Colin McG
Member
It?s understandable, perhaps even to be expected, that having lost a loved one in an aircraft accident you may not want to have anything further to do with aviation. Imagine my relief when, just the day after Andy?s accident, Dawn (Andy?s wife) expressed her hope that the people who had become friends through Andy?s flying would not disappear from her life. I say relief in that I remember only too well my feelings of awkwardness, following the accident, as one of those who had encouraged Andy to fly.
During the summer, Dawn asked Matt and I if we?d be prepared to take the boys, Mitchell and Grant, flying in Matt?s RV should they want to go. Schedules and weather failed to cooperate during the summer but last weekend the forecast looked good and the boys were keen to fly.
We met at Carp (CYRP) on a wonderfully bright Saturday morning and wheeled the aircraft out of the hangar. We hadn?t mentioned to Dawn that earlier in the summer Matt had commissioned a sticker of the shark?s mouth that was so prominent on Andy?s aircraft. Mounted on the canopy rail it?s our small reminder of Andy.
C-GIME Canopy Rail
Matt spent time pre-flighting the aircraft with the boys looking on and they were equally fascinated to see the bright yellow Murphy Rebel floatplane and 7/8ths scale Nieuport 17, complete with Lewis gun, being worked on in a nearby hangar.
Pre-flighting the 7A
Matt would take Mitchell first as Grant wanted to see his brother go before deciding if he wanted to fly. Matt and Mitchell were airborne for about 20 minutes while we browsed in the Pilot shop and listened to Carp?s UNICOM on a handheld radio.
Mitchell and Matt Ready To Go
On their return Mitchell, who flew the aircraft like a natural for most the flight, was full of enthusiasm and Grant had no hesitation in jumping into the cockpit.
Grant and Colin Preparing for Departure
Sitting on a pile of cushions worthy of ?The Princess and the Pea?, Grant was strapped in and keen to go. We took off to the West and orbited nearby Mount Packenham (all 285 feet of it) where both our families learned to ski. Grant didn?t want to fly but was happy to look out and chatted constantly. On landing I was planning to taxi via the pumps but Matt waved me over. I unlatched the canopy and I heard Matt shout over the roar of the engine ?Dawn wants to fly?. Dawn buckled in and just a few minutes later we were airborne and heading back to the ski hill. We flew for perhaps 10 minutes and, as we returned to Carp, Dawn expressed how it made her feel that bit closer to Andy.
I think it was a bit cathartic for all of us and whatever the boys decide they want to do, even if they want to fly, I know that Dawn will encourage them all the way.
Colin McGeachy / Matt Pearson (C-GIME)
During the summer, Dawn asked Matt and I if we?d be prepared to take the boys, Mitchell and Grant, flying in Matt?s RV should they want to go. Schedules and weather failed to cooperate during the summer but last weekend the forecast looked good and the boys were keen to fly.
We met at Carp (CYRP) on a wonderfully bright Saturday morning and wheeled the aircraft out of the hangar. We hadn?t mentioned to Dawn that earlier in the summer Matt had commissioned a sticker of the shark?s mouth that was so prominent on Andy?s aircraft. Mounted on the canopy rail it?s our small reminder of Andy.
C-GIME Canopy Rail
Matt spent time pre-flighting the aircraft with the boys looking on and they were equally fascinated to see the bright yellow Murphy Rebel floatplane and 7/8ths scale Nieuport 17, complete with Lewis gun, being worked on in a nearby hangar.
Pre-flighting the 7A
Matt would take Mitchell first as Grant wanted to see his brother go before deciding if he wanted to fly. Matt and Mitchell were airborne for about 20 minutes while we browsed in the Pilot shop and listened to Carp?s UNICOM on a handheld radio.
Mitchell and Matt Ready To Go
On their return Mitchell, who flew the aircraft like a natural for most the flight, was full of enthusiasm and Grant had no hesitation in jumping into the cockpit.
Grant and Colin Preparing for Departure
Sitting on a pile of cushions worthy of ?The Princess and the Pea?, Grant was strapped in and keen to go. We took off to the West and orbited nearby Mount Packenham (all 285 feet of it) where both our families learned to ski. Grant didn?t want to fly but was happy to look out and chatted constantly. On landing I was planning to taxi via the pumps but Matt waved me over. I unlatched the canopy and I heard Matt shout over the roar of the engine ?Dawn wants to fly?. Dawn buckled in and just a few minutes later we were airborne and heading back to the ski hill. We flew for perhaps 10 minutes and, as we returned to Carp, Dawn expressed how it made her feel that bit closer to Andy.
I think it was a bit cathartic for all of us and whatever the boys decide they want to do, even if they want to fly, I know that Dawn will encourage them all the way.
Colin McGeachy / Matt Pearson (C-GIME)
