Father-Son Flight to Honor Father’s Day

A former helicopter pilot for the New York City police, who once rescued individuals trapped atop the World Trade Center after the 1993 bombing, recently took to the skies with his son to celebrate Father’s Day.

Carlos Sanchez and his son, Randy, enjoyed their first flight together on Tuesday, launching from the NYPD’s aviation unit at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, with The Post documenting the experience.

“I can’t believe we’re actually here,” Carlos remarked while gazing out from the passenger seat of his son’s NYPD Bell helicopter.

The younger Sanchez, now a newly minted pilot, navigated north from Brooklyn toward midtown Manhattan, climbing to an altitude of 800 feet and reaching speeds of about 160 miles per hour, arriving at the Empire State Building in roughly seven minutes.

Once there, he made a sharp right turn around the iconic structure, showcasing the type of maneuvers that are standard for new pilots in the NYPD.

“I still look up to my dad,” Randy shared. “But when you’re a kid, seeing your dad doing a job like this is pretty motivating.”

Joining them in the helicopter was NYPD pilot Anthony Daniels, who leads the training for new pilots. Daniels explained, “He holds a private helicopter license, so he flies from the right seat while I assist from the left.”

Randy’s younger brother, Chris, who is both a Post reporter and a New York City police officer, was also present in the aircraft.

Carlos Sanchez, the eldest son, had a distinguished service record, including time in the U.S. Marines from 1978 to 1984, where he helped secure the Panama Canal. He became part of the NYPD in 1984, serving in the aviation unit for 14 years before retiring in 2002.

One significant moment in his career was piloting a Bell 412 during the rescue operations after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

“I was already a pilot in the unit when the bombings happened. We were flying 412s, and it was the first time they attempted to take down the tower,” he recalled.

Carlos was among several pilots who landed atop the building to rescue frantic passengers trapped in thick smoke within the stairwell. They assisted in airlifting them to Battery Park.

“We coordinated with other helicopters over the radio, taking turns to transport more than a dozen individuals,” he said.

Randy Sanchez himself served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division from 2008 to 2013, with deployments to Iraq and Haiti. He joined the NYPD at 23 but didn’t become a pilot until age 30, deciding to pursue flight school at that stage in his life.

“It was always on my mind, but it took until I was 30 to really commit,” he stated. “That’s when I made the decision: ‘I’m going to do this.’”

The proud father shared, “I think it’s better late than never.”

He also expressed pride in his other son, Chris, 39, who followed in the family tradition to become a police officer in Queens.

Randy lost his mother last year and attributes much of his success to the support from both his parents. “My mom was a huge inspiration and one of my biggest supporters,” he reflected.

As Chris approaches retirement, he plans to pass down his father’s police shield, which he wears with pride, to Randy, who will keep it in the aviation unit.

“That’s how it should be,” Randy concluded. “He earned that shield, and it belongs here.”