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  #1  
Old 04-18-2011, 03:58 PM
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AltonD AltonD is offline
 
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Location: Dothan, Alabama
Posts: 1,487
Default DR's cover story

Great story of you and your son. That is what being a dad is all about.

[ed. Thank you! dr

If you didn't visit the front page:

Monday, Apr. 18, 2011. 1052z
Sunday morning Tate and I drove out to the airport at 0700 - just a Dad and his son. We had the entire field to ourselves save a few birds that were waking up. We discovered there in the morning still, with nothing to disturb us, that we could clap our hands once and hear the echo from the hangar across the runway. This escalated into shouts of 'HEY!' and 'BLAH!' and 'BUGGA BUGGA!' We were in our element - cavemen yelling at a building. I think only guys do these things...

Anyway, we fired up Flash and launched into a still morning. No threats on the screen, only the first wisps of wind on the water.

For the past couple of years it has always been me that has asked him if he wants to fly the plane. I think most of the time he just says yes to be polite. He always has to strain to see over the panel, even with a booster, and his feet are....well....feet from the rudder pedals. He never flies for long. But, he's been growing.

Yesterday was different. Even though it was blowing 37kts at 3000', in the plane it was rock steady. Like close your eyes and imagine you're parked on the ramp kinda steady. We were turning left crosswind and leaving the pattern to the east when he dropped the bomb, "Dad, can I fly?"

Heaven. "You have the airplane." "I have the airplane."

Straight to his school - he knows the way. Clockwise orbit so he could see it in the turn. Dropped a couple hundred feet through 180 degrees but recovered. Over to the new bridge at the lake. Off that little creek on the west side up the road to our house, then over to his friend Ryan's house. Twelve minutes we did this, then he gave it back like a pro, "You have the airplane." "I have the airplane." A 10-yr old pro.

I turned back for the field and asked if he was ready to get on the ground. "Nope." "You want to orbit the speedway?" "Yep." Dial up 135.15 and ask for permission. Granted.

After a lap we switched back over to 22.9 and did a touch 'n go. The second landing was even better, and the air was perfect. Brochure landing that you luck into every now and then. On rollout we saw our friend Randy in his truck over on the west side. He pointed to Tate as we rolled by. Tate pointed back. Guy stuff.

The high point? About five minutes into the portion of the flight Tate was flying, he looked over at me and saw me smiling. He said, "What?" "Oh, nothing", I said.

In 35 years or so he'll understand. If he has a son...and an airplane.]
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Alton DeWeese
N526RV RV7A Tip Up, IO360 180 W/Hartzel BA prop.
Flying ~950 hours since Aug 2010
N4IDH

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?The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.?

?Mark Twain

Last edited by DeltaRomeo : 04-18-2011 at 05:14 PM.
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  #2  
Old 04-18-2011, 04:02 PM
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pazmanyflyer pazmanyflyer is offline
 
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Location: Litchfield Park, AZ
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AltonD View Post
Great story of you and your son. That is what being a dad is all about.
I know (as well as many I'm sure) how Doug feels. I informed my boy Sunday morning I was going flying and he stated "I want to go flying too but mom says I'm still to young."

I smiled and thought to myself...soon my boy, soon.
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Carlos in Arizona
EAA Chapter 538 www.chapters.eaa.org/eaa538
Wittman Tailwind W8 N53CH (built & sold)
Pazmany PL-1 N2029 (bought & sold)
RV7 - N537TC (reserved & building)
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"The air is an extremely dangerous, jealous and exacting mistress. Once under the spell most lovers are faithful to the end, which is not always old age." - Winston Churchill
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  #3  
Old 04-18-2011, 04:24 PM
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Chino Tom Chino Tom is offline
 
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Location: Chino, CA
Posts: 738
Default Great times....

Both my sons grew up in our RV's. And although both are in their early 20's, neither has been bitten by the aviation bug (the oldest soloed). But they still
both ask if I'm going to Oshkosh every year and who's turn it is! Good times.
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Chino, CA
RV-8A,180/CS/Carb, AFS 4500 EFIS/EMS
RV-6, sold, 820 hrs of fun.
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  #4  
Old 04-18-2011, 04:35 PM
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BlackRV7 BlackRV7 is offline
 
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Thumbs up

Good stuff Doug!!!! Felt like I was on the other side of the hangar hearing you two
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Richmond, KY i39
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  #5  
Old 04-18-2011, 04:55 PM
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n5lp n5lp is offline
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Default

I too was struck this morning by that piece and I don't have kids. I think it was Doug's best short front page essay to date.
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  #6  
Old 04-18-2011, 06:29 PM
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scard scard is offline
 
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Location: Cedar Park, TX
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Default

Hoping that "somebody" else doesn't read this post. I highly ENVY those that know this experience! I could learn to share . No thanks to Doug for nearly bringing a tear to a grown man's eye. Well worth spending a rare few minutes on the front door.
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  #7  
Old 04-18-2011, 06:54 PM
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ArmyDad ArmyDad is offline
 
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Location: Strongsville, (Cleveland), OH
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Default I know the feeling

I know the feeling Doug. We are blessed. To fly an RV AND to share it with a son or daughter. Yessiree, it doesn't get any better.
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  #8  
Old 04-18-2011, 08:27 PM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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Great story Doug! I enjoyed reading it and realzied how lucky I am!

Quote:
Originally Posted by pazmanyflyer View Post
I know (as well as many I'm sure) how Doug feels. I informed my boy Sunday morning I was going flying and he stated "I want to go flying too but mom says I'm still to young."

I smiled and thought to myself...soon my boy, soon.
Carlos,

There is no "too young". Our son went for his first ride at 12 weeks, strapped to his mommy. Now at 2-1/2 he tells mommy that we are going flying. Only it sounds like this, in a little kids voice, "We go to hangar. Go up in da air daddy!" Even though he can't see out the sides, he gets really excited when I bank the plane because he can see the ground. When Charlotte put us 1000 feet under an airliner he got really excited as it passed over our head.

I can’t wait for the day when he can take the stick, like Doug’s young protégé.
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RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
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  #9  
Old 04-18-2011, 08:50 PM
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pazmanyflyer pazmanyflyer is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N941WR View Post
Carlos,

There is no "too young".
I feel that way too. I've wanted to take him on several occasions, but alas I must keep momma happy or no one flies!
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Carlos in Arizona
EAA Chapter 538 www.chapters.eaa.org/eaa538
Wittman Tailwind W8 N53CH (built & sold)
Pazmany PL-1 N2029 (bought & sold)
RV7 - N537TC (reserved & building)
Emp, Wings & Fuse done - working on FWF

"The air is an extremely dangerous, jealous and exacting mistress. Once under the spell most lovers are faithful to the end, which is not always old age." - Winston Churchill
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  #10  
Old 04-18-2011, 09:51 PM
jarhead jarhead is offline
 
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Location: PA
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Default

I am proud to admit that Doug (and Tate!) brought a tear to this grown man's eye.

The last few years have not been kind to my RV dreams, but some day... some day I hope to have this exchange with my daughter, in an airplane of my own construction:
Quote:
"Dad, can I fly?"

Heaven. "You have the airplane." "I have the airplane."
Some day..........
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Helicopter mechanic (A&P)
USAFR KC-10 Boom Operator, on final approach to retirement
My RV-9/8/7 dream may be on life support, but it ain't dead yet!
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