Flying with Dad, a defacto young eagle or gray eagle?

Ok, the question is rhetorical. So here is the rhetoric. Friday, I took Dad (age 81) on a flight from Kvll (Troy, MI) to a small grass strip off Lake Huron 55G (Arnold field in Croswell, MI). When we landed, the local farmer/airport attendant gave us his car and we drove 2 miles into town for lunch. After lunch, we flew along Lake Huron then returned home. It was truly a highlight for me as I first soloed an airplane in 1986 and only recently obtained my Private Pilot certificate. I promised myself that Dad would be my first passenger as a Private Pilot. I am also an airplane owner, a 1949 Cessna 140A.

Reflecting on my journey, I recall my first flight in a small aircraft (a discovery type flight) at the age of 8 while on vacation in Florida, circa 1974. (a defacto young eagle?) After high school, I soled a C-150 then ran out of money. Soloed a Skyhawk in the late 90's and early 2000's, kid's college, career prevented me from finishing.

In March of this year I purchased the C140A at the age of 44. Shortly thereafter I soloed again (a defacto gray eagle?) and became a private pilot.

I have three points:
1. Flying at a young age can light a fire.
2. Flying as an adult is aviation's answer to the fountain of youth, (I am still 8 or 18 at heart).
3. I am really proud of finishing my goal, flying my Dad and becomming a private pilot.

Congrats Daniel! That's a great story, and it's always great to see goals, even ones that take a few years, get met!:cool:

Ditto, Daniel - my dad was one of my first passengers right after I got my Private in '87, and then he was my second Tiger Moth passenger about 20 years later when I was lucky enough to start flying those. It means a lot to be able to share something like that with a dad...!

Congratulations. Great story. And what a very pretty plane! I hope your Dad is as proud of you as you are of achieving your goals.

I have a friend whose father's only verbal contribution to her flying was "haven't you crashed it yet" :eek:

Yes, I swear you can't light the fire too early, even if the path doesn't lead directly to being a pilot. My first "aviation-related" experience- involved doing my potty training with a picture book an uncle had given me- the history of helicopters, including the latest and greatest Bell UH-1 and Fairey Rotodyne. Funny I still remember that book..

I am glad you were able to fulfill that goal. In my own, case, sadly, I was not able to fulfill my dream of doing this, as my Dad passed away at the age of 53 while I was not actively working on my half finished pilot training. Dad had been an E-9 and a chief petty officer (you know, the guys who get things done in the Navy) and was teaching maintenance in Lemoore NAS in Lemoore, CA, when he took me to the base one day to sit in the cockpit of an A7 Corsair II. I remember that this sparked my lifelong passion about all things flying. Well, life happens, and I finally started pursuing my dreams of flight at about the age of 30. A couple years later, Dad passed. I made up my mind after that to finish what I had started, and I am glad I did. I just wish I could have taken up the man who lit the spark. Thanks Dad!!:cool:

Thanks for sharing the story about your Dad. I believe sharing memories is the key to immortality. Finishing your ticket further supports the notion that your father's spirit may very well be living within you. It appears that you, like your father, is someone "who gets things done". It would be nice to believe he is flying with you on every flight and I am confident he is proud of you as well.

Daniel

Daniel,
I appreciate your thoughts. And as others have said, nice plane!! Thanks for sharing.