Hey Here's a thought ...

I went to the www.sportairrace.org website under Calendar of Events and found that there are a few cross country air races still to be run this year. Why not take your love of flying to an "everyman's race" and see how you stack up with your peers. There are three special classes for RVs and anyone flying a 320 powered RV is assured of high points in the RV Red class. RV Golds with 390s or RV-10s with 540s do not have a lot of competition either. Now, RV Blues with the 360s seem to be more plentiful so you have to work a little harder planning altitudes on each leg for winds and such but there is something to be said for the competition. Hope to see you all out there.

Bob Axsom

Races Scheduled For 2011
These are SARL-sanctioned races where
placing will accumulate points towards
your League total.


The Pagosa Springs 130 Air Race
24 September, 2011
Pagosa Springs, CO (PSO)

The Northwoods 100 Air Race
24 September, 2011
Waupaca, WI (PCZ)

The Lancaster 150
1 October, 2011
Lancaster, PA (LNS)

The Thunderbird 150 Air Race
8 October, 2011
Wickenburg, AZ (E25)

The Cleveland Air Race Revival
15 October, 2011
Cleveland, TX (6R3)

The Tennessee Valley Air Race IV
29 October, 2011
Courtland, AL (9A4)

The Rocket 100 Air Race
19 November, 2011
Taylor, TX (T74)
 
It's really about risk vs reward

I have been fortunate enough to fly for the Army for 36 years now. And at 58 I once again I find myself deployed. I have flown NVGs in all kinds of places and landed where the local folks were not happy about our arrival. I say that, not for a pat on the back, but because it is about risk management. You have to evaluate the risk, try to migate as best as possible and make a decision.

Everything we do is about risk management. Getting up in the morning, eating bacon, driving you car or flying the aircraft of your dreams. When the risks start to outway the rewards it is time to reconsider your choices. In this forum only you can make that evaluation and decision. I believe we all recognize when that day arrives.

As for me I hope to fly until I am 85. But when the day comes I am going to look back at all the great people I have met (like in this RV community) and flown with and not spend one second on thoughts of the flights that won't happen.

Just my two cents worth.
 
Air racing

Bob Axsom said:
I went to the www.sportairrace.org website under Calendar of Events and found that there are a few cross country air races still to be run this year. ...
Click to expand...
Bob, You are an outstanding spokesman for air racing, that's for sure! When I finally finish my RV8 (some day) I will race, that's for sure. I love the feeling of competition no matter how slight, so this looks like a great adrenaline rush.
 
prayer and risk

I'll paraphrase a poster on this forum from several months ago. He posted his concerns for the risk of flying, but stated that it was well worth the risk to him. He said that he started each flight with a prayer that went something like this: Heavenly Father, I gladly accept any help that you send my way, but if this is to be my last flight, no matter what, I look forward to the trip beyond. Amen. I wrote it on a piece of paper and taped it to the door of our refrigerator. My wife and I get a lot of comfort out of the short prayer. Afterall, our desire to fly is something that the Good Lord put in our hearts and we enjoy it. We are comfortable with the risk.
 
NUMBERS UP

When your name is called up yonder you can put God on 'hold.' I got my car totaled 2 blocks from home last May. I was doing 19 miles an hour. I never saw her coming. The careless lady put me in the hospital. You can try to plan for every event while flying but you must accept that some things are out of your control.

If you die in the plane, at least you are on the front page of the paper rather than back on the last page of section 'D'.

I knew 4 guys the died in plane crashes, pilot error everyone. One who lost both legs in the Battle of the Bludge in WW2 only to die in a plane 40 years later.
 
Cadstat said:
If you die in the plane, at least you are on the front page of the paper rather than back on the last page of section 'D'.
Click to expand...

I like that way of putting it.

I have seen a couple of crashes since I was introduced to aviation about 10 years ago (Im barely 18) that have scared me pretty bad. The next time I hop in a plane, I am always a little nervous but I figure I would miss to many life changing experiences if I sat on a couch all day. The grand canyon in HD is nothing compared to navigating its corridors off the sectional.:cool: Its a risk<reward thing and I dont want to wish I had done more.
 
I never eat bacon....while flying

1986, my Mooney passed within two wingspans of a 421 on an IFR reciprocal radial at the same altitude; right where Myrtle Beach control put us both. A couple more "not my faults" and a hard engine miss on take off with my 4 year old son beside me and twin 6 year old daughters at home convinced me the risks were getting too high. I left flying for 19 years. Last May I bought a Super Decathlon as I also resumed building on my -4. Although I am not yet back to world's greatest pilot status, I now know what a huge hole not flying was in my life and was much less for it. It seemed like the right decision at the time, but I don't know.

A couple years ago I was riding my motorcycle (another reclaimed sin from youth) and saw my old private instructor, now 86, in the pattern above his strip. I remembered the gate code and rode in and helped him hangar his Citabria. I hadn't been to visit my mentor in years. His health problems were growing and he was dependent on the help to move his airplane, but he was still at it. He passed away the next day. He died doing what he loved; he just didn't happen to be in the airplane at the time.
 
I was just talking about this the other day.

A few days ago , there was a fatal accident involving an ultra light about two miles from where I live. I got four phone calls from people wondering if it were me.

I'm working on my 32 year as a professional firefighter, mostly ARFF and 5 yrs with city fire and ambulance. In that time, I've been around for some almost Darwin award worthy incidents that left me scratching my head as to just how easy it is to get whacked while doing this living thing.

I took the afternoon off a few years back, as it was a nice day and flying seemed to be a better choice then working. I arrived at the airport where I kept the plane just in time to be the first on scene at a fatal glider crash. I couldn't help but see myself as the victim while I did my unsuccessful best to keep the poor guy alive until the ambulance showed up. After I got myself settled down a bit from all the excitement, I crawled into the plane and went flying.

I also ride a Harley and we all know the stats on motorcycle accidents, nuff said there.

my outlook on this is, I'm not afraid of dying so much as I am afraid of not living while I'm alive. Who wants to reflect on life when your 80 or 90 and say" I wish I had done that". I'll take my chances and keep doing these things ( as safely as I can of course) and should I meet an accidental premature demise...oh well, that's life. :)
 
My favorite quote about this...

"The older you get the bigger the chance is your going to die!" Michael Scott "The Office"
 
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