Craig Stephen Hutain

Craig Stephen Hutain was born June 8, 1959, in Trenton, New Jersey and was taken from us on November 12, 2022, in Dallas, Texas in an aviation incident, but his larger-than-life persona and infectious smile will live on forever and never be forgotten.

Craig fiercely loved Lori, his wife of 20 years. They were truly blessed with a rare, long-lasting love rooted in kindness and affection. His two daughters, Traci and Kelli, were his proudest accomplishments, who he collectively called "his girls." Craig was a proud "Papi" to his five grandchildren, an adored brother to four siblings (Debbie, Beth, Alison, and David), and beloved son to his parents. Additionally, his circle of friends was truly family as well. Craig cherished and valued the relationships in his life and worked tirelessly for those that he loved; he was always available with a helping hand, to give practical advice, or to simply lend an ear.

Craig was passionate about flying. His father was a WWII pilot flying B-24's then became an airline pilot after the war ended. Craig started flying with his father in a J-3 Cub when he was 10, developing the love of flying that he demonstrated for the rest of his life. He obtained his private pilot certificate in 1975 at 17, the earliest age allowed. After graduating from Ventura High School in 1977, Craig attended Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo where he obtained a BS in aeronautical engineering. While in college, Craig worked as a Flight Instructor. He not only taught students how to fly but specialized in aerobatic and tailwheel instruction at the Santa Paula Airport in California.

Craig started with his first airline, Rocky Mountain Airways, in Colorado. There he flew the De Havilland Twin Otter and the Dash 7. Craig transitioned to the B-727 after Rocky Mountain became part of Continental Airlines in 1985. Later he flew the MD-80 before moving to Houston, where he became a captain on the B-737 and the lead line check airman for the Houston base. After the merger with United Airlines, he flew his new favorite jetliner, the B-777 to Europe, Asia, and South America.

Craig had 35,000 flying hours in over 100 types of aircraft. He held certificates as an airline transport pilot, commercial glider pilot, seaplane pilot, and instructor. Craig also flew corporate aircraft, including the Falcon 50, 7, and 9 for private individuals, and he was typerated in the G550. And in his "spare time," he enjoyed flying his personal airplane, a Vans RV8, as well as his friends' Albatross flying boat.

In addition to his airline career, Craig flew warbirds for the Commemorative Air Force. He began his airshow life in the pyro field, building and detonating special effects on the ground. He then started flying in airshows in 2009 as a pilot for TORA! TORA! TORA! He flew several variations of the T-6, most recently a P-36 Hawk (really an SNJ). Craig flew several other CAF warbirds, including a P-51 Mustang and a P-63 KingCobra for the Dixie Wing in Atlanta, and a Florida-based P-40 Warhawk. In Texas, he flew a different P-51, the P-39 Airacobra, and its latter variant, the P-63F KingCobra—the only one of its kind in the world.

Craig was well known for inspiring young people to become pilots. He always had time to put them in his cockpit, show them how things worked, and answer their questions. Craig was very proud of inspiring his daughter, Kelli, to earn her private pilot certificate, which she successfully earned in 2006 with the help and support of her father. Craig was also the inspiration for his nephew, Doug, to earn his private pilot certificate in 2020. They spent countless hours in the cockpit of an airplane together.

If something could fly, Craig wanted to fly it, whether it was an impeccably folded paper airplane for his kids, an RC model plane in an open field, or the frame of a biplane tucked away in his collection that he had dreams of restoring to its previous glory someday.

In addition to aviation, Craig was a talented musician. He played bass in many bands and—if given the opportunity—was known to jump on stage to jam for an evening. He was an excellent cook who enjoyed everything about his meal from chatting with the butcher at the grocery store to beautifully plating it up. Craig was an avid scuba diver and a fearless downhill skier, two interests that he loved sharing with his friends and family. Craig could often be found happily taking on the task of getting everyone's scuba gear packed and organized, a labor of love that helped get everyone in the water. Endless little things like this seemed simple in the moment, when in reality they were impactful ways he removed barriers for his people. He could build a house from the ground up, and there was absolutely nothing that he could not problem solve. He connected with his daughters over hobbies and was endlessly proud and patient as he taught them skills and encouraged curiosity, challenges, and personal growth in every aspect of their lives.

Similarly, Craig just loved traveling and worked hard to give his family the gift of exploring the world. He and Lori recently went to Germany to connect with her family history, and the two of them had recently been discovering the relaxing (and different for them!) enjoyment of cruises. He brought back little treasures for his grandkids—a sparkly stone from Greece, a tube of "the best mustard in the world" from Germany, a video to share of a particularly lovely flight over Greenland. Before his girls settled into their own years of adulthood and becoming mothers, he was intentional about giving them formative travel experiences. One weekend, he took his art-inspired daughter Traci to Paris just to give her the experience of the city. He wanted them to tilt their heads at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, look up in awe at the Sistine Chapel, to feel the warm sandy beaches of Mexico, know the exhilaration of a deep cave dive with sharks, the unique enchantment of ski towns, the luxury of a lazy poolside afternoon, and the stillness of stargazing under a deep black sky.

A huge part of Craig's life was his interest in Fords (particularly Mustangs), notably his first car—a 1965 Mustang 289 coupe that was one of his most prized possessions. To know Craig was to know about his butter yellow 65'. He completely rebuilt a gorgeous 1969 Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet just for the joy of it, only to turn around and sell the car "to make room in his garage" for another project—such a testament to how much he thrived on process-driven hobbies. His most recent project was the restoration of a 427 Ford Cobra Roadster. Craig loved driving fast, windows down, music loud. He could often be found in his garage working on a hot rod.

Dang, Craig was such a good one. He loved nothing more than to share his life in his own authentic, charming way. He was a natural entertainer, a warm host, and generous with his time. Gifted with a magnetic personality, he was the life of any party.

In lieu of a service, Craig's family asks that you raise a drink of choice in his honor and live life with the joie de vivre that Craig lived his.