When you come to work for Envoy, you don’t just join a company, you join a family. Much like Captains Kailey Gonzalez and Ryan Currie who came to fly for Envoy together, they were embarking on a new journey in their careers, as well as their relationship.
They were in the same First Officer training class together, bid for the same base and plane, and even got to be sim partners in their upgrade training. Both are 30 years old and have been with Envoy for the past two and a half years.
Not only that, but they will both be flowing to fly for American at the same time!
Kailey and Ryan are now engaged to be married this weekend in Scottsdale, Ariz. Read below as they recount their first meeting, their travel adventures and what makes them a great pilot couple.
Worth the wait
When did you first meet? Was it love at first sight?
We technically met first in Jacksonville, Fla., but we didn’t really know each other until we met again in Houston where we both worked as flight instructors for ATP Flight School. We really didn’t talk that much until we completely hit it off the night before he was relocated to Phoenix.
Once he left, Ryan called me within a week and said he got approval to move back to Houston. So, no, it wasn’t love at first sight, but we both knew there was something about the other we couldn’t turn away from.
What’s your engagement story? Surprised?
In November 2017, we were walking through Central Park in New York City enjoying the fall colors and beautiful weather in the city. We came across an empty gazebo in the middle of the park, and Ryan got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was completely unexpected!
Why New Zealand for your honeymoon? What sights do you plan to see while you’re there?
We have three weeks off from work for the wedding and honeymoon so we wanted to go somewhere that we normally wouldn’t have time for. New Zealand has always been on our list of destinations that we must visit.
While we’re there, we plan to visit the geothermal mud pools in Rotorua, go cave diving in Waitomo, hike around the base of Mt. Cook, and kayak through the Milford Sound. We will be renting a camper van for the duration of the trip so that we can pull over anywhere to camp each night.
What are some of the unique aspects of being a pilot couple?
It’s great with us both being pilots for the same company, because we often run into each other at the hubs which makes for a nice surprise. We’ve had times in the middle of four-day trips where we could meet in Miami for lunch or have breakfast together in Chicago.
A lot of people say it must be difficult for us being away from each other all of the time, but we actually have a lot more time together than they think. The time apart gives us a chance to miss one another, which helps keep our relationship exciting when we get to see each other again.
Is there any competition between you two when it comes to flying?
We did have a steep-turns competition one time when we rented a Cessna in Louisville, and had a landings competition in Houston in our early days as a couple but that’s just fun and games. When it comes to work, we both try to help each other become better Captains, and learn from each other’s experiences.
Do you all get to travel using your flight privileges often?
Yes! We love visiting Louisville, Ky. where Kailey grew up, and try to attend the Kentucky Derby every year. We also frequently return to Phoenix, Ariz. to escape the cold winters in New York and spend time with friends and family.
Last year, we also took advantage of our travel privileges to visit places such as Cabo San Lucas, Paris, and London—we loved them all! This next summer we hope to visit Dublin and Rome.
What’s your favorite part about flying for Envoy?
Our favorite part of flying for Envoy is getting to explore all of the cities that we travel to during work trips. We probably would never visit many of these smaller cities if we didn’t work for Envoy. Some of our favorite overnights include Savannah, Charleston, Nashville, and Toronto.
What other activities do you like to do together?
We love being outdoors whether it’s hiking, boating, biking, or walking through the streets of Manhattan. We also try to travel as much as possible to explore different cities and countries. We occasionally rent small aircraft for recreational flying together which is always a great time!