There's good news tonight about spending time with the people we love, and the father and son who took family bonding to new heights, 30,000 feet, to be exact. These copilots making each other laugh. And making memories of a lifetime.

When you look over there as your kid sitting in the right seat of your airplane, it's just like, oh, my God, this is awesome.

Tom and Eric Eric Lake aren't just coworkers. They're father and son.

We talk almost every day. It's usually about flying or something, or that's something that's going on in our lives. We're a really close family.

A family grounded in love, but never grounded. Tom teaching Eric how to fly when he was growing up. Eric following in his father's footsteps, joining the Air Force at 25. And when Eric flew his first flight as a pilot for Delta in 2018, guess who is at the controls with him. Since then, the two spending more than 500 hours together in the sky. This was on Memorial Day, and they flew on Christmas. Eric even turning down a promotion so he could remain his dad's copilot pilot.

I just decided, Hey, I'm going to stick with him and fly with him and have that experience.

Did you ever look over and just think, That's really my dad in the cockpit next to me?

I really did. I really cherished it because I knew that this was going to come to an end at point.

That point came this month when Tom retired after 34 years with Delta Airlines. Eric wanted to make sure it was a day his dad would never forget. Thank you for making it special. Passengers and crew members thanking Tom for his service.

Thank you for your service.

A water cannon salute to send him off. And the most meaningful tribute, six years after Tom flew in Eric's first flight in the cockpit, his son joining his dad on his lap. Past.

Everybody was there, and it's just... I was like, my God, this is all for me. I'm just an old Delta pilot just moving on. They made it so special. It was the greatest day in my aviation career.

Eric, how does your dad inspire you?

He is the best pilot that I've ever known. I think if I can even do half of what he's done, I think I'm doing something right.

Looks like they are both doing something right. Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media.