On a picture perfect Friday morning, an Endeavor CRJ-900 touched down in Lakeland, Florida, serving as a picturesque backdrop for the second largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts in the world – Sun ‘N Fun.

With members of Endeavor’s recruitment teams already on the ground, those aboard the aircraft arrived to fanfare and a water cannon salute, intended to honor the pilot at the controls from the right seat.

The annual air show served as a homecoming of sorts for First Officer Phillip Herrington, who joined Endeavor in September 2016. With Herrington at the controls and CA Allan Woehrle in the left seat, the plane navigated the tight taxiways of the bustling airfield. Hundreds of family, friends, and local officials greeted Herrington and the crew once the plane was parked in the static airplane display area; thousands more made their way through and around the jet throughout the day.

Herrington was the first-ever recipient of the Sun ‘N Fun aviation scholarship, and attended a local high school that offered an aviation-themed curriculum.