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DR's cover story

AltonD

Well Known Member
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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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. :)
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.:)
 
Great story Doug! I enjoyed reading it and realzied how lucky I am!

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.
 
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:
"Dad, can I fly?"

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

Some day..........
 
Nice!!!

This is the type of story that makes it all worth the trouble!!!! Great job, Doug.
 
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! :D

When my nephew was aged 2, my Dad strapped his car seat in the 150 and off they went. After that it was all we could do to keep him out of the plane.
He spent many hours in my Super Viking bombing around the open ag land west of Fresno. Now he is 17, graduating from high school, and working hard to earn money to finish his PPL.
You can not start them too young!
 
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.

You and me both, Scott, with respect to the envy and, literally, welled-up eyes, as I read that post.

Doug et al., don't let that stop you. Keep 'em comin'. I'm a sentimental fool!
 
Flying with my kids is the best. In fact, son (15) and I flew back home yesterday after a trip to see Iron Maiden play in Tampa. Bruce flew for over an hour. (There is a trip write up and pictures coming soon).
I did notice, however, that shoulder room is now getting a bit tight now with this young man. Wasn't like that a couple years ago. :rolleyes:
 
Great story Doug. I hope your son carries on with flying and enjoys all the wonderful things this pastime has to offer.

Thanks again for creating VAF so we can all share in such stories.:)
 
Great story, DR!

Loved the part about the echos. I'm betting that Danny King was down at the Blue Hangar mimicking you to make the echos. ;)

When our son was a munchkin -- probably about 7 or 8 years old, I used to take him up in my little Grumman Yankee. He'd sit on a booster seat and enjoyed taking the controls as soon as I told him it was his time. Unfortunately, however, we found out early (and often) that he didn't handle motion very well. Anything but straight and level seemed to turn him green.

Doobie1.jpg


Now, he's on his second tour in Afghanistan. As a Marine infantry company XO, he has more administrative duties than direct combat, and also has more time to stay in touch. He can't wait to finish this tour and get back here to go flying in Smokey again!

Doug, keep taking him up and enjoying those early mornings. They do indeed grow up fast ...
 
Envious

I'm envious. It's not always that way with the kids. I have three; none of them with the slightest interest in flying.
 
I've been blessed with three kids, but my two boys have little to no interest in aviation, and the eldest is very susceptible to motion sickness. The youngest guy only likes it when the turbulence is so bad that I want to land like right now!

Stuck in between the boys is my daughter. She's a girl in every respect, pink, lace and perfume. But she's always been willing to spend time with her dad at the hangar and has proven herself to be an excellent mechanic's helper. Despite being an excellent navigator she, too, isn't an avid flyer . Or so I thought.

A few weeks ago she was reviewing her university acceptances for next fall, slowly working her way through the selection process. I glanced over her shoulder at her checklist of points for and against the universities from which she's received letters of acceptance. What a pleasant surprise it was to find near the top of her checklist a neat one-liner... "Airport nearby."

It looks like she's planning on Dad being willing to act as an air taxi service. Do you hear me complaining? Nope!
 
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