding for the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. At Harding he found teachers who took an interest in him and who held him accountable for his actions. Now a class agent and alumni board member, Andrew says of Harding, “I can’t overemphasize the foundation it gave me.”

 

After graduating from Hillsboro High School, Andrew enrolled at UT-Knoxville, spending his summers participating in Marine Corps training, so as to be commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation. The lone English major at flight school, he needed help from his engineering-focused buddies to get through the more complicated math and physics. But Andrew says he soon realized his speaking, writing, and presentation skills were a tremendous asset for him and his squadron. He says, “If you’re well read and you’re able to use these language skills, it really puts you ahead of everyone.”

 

After service with the Marines, Andrew began working at FedEx in 1996, mixing his civilian career with part-time service in the Tennessee Air National Guard. (He retired in 2005 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.)

Whether in military or civilian life, Andrew has always enjoyed seeing the world. Paris is among his favorite cities. While he, wife Tricia, and four-year-old son Owen love living in Nashville, Andrew hopes to someday live in Europe—at least for a few years.