Leading Edge Aviation
My Wife Doesn't Understand Me
Neither do my kids or my neighborhood friends. That’s the conclusion I came to after inviting everyone to a movie night, to watch the general aviation video, “One Six Right”. The plan was simple. Since previous attempts to share my passion for aviation were not successful, certainly no one could resist the words and pictures of this wonderful documentary. I was surprised, but undaunted when they failed to respond to the opening scene of the DVD. As each segment unfolded before them, I searched for the spark, but it was not to be found. Soon the excuses started coming as a constant flow of traffic left the couch for some unknown task upstairs. It was clear they were not to be swayed tonight. READ MORE
How Much Is That Doggie In The Window
For those of you too young to remember the song that inspired the title of this article, it’s very much akin to the question many pilots hear when talking with non-flying people. “How much does it cost to get a pilot’s license?” I always chuckle when I hear that question. It makes me want to answer, “Why, are you going to stop flying after you earn your license?” Of course the better question is, “how much does it cost to fly?” READ MORE
The In's & Out's Of Flying
In’s and Out’s? Shouldn’t that read, “Up’s and Down’s”? After all, flying is all about up and down, and there’s a lot of press that remind us of the Down’s in our industry. So Marc, what’s UP?
When I drive in the area of my home airport (PWK), I notice occupied cars parked by the fence or in the observation area. Sometimes the car is running, sometimes not. In all cases the driver is an active observer of any and all activity on the other side of the fence. The observation area has a picnic table, so it’s not unusual to see a single person or a family enjoying a sandwich while taking in the sights and sounds of the airport. It is clear these observers share our passion. Without speaking a word, we know what they are thinking and feeling. You can see the dream of flight in their eyes. It is clear as a CAVU day. READ MORE
Boring Holes: Verb or Adjective
It all started with a simple comment I made about how great boring holes was on a Saturday afternoon. My wife’s retort was, “EXACTLY!”
Had she come around? Did she just want to go flying, without the need to have family waiting at our destination? Was this really my wife, or had some alien taken over her body during the night? It didn’t matter. Truly, this was a magical day. And then it hit me. She thought the word BORING was an adjective, while I used it as a verb. READ MORE
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Reality, Dreams, & Nightmares
Not too long ago, I repeated my morning routine of scanning the newspaper before heading off to work. That day was different however, as I saw a picture of a single engine airplane on the front page of the business section. Naturally, my focus was drawn to the article. The gist of the story was that the economy was negatively impacting flight schools and aviation in general. There were no surprises in the facts presented, but there were statements from student pilots that caused me to take pause. “There is a lot of uncertainty, so I didn’t see it as the smartest move to put $10,000 into something that isn’t really considered a priority. It’s kind of frustrating. But the dream is definitely still there. It’s not something that motivates you to stay in a hobby like aviation. I miss it. There is nothing more rewarding than the flying.” The conflict in each of these thoughts is profound. How can a dream of an individual not be a priority? How can someone walk away from a hobby, when they feel there is nothing more rewarding? READ MORE