I'm sharing a recent PM exchange I had with Burns Moore whose profile had me wondering if he had been someone that did a huge favor for me without knowing it:

My wife Wendy met a pilot named Burns while staying in Renton for a couple of weeks during a phase of our home renovation project - I believe it was August 2012. She was staying with one of our Great Pyrenees. The pilot was doing some training for Boeing or with Boeing at the time. I'll explain why in a minute but I asked a pilot that I know who at the time had recently been hired on a contract as a sim instructor for 777 if he could locate Burns for me. I think I told him Burns was the last name but nothing came of my inquiry.

I recall Burns had a Bonanza, perhaps lived in Houston, retired Continental pilot, and often flew to Virginia where he had family. When I first saw your name and profile on Beech-talk I wondered if you were the right guy.

On 9/11/2008 my wife and I were flying a rented Mooney from Burbank to Seattle with a planned fuel stop in Medford when a mechanical issue caused 40 gal of fuel to be dumped. Resulted in a dead stick landing from 12,000' into Trinity Center - the middle of nowhere. While Wendy was very calm during the descent and landing, she was a little stressed over the whole event and thereafter not interested in flying in anything smaller than a 737.

In July 2012 I bought N581CB, a P-Baron. I didn't tell her in advance I had bought the plane but that's a story for another time.

So, in August 2012 Wendy meets this pilot named Burns staying at the same hotel while walking Kita our senior Great Pyr and they get to talking about planes, her Mooney experience, and the fact her husband has just bought this plane - pressurized P-Baron as she would described it. I think she explains she has no intention of getting in the plane.

Burns then explains to Wendy that a P-Baron is basically a small airliner, great airplane, how he wished he could afford one, etc. Whatever Burns told her he did it in a very convincing, matter of fact way that caused her to think maybe she could get used to flying in a P-Baron. A couple of days later I return to Seattle from a business trip and Wendy tells me the story and suggests that I've set this whole thing up. She was still pissed at me about buying the plane without telling her. It took a few months but she came around. Two years later it is our plane and she views it as a time machine.

If you are the guy, thanks. If not, I hope you enjoyed the story.

And Burns' reply:
Yes Tom it was me and I remember the talk . . . and I enjoyed the story.

So very glad all has worked out, and I hope that the future continues to work as well as it has thus far.

We moved from TX to VA to be near our grandchildren and it has been a joy. I'm not sure if you are aware, but Boeing moved all training facilities to Miami, so unfortunately my trips to Seattle are over.

Good luck and best wishes,

Burns Moore