Pearl Harbor Day Flight

I had a great morning on Pearl Harbor Day. Our little Piper Cherokee is
a shared plane, owned by corporation in which we all own shares. We have
an older gentleman (Mat) do the books for us in exchange for a few hours
a month of flying time so that he can stay current.

It is winterizing time here in New England so I met Mat at KFIT so he
could show me how to put the Oil Cooler plate on. I'm still new at this
stuff so I figured it was better to learn from the old pro.

Anyway after doing that 2 minute job, Mat asked if I wanted to go for a
ride. I was more than glad to accept. It was beautiful here yesterday
morning. Light winds, 6c, high clouds. I've been wanting to fly with Mat
for some time so I could show him how to work the basics on the GNS430
we had installed. The new gizmos can be intimidating.

I offer up the left seat but he tells me to take it. More than happy to
of course! :^) Do the pre-flight and runup. Smooth takeoff on 32, climb
out to 2000 feet before turning on course to do the VOR-A @ GDM
approach. Mat and I are talking, he's mid-80s in age. I ask him about
his flying experience. Turns out he is a former WWII Naval Aviator. And
I am flying w/ him and teaching him how to use the GPS, on Pearl Harbor
Day! What an honor. Really, an absolute honor.

We punch the approach up for GDM. Mat is astonished at how easy it is
with the GPS. I'm still working on my ticket so shooting an approach
with a safety pilot is always welcome. Mat in his easy speaking way is
giving me tips and techniques on controlling my speed through the
outbound and procedure turn back inbound. I go thru the step downs on
schedule but was still carrying too much speed with the 20+ tail winds.
Check out the plates on that one. It is quick. Hit the MDA and start the
missed but go back to KFIT.

Get back in the pattern and plunk it down on 32 (got too slow again,
grrrr.) That's when it hit me what I just had the chance to do. So
thanks Mat and to all the other vets out there.

KC

Kevin Clarke wrote:
We punch the approach up for GDM. Mat is astonished at how easy it is
with the GPS. I'm still working on my ticket so shooting an approach
with a safety pilot is always welcome. Mat in his easy speaking way is
giving me tips and techniques on controlling my speed through the
outbound and procedure turn back inbound. I go thru the step downs on
schedule but was still carrying too much speed with the 20+ tail winds.
Check out the plates on that one. It is quick. Hit the MDA and start the
missed but go back to KFIT.

Get back in the pattern and plunk it down on 32 (got too slow again,
grrrr.) That's when it hit me what I just had the chance to do. So
thanks Mat and to all the other vets out there.



My father is a retired Air Force officer who served from 1943 until 1968 (with a
stint in the reserves from 1946-1950). He learned how to fly in a Stearman and
did his first instrument work with the old radio range As and Ns and/or
celestial navigation. I had the honor of taking him up and introducing him to
the pleasures of the Garmin 430 and he was just blown away.

When you think he grew up when Wyatt Earp was still alive and remembers the
crossing of the Atlantic by Lindberg, the first men on the moon almost 40 years
ago, and now GPS is reality. It really blew him away when I showed him an ad
for the Garmin 496 with the weather overlay.

Flying isn't what it used to be but that's not necessarily bad. Some things
never change: the old gent can still hold heading within 5 degrees and altitude
within 20 feet sitting over on the right side of the cockpit.

Of course, he started his landing flare about 20 feet too high but I imagine it
looked about right if you think about the last airplane he had flown for the
USAF.

Just thought I'd brag on my old man for a moment. He's 83 and seeing a widow
down the street. I don't ask questions.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote

Just thought I'd brag on my old man for a moment.

As well you should.

He's 83 and seeing a widow down the street. I don't ask questions.

Sometimes, don't ask, don't tell really _is_ the best policy ! :-)
--
Jim in NC

Just thought I'd brag on my old man for a moment. He's 83 and seeing a widow
down the street. I don't ask questions.

That's so cool. The one great regret I've had with flying is that I
never got to take my Dad for a ride. He, too, was a WWII vet, and died
(relatively) young, at age 74, back in '93.

Of all the things I'd like to do with my Dad (if given the chance), it
would be to take him flying over his hometown. Although he flew
extensively during his lifetime, he never (to my knowledge) had the
privilege of taking the controls, and I think he would have been a
natural pilot.

Growing up in the depression, selling pots and pans door to door to
help support his widowed mother, I'm sure he never dreamed that he
would father a son who would one day get to fly. I'll bet in 1937,
when he graduated from high school without a nickel to his name, that
notion would have been as far-fetched as space travel...

What an amazing period of American history their generation enjoyed.
Their legacy is that we continue to enjoy the incredible prosperity and
freedom that their effort and foresight created. We should hope to do
so well for our children.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I've been blessed in so many ways in my life. Getting to fly with my
dad is one of them. I think it is his fault I've always been interested
in being a pilot anyway. He used to be a GA pilot (technically I
suppose he still is) when I was very very young. He quit a little after
I was born. I guess money got tight when kid #3 (me) showed up in '64.
But he used to tell me stories and it has always fascinated me.

I've only taken him up a couple of times so far though. I need to do
that more. I picked him up @ PVD and we went to MVY. He was also
fascinated by the GPS, to the point of obsessing about it! Uhhh Dad,
the GPS is cool but you've got to hold altitude (as we descend on a
long downward left turn towards the water). :^)

Anyway that was a blast. Its always a blast.

KC

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:
Kevin Clarke wrote:
We punch the approach up for GDM. Mat is astonished at how easy it is
with the GPS. I'm still working on my ticket so shooting an approach
with a safety pilot is always welcome. Mat in his easy speaking way is
giving me tips and techniques on controlling my speed through the
outbound and procedure turn back inbound. I go thru the step downs on
schedule but was still carrying too much speed with the 20+ tail winds.
Check out the plates on that one. It is quick. Hit the MDA and start the
missed but go back to KFIT.

Get back in the pattern and plunk it down on 32 (got too slow again,
grrrr.) That's when it hit me what I just had the chance to do. So
thanks Mat and to all the other vets out there.



My father is a retired Air Force officer who served from 1943 until 1968 (with a
stint in the reserves from 1946-1950). He learned how to fly in a Stearman and
did his first instrument work with the old radio range As and Ns and/or
celestial navigation. I had the honor of taking him up and introducing him to
the pleasures of the Garmin 430 and he was just blown away.

When you think he grew up when Wyatt Earp was still alive and remembers the
crossing of the Atlantic by Lindberg, the first men on the moon almost 40 years
ago, and now GPS is reality. It really blew him away when I showed him an ad
for the Garmin 496 with the weather overlay.

Flying isn't what it used to be but that's not necessarily bad. Some things
never change: the old gent can still hold heading within 5 degrees and altitude
within 20 feet sitting over on the right side of the cockpit.

Of course, he started his landing flare about 20 feet too high but I imagine it
looked about right if you think about the last airplane he had flown for the
USAF.

Just thought I'd brag on my old man for a moment. He's 83 and seeing a widow
down the street. I don't ask questions.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com