Politics for Pilots

Make no mistake about it, there is a Good Ol’ Boys Club in your town. They’re in every town. But the door is open and the opportunity to participate as a member exists. All any of us has to do is lend a helping hand on projects that matter to us, and we’re in.

Yep, I’m up on my soapbox again. Whenever and wherever I can. Because there is at least the sliver of a chance that somebody, somewhere needs to hear the words coming out of my mouth. And I truly believe that something good might come from all this blabbering.

You don’t have to be rolling in discretionary income to be an airplane owner. It doesn’t hurt, of course. However, it’s not a prerequisite. If you can afford a motorcycle, or a boat, or a vacation timeshare, you can probably afford to own an airplane. Or a percentage of an airplane which, in all honesty, might be the even better deal for most of us.

Yes, it’s worth the trouble to go somewhere. To travel by air with the freedom to go this way or that on a whim. To land on a grass strip for fuel just because you can. Or to set your sights on a destination you’ve dreamed of for years, but never thought was within your reach. The whole world is ours if we seek it out. One hop at a time. With a mindset that allows us to even enjoy the weather delays and unexpected diversions.

Let’s take a moment to consider a few of the things we know. Or more particularly, things we think we know that aren’t actually true, or valid, or helpful in any way.

Make no mistake about it. We are stumbling toward the stars. Just as our ancestors experimented with wood and sail to venture further and further from land, we are taking the early critical steps to assure the continued existence of the human race — via spaceflight.

I stayed in the game, as did my student. We flew the downwind, then base, then turned onto final. I carried a bit of power, preferring to be high and fast to low and slow. At the appropriate time I flared, and the engine gave out. Right there, five feet above the runway, my engine quit.