What was it like flying F-15? My typical canned response, it is the most fun you can have with your pants! After a few more important questions will be happy to try to explain the thrill of strapping on a modern day flying machine. Some are fascinated with speed, some prestige, some by design and are really keen focus on skills. In the flying business, I define as the ability of the mission.
Union Tool and experienced operator gives excellent results that are changing the game. This tool can be as simple as a pencil or brush. It can also be very complex as an airplane. One without the other is in my opinion simply squandered potential. I wonder if Jimmy Doolittle could not identify Japan on a map before he became the first pilot to perform outside the loop. Did you realize that it is also the first pilot to perform a successful flight in instrument conditions of poor visibility? It could be argued that these are the basic milestones that led to the famous Doolittle Raid. I offer these examples to illustrate what it takes to overthrow orthodoxy and change the rules of the game. Our friend Webster, defines orthodoxy as "a belief or orientation agreeing with conventional standards." We all have them. However, successfully turning the orthodoxy can open a world that is so satisfying that it is impossible to accept the view of life than any other lens. Try to imagine a day where a pilot has no attempts out of the loop, IFR flight or an aircraft carrier catapult.
My Orthodoxy with general aviation. As the F-15 driver, my passion is hiring jet. Often, I announced that I will withdraw my g-suit, if I ever flew "the perfect mission. " It's a safe bet. There's always radio transmission, attack profile, a defensive reaction to the threat or formations that could be improved. I failed to see the mission offers the general aviation community. Quite frankly this is one of the reasons why I did not pursue a commercial airline career. For me offering had to be more than cranking the engine, navigation and safe arrival. That does not mean that my exit from the flying community in 1998 is simple. Many who knew me well doubted I could find happiness outside the cockpit. There have been times that I doubted my decision.
As my journey in the real world and still be twists and turns I found myself with unmet needs. How can I successfully travel from our country-locked primary residence in our home lake, to share my real passion with family and continue to challenge ourselves? To my surprise, general aviation had an answer! I've often thought that the aircraft is on floats and fishing holes in the desert looking for that are undisturbed land Lubbers. My opinion is that the float plane was not practical because I can not justify just landing on the water. This is a place where orthodoxy can be misconstrued as a lack of knowledge. Personally, I did not see the value in the $ 100 hamburgers and forever at the mercy of the weather gods in a small plane. Now I do not think twice about finding a pretext to search for 4-napkin cheeseburger with the runway and pump liquid gold on my machine.
In the heart of the matter is life balance. Unless you are born with a silver spoon in his mouth or savvy enough money to marry, taking the place where you can entertain the thought of owning an aircraft that can fly on a second home to a nice lake requires a lot of hard work and luck. energy behind my obsession with the perfect mission is routed to a successful transition from military to civilian life in the industry I had zero experience. It would be an understatement to say that I could only accomplish this with supportive wife who empathetically explain to children why Dad was working so much.
My son, Keaton, loves the outdoors. Last year he killed his first deer. He is an avid fisherman and loved camping. It is his passion. When flying is purely discretionary, owning an aircraft that meets the family's mission is critical to its currency. Fortunately, I am a better place in my professional life and can start to make deposits for all the years I've been getting withdrawals. Keaton and I spent a small fortune on equipment for camping in the last few months, getting ready for the big event. He approached me with a simple request. Dad, I want to get me a plane camping.Trust, he was given an infield of Oshkosh
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On Father's Day, I was overwhelmed with camping supplies. He was zeroed in on an island in the lake have never fished. We set a course for the Kerr Lake in northern North Carolina and found a beautiful bay, which gave us a view of the sunset behind our aircraft. Keaton caught all the fish, I clean them up, and we cooked them along with a recipe he found on the Internet. That night I taught him how to play blackjack under the dim light of one of the gifts I got. We could hear the lake water kissing the fuselage. It was a great experience and made memories I can not exactly shoot camera. The following mission is already in an advanced stage of planning.
Many of you probably share this orthodoxy. Aircraft keys provided with flotation device, paddle in the cabin, anchor, water rudders, bilge pump, plugs hull and retractable landing gear are not appropriate items to the list prior to delivery. Someone out there will be a Jimmy Doolittle Light Jets (VLJs). General aviation is full of possibilities. It is up to us to discover them!
I owned the world that hour as I rode over it .... free on earth, no mountains, no clouds, but how inseparably I was bound to them. Charles A. Lindbergh to fly over the Rocky Mountains.
