Although I am a huge and unrepentant advocate for general aviation, my first exposure to flight involved a big aluminum tube powered by four round engines. Eastern Airlines was the carrier. Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, was the departure point. Gainesville, Florida, was the destination, with a change of airplanes in Atlanta. I was […]
From here to there and back again
My friend Eirlys is a youthful ball of fire. She’s just 18 years old. As of last week she’s now an official high school graduate, with a diploma to prove it. If all goes well, and weather permitting, she’ll be a brand new private pilot by the end of next week. She’s really something. I ran […]
If at first you don’t succeed…
In 1992 I stumbled across the first airplane I ever seriously considered buying. I was a hard-working CFI back then. My income wasn’t going to set the world on fire, but maybe, just maybe I could find a way to buy the classic T-craft with the faded “For Sale” sign behind its windshield. Even though […]
Donald Shimoda is my co-pilot
In the mid-1980s I was a professional musician. I lived in in the Greenwich Village section of New York City with my best friend and musical collaborator, Michael Mazzarella. Our apartment sat on Bleecker Street, just around the corner from MacDougal. We walked on sidewalks Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and Paul Simon had walked. We […]
Pilot, humble thyself
As you might imagine of a guy who writes for an aviation publication with the reputation enjoyed by General Aviation News, I’ve been flying for quite a while. You might also get the impression I pretty much know what I’m doing. That’s not necessarily true. Sure, I can get an airplane into the air and […]
Aviation, with an absence of pressure
There is a very human trait that compels us to share the things we love with others that populate our lives. This is especially true of family members, and of particular concern with children. How often have you heard someone sigh, and with a shrug of resignation say something to the effect of, “My father […]
Bigger than both of us
One of my first memories is of being a 3 year old standing in the doorway of the master bedroom of my parent’s home in East Hartford, Connecticut. My newborn sister, Suzann, was in my mother’s arms. My dad stood by the closet, sliding his impossibly slender, 6 foot 4 inch frame into a flight suit festooned with […]
Dreams vs. goals
In the center of my town there is a park. In that park is a large blue chalk board where passersby are encouraged to finish the sentence, “Before I die I want to…” That’s a big statement. It’s got weight to it. A sentence that starts with those words begs for serious consideration. It’s not […]
Embracing the adaptability shuffle
You’ve been there. The flight has been planned meticulously. You’ve reviewed the weather information, you’ve got your charts in hand, the iPad is fully charged, there are no TFRs, no adverse weather conditions, and no NOTAMs to give you pause. You launch off with confidence. Then everything goes wacky. Maybe the weather suddenly and unexpectedly […]