Pilot makes high-flying marriage proposal over Houston

HOUSTON -- A former Navy pilot dreamed up a way to make sure his marriage proposal was one that his girlfriend will never forget.

Troy Booker spent 21 years in the service and now flies 787 Dreamliners for United.

He always wanted to take his girlfriend, Holly Whitford, flying while he was in the Navy, but wasn't allowed to.

So when Booker was hired earlier this month to fly a privately-owned L-39 jet from Angleton to Houston, he saw his chance.

"I knew the opportunity to take her flying would come up, but the idea for the actual engagement just came up when she was just so excited to go flying," Booker told ABC11.

Booker hid the ring in a back in the back seat and told Holly she needed to open it to get the flight checklist.

"This caught her off guard because I have to sit in front of her and she sits behind me so she did not think this would be possible for me to propose," Booker explained.

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Holly put on the ring and Booker flipped the plane until she said yes.

Booker told us a few days later he did things the old-fashioned way and got down on one knee to propose to Holly.

The two have not set a wedding date but they did share it will be a destination wedding.