A retired New York Police Department helicopter pilot who played a critical role in rescuing people trapped atop the World Trade Center following the 1993 bombing flew alongside his son for the first time in a Father’s Day tribute.

Carlos Sanchez and his son Randy took off Tuesday from the NYPD Aviation Unit at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, conducting a flight over Manhattan together. Randy piloted one of the department’s Bell helicopters, with his father seated beside him.

Reflecting on the experience, Carlos Sanchez expressed amazement at the moment, noting the significance of their shared flight over the city. The approximately seven-minute journey covered the route from Brooklyn to Midtown at around 800 feet altitude and speeds near 100 miles per hour, reaching the Empire State Building.

Randy Sanchez described admiring his father’s career from a young age. “I still look up to my father to this day,” he said, calling his father’s work inspiring given its unique nature.

Carlos Sanchez's aviation career began after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1978 to 1984. He joined the NYPD in 1984 and spent 14 years in the Aviation Unit before retiring in 2002. A notable highlight was his involvement in emergency airlifts following the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. During that crisis, he piloted the department’s larger Bell 412 helicopter to land on the roofs of the Twin Towers.

On that day, Sanchez was among several pilots who evacuated individuals trapped by dense smoke within the buildings, especially those unable to descend via stairwells. The rescued were flown to safety at Battery Park.

Tuesday’s flight not only commemorated the bond between father and son but also paid homage to a legacy of service and a pivotal moment in city history.