I have been fascinated with flight my whole life. I guess it started when I was a little guy - sitting on the bean bag chair in front of the TV as dad subjected me to another black and white documentary film on WWII. His love of airplanes - in particular, warbirds, grew in me as he took me to airshows around the midwest. While in my freshman year at Indiana State, I met one of my best friends, a pro pilot major, Shawn Simpson. Shawn and his fellow aviators were at that time "building time" towards their degrees. They often threw me in the plane - I guess just to balance the plane, or perhaps take joy in scaring the crap out of me. Either way, Shawn always said "your going to be my first student when I get my instructor rating". Yeah right Shawn. Well, my Junior year, he fulfilled that promise. I was his first student, and his first "successful" student passing the private pilot check ride. From their, I rented planes, burning just about all my free cash on the joy of driving single engine Cessna's and Pipers.
GRADUATION AND A MOVE TO MICHIGAN
I was on the 4.5 year program at ISU. My last semester was in the fall of 1992. I had some extra cash, and a light workload at school, so I sold my 1987 Honda Hurricane 600 and started my Instrument Rating. It would be almost 10 years later that I would complete that. I moved to Michigan that following February, flew only a little bit, then moved to Minnesota.
A True Pilot Is Born
I rented Beechcraft singles at Flying Cloud Airport for the next couple of years. It's the next 6 that really cemented my flying abilities and engagement in aviation. While in Minnesota, I became very involved in the Experimental Aircraft Association, joining a local chapter, #25. I became the Young Eagles Flight Leader, mentored a young 13 year old who is now a graduate of the Air Force Academy and training to be a fighter pilot. I went to Oshkosh every year as a volunteer, and got my Tailwheel endorsement in a Piper Super Cub. I even became a partial aircraft owner by joining a small flying club that owned N25WF, a 1940 J-3 Cub. That plane taught me so much about flying. Low, slow, stick and rudder, seat of the pants flying.
BACK TO MICHIGAN
In 2000, we moved back to Michigan. I hooked up with a flying club that owned a C-172, C-172RG, and J-3 Cub. I did some more flying, and earned my instrument rating. My checkride was with an FAA Examiner that was actually a B-17 pilot in WWII. That's a whole different story in itself.
ON TO FLORIDA - TIME FOR A BREAK
Well, in 2004, Ford moved me to Florida. I hadn't been flying much, and decided it was time to give full scale airplanes a rest. It's just not any fun - or safe - to fly as a hobby if you don't have time to practice and be proficient. So, I got into Radio Controlled Airplanes, thanks to some encouragement from Dad. That's where I am now. Flying RC Planes. I will get back behind the yoke of a full scale plane again soon.
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