flying... special times...
Mar. 4th, 2007 07:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
slipstreamsurfrToday I was slated to take my Dad flying for the first time. I flew up to GVT early this morning, found the tower active as they were getting off the ground a C130. They closed the tower the moment I was turned to the taxiway and cleared to the GA ramp. The air was smooth as glass this morning at 8 am. I got there about 8:45 after detouring around the class B shelf, over redbird, then mesquite, then a direct shot to GVT. Dad arrived at 9:30 and we loaded up and headed out to SLR.
I had all alone thought that this was the first time my dad had ever been in a light airplane. Today I found out differently. He'd flown once before. Back in the early 60's. He'd gone up in a j3 club out of Baytown. Back when he was dating my mom. He was all set to start working on his ticket, and decided to get married instead. He told me the panel in the 172 had a lot more dials than the plane he flew back then. Funny the things you find out your parents....
SLR was nice, I'd never been before. A firmer than intended arrival, should have been paying more attention to the runway. My dad said no worry, he's felt harder landings on commercial. Across the road to the Red Barn and the food was good. Dad even liked the coffee. We talked a bit about family, catching me up with our local gossip and then back to the plane. I pulled one of the flyers for the legend cub at the terminal and dad said yup, one that looked like that, though a lot dirtier. ;) A climb out over the lake and we are turning west again for GVT.
All the time my dad is looking out the windows, talking about how low the lakes are, how dry everything still looks. Pointing here, there, wondering what they are planting in that field, this one. Back at GVT and I set up for the landing, my game face is on this time and a nice, full stall, soft landing is made. He chuckles and says with a grin, "a bit better than the last one eh?"
I ask the line guy to fill up the plane, GVT has AVGAS for $2.85 a gallon right now. Say goodbye to my dad. He tells me as he leaves, anytime I've got money for gas and the time, he'll buy lunch. Wow, that leaves a grin that just won't stop.
Back to GPM and I'm meeting a friend from work, taking him and his little girl for her first ride. He is only a few hours from completing his ticket when he stopped a couple of years ago. This will be the first time in a plane in a while for him. We take off, head off to Cedar Hill and find his house for him and his little girl to see. Then south towards F41 we head for fuel. He gets in some unofficial stick time and I look in the back seat to see a nose pressed to the window watching everything going by outside. A nice landing at Ennis and I pump the fuel to top off our tanks and we are soon heading back to GPM. I let him fly hands on a bit more, some turns, watching rust fall away. A fairly quick flight back home and the pattern at GPM is a little fun. A 172 transitioning from GKY is on a left base and cleared #1 ahead of me, I'm on a straight in for #2, and there's a chopper that's #3 somewhere east of me. Not normally a problem except that #1 is dawdling along this afternoon and the tower is a little frustrated with him. I pull back the power, drop some flaps and do some slow s-turns to give him a little separation. #1 is finally down and rolling, the tower is asking him to make time and take the next taxiway, I'm cleared for landing with a thanks for the work to give him time. Nicely down and turning off I park at the city terminal and let out my passengers. I give his little girl an AOPA Future Pilot wings pin for her first flight in a light airplane. She's all grins and I get a hug.
It's been a fun day today...
2.9 hours cross country for a flight this morning with my Dad
1.1 hours for a local flight with my friend from work and his little girl...
4.0 hours total, well spent.
I had all alone thought that this was the first time my dad had ever been in a light airplane. Today I found out differently. He'd flown once before. Back in the early 60's. He'd gone up in a j3 club out of Baytown. Back when he was dating my mom. He was all set to start working on his ticket, and decided to get married instead. He told me the panel in the 172 had a lot more dials than the plane he flew back then. Funny the things you find out your parents....
SLR was nice, I'd never been before. A firmer than intended arrival, should have been paying more attention to the runway. My dad said no worry, he's felt harder landings on commercial. Across the road to the Red Barn and the food was good. Dad even liked the coffee. We talked a bit about family, catching me up with our local gossip and then back to the plane. I pulled one of the flyers for the legend cub at the terminal and dad said yup, one that looked like that, though a lot dirtier. ;) A climb out over the lake and we are turning west again for GVT.
All the time my dad is looking out the windows, talking about how low the lakes are, how dry everything still looks. Pointing here, there, wondering what they are planting in that field, this one. Back at GVT and I set up for the landing, my game face is on this time and a nice, full stall, soft landing is made. He chuckles and says with a grin, "a bit better than the last one eh?"
I ask the line guy to fill up the plane, GVT has AVGAS for $2.85 a gallon right now. Say goodbye to my dad. He tells me as he leaves, anytime I've got money for gas and the time, he'll buy lunch. Wow, that leaves a grin that just won't stop.
Back to GPM and I'm meeting a friend from work, taking him and his little girl for her first ride. He is only a few hours from completing his ticket when he stopped a couple of years ago. This will be the first time in a plane in a while for him. We take off, head off to Cedar Hill and find his house for him and his little girl to see. Then south towards F41 we head for fuel. He gets in some unofficial stick time and I look in the back seat to see a nose pressed to the window watching everything going by outside. A nice landing at Ennis and I pump the fuel to top off our tanks and we are soon heading back to GPM. I let him fly hands on a bit more, some turns, watching rust fall away. A fairly quick flight back home and the pattern at GPM is a little fun. A 172 transitioning from GKY is on a left base and cleared #1 ahead of me, I'm on a straight in for #2, and there's a chopper that's #3 somewhere east of me. Not normally a problem except that #1 is dawdling along this afternoon and the tower is a little frustrated with him. I pull back the power, drop some flaps and do some slow s-turns to give him a little separation. #1 is finally down and rolling, the tower is asking him to make time and take the next taxiway, I'm cleared for landing with a thanks for the work to give him time. Nicely down and turning off I park at the city terminal and let out my passengers. I give his little girl an AOPA Future Pilot wings pin for her first flight in a light airplane. She's all grins and I get a hug.
It's been a fun day today...
2.9 hours cross country for a flight this morning with my Dad
1.1 hours for a local flight with my friend from work and his little girl...
4.0 hours total, well spent.
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Date: 2007-03-05 06:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-10 03:43 pm (UTC)