Airline Pilot

Michael D. “Mad Dog” Watson is an Atlanta-based pilot for AirTran Airways. He got his nickname when he was in the army when he and a friend were flying in a bi-plane. During the flight Watson motioned to his friend that he wanted to get out on the wing of the plane. His friend, piloting the plane, shrugged his shoulders yes. While on the wing they buzzed what was then the Bear Creek Airport, today near the Atlanta Raceway, and he waved at everyone. Having witnessed the fly by, one worker told him that his initials stood for “Mad Dog” and the more that people told the story the bigger and better it got, and the name stuck.