By Amy White
The Texas Catholic

With 40 years of airplane piloting under his belt, Ray Simpson said he sees his career in aviation as a privilege—and an opportunity to serve. 

“I’m able to bring people to their business meetings and their weddings and their family reunions and their vacations and all the things that they get to,” Simpson explained, “and I consider it a privilege to be able to do that.” 

An Our Lady of Angels parishioner, father of seven, and grandfather of 16, Simpson has been steeped in the aviation field his whole life. As a child, his father served in the Air Force, and Simpson got a firsthand look into what would become his lifelong career. 

“My father was not a pilot, but he had friends that were,” Simpson said. “And I just always thought that was something very cool, to go up in the air and be free.” 

This childhood dream became a reality when he graduated in 1984 from the Air Force academy, where he met his wife Heidi, and began pilot training before commencing his career as a pilot in the Air Force. 

“It was an honor to serve in the Air Force,” he said, noting that the experience presented many opportunities to serve those in need. “We dropped supplies to [refugees] out of our airplanes—rice and beans and blankets, relief supplies for them. We had other missions like that, humanitarian missions, where we carried very meaningful things to the people that really needed it.”   

Simpson added that three of his seven children have followed this path, serving as pilots in the Air Force.  

“I think all three of my boys have a sense of serving their country, that being in the military is a calling,” he said. “It’s a vocation.” 

In 1992, Simpson joined American Airlines as a pilot. Today, he serves as a captain at the airline, where he still finds ways to live out his faith through service—including by making the flying experience exciting for his youngest passengers.

“Now that I’m older and I have grandkids, I love when kids come up [to the] cockpit when I’m doing my pre-flight duties,” he said. “I always ask their name, and I put them in the seat if there’s time… and see their eyes light up.

“Then when I do my announcement I say, ‘I want to offer a special welcome aboard to Johnny, who came up to the cockpit and said hello. I really appreciate you stopping by. I hope you have a great flight.’ On more than one occasion, parents will get off and go ‘That was so cool. We heard it, and he heard his name.’” 

As Simpson nears the end of his long aviation career, he continues to pursue service—this time through the Church.    

“I think the Lord has something in mind for me, and I feel a very strong call to serve God’s people and serve the Church in the permanent diaconate,” Simpson, who is halfway through the permanent diaconate process, said. “I’m excited to see where He leads me to serve His people.”   

“He is a very genuine man, very intelligent, very strong in his faith,” Deacon David Banowsky, associate director of formation at the Diocese of Dallas, said of Simpson. “I’m looking forward to him continuing in formation and being ordained one day.” 

While he looks ahead to what God has for him in the future, Simpson remains grateful for the way he is able to serve the community through his career now. 

“I connect people to where they need to go and what they need to do and bring people together,” he said. “It’s all a team effort. I’m just happy to be part of the team.”    

Aviation Mass 

Simpson is one of several members of the aviation industry who will attend the Diocese of Dallas’ upcoming inaugural Aviation Mass. The event will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church on Sept. 14 and will include a blessing for those in the aviation industry followed by a reception. 

“There will be a number of people who are members of the aviation industry who will be gathered along with some parishioners from Christ the King parish,” Jeanne Marie Miles, director of the office of worship at the diocese, said. “It will be pilots, stewards, people on the ground, mechanics, leaders in the aviation industry, executives and CEOs of airlines.” 

Miles said the event was born of Bishop Edward J. Burn’s “desire to honor and bless and lift up those who are in the aviation industry.”   

“This event gives all of us an opportunity to thank God for the gift of modern air travel,” Miles said, “but also an opportunity for us to pray for all of those who are involved in making this happen, so that all of us are able to receive from God graces to move forward in safety and with concern for all those who travel by air.”   

Deacon Banowsky said the event is an exciting opportunity for those in the aviation industry to gather together in prayer. 

“[Aviation] is a job or a career that takes you away a lot from home, from family,” he explained, “and the ability to be able to find a place to worship or to pray… those are always important things.” 

“To be able to attend the first of hopefully many is pretty exciting,” Simpson said of the upcoming Mass. “The aviation industry is so important in our country these days… The ability to connect people all over the world—it’s amazing to be part of that… Having a blessing on that whole process and all the people involved is pretty special.” 

Editor’s note: The inaugural Diocese of Dallas Aviation Mass, a special gathering to recognize and celebrate the contributions of all those who work tirelessly within the aviation community, will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Christ the King Catholic Church, 8017 Preston Road in Dallas. Visit DallasCatholic.org/event/aviation-mass to register.