Skilled Pilot of Ill-Fated GOP Donor’s Family Plane Had 2‑Word Nickname Because He Was So Good

The pilot of the private plane that crash Sunday in Virginia had a 40-year career that began with crop dusting and grew into a strong reputation for safety in his profession.
Jeff Hefner had been a member of the board of directors for the pilots union of Southwest Airlines, an airline he had retired from as a captain.
“Jeff was a defender of his fellow pilots’ safety, careers, and family,” the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association said in a statement, according to The Washington Post. “We offer our deepest condolences to his wife, his family, and his friends. The aviation community has lost a true champion.”

Dan Newlin, an attorney in F …