General discussion for aviators

Who among us had/has a parent who flew/flies?

Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

posted by admin in Uncategorized and have Comments (24)

24 Responses to “Who among us had/has a parent who flew/flies?”

  1. admin says:

    My father flew A-7s for the Navy but died in a training accident when I
    was around 10.

    -Robert

  2. admin says:

    My father was an instructor in the AAF (Army Airforce?) in the early
    parts of WWII in California. Growing up we were never around planes
    other than the stories he told of the cadets. My first ride was at a
    resort in a float plane when I was a kid. I also found out that my
    mother was a pilot; I found her certificate when I was cleaning out the
    house after my father passed away a few years ago. I have all of my
    father’s original log books from the CPT days in Arkansas and into the
    service. I surprised my father when I showed up in a plane and gave him
    a ride after I got my certificate. He was ecstatic that I could fly.
    Actually, he thought my new wife had the certificate at first. That was
    35 years and 1000+ hours ago. Wow time goes by….

    ————-
    Regards, Ross
    C-172F 180HP
    KSWI

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    john smith wrote:
    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    > own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    > He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    > I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

  3. admin says:

    My father had his private pilot certificate, and took me up for my
    first flight when I was two weeks old!  I can’t say for sure that is
    when the seed was planted, but I do recall flying around 4 or 5 and him
    letting me take the controls…

    He no longer flies, but is darn excited about me being a pilot and an
    owner!  He always wanted to own a plane!

    Best Regards,
    Todd

  4. admin says:

    None, of my immediate family flew airplanes but my grandmothers brother was
    a crop duster and was paralyzed in an accident while crop dusting in a new
    airplane.

    "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message

    news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    > own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    > He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    > I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

  5. admin says:

    My older brother started it, and about 5 years later I got my Private.
    Fifteen years later my Dad retired and bought property on a lake and
    adjoining an airstrip with an active EAA chapter(44TE).  He decided to
    get his license.  So I guess you could say it trickled down from child
    to parent :)


    Cheers,
    John Clonts
    Temple, Texas
    N7NZ

  6. admin says:

    "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message

    news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…

    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    This topic has revealed a fact that I have not thought of before: I may be
    the only person in our family that has held a pilot’s certificate. There may
    have been some members that flew during wartime, but I am not aware of them.
    Even so, I don’t recall any member of my family, mother or father’s side
    that flew airplanes privately.

    Talk about bucking the trend!

    -Trent
    PP-ASEL, trendsetter.

  7. admin says:

    Trent Moorehead <twmoorehead_nosp…@netzero.net> wrote:
    > This topic has revealed a fact that I have not thought of before: I may be
    > the only person in our family that has held a pilot’s certificate. There may
    > have been some members that flew during wartime, but I am not aware of them.
    > Even so, I don’t recall any member of my family, mother or father’s side
    > that flew airplanes privately.

    > Talk about bucking the trend!

    The same is true for me, except that I am positive that none of my
    relatives flew during either of the WW’s.  


    Peter

    —-== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com – Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==—-
    http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
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  8. admin says:

    I just earned my PP-ASEL on Aug 27, about 17-18 years after my first
    lesson.  My Dad has been a pilot since before I was born (in 1973) and
    has been a CFI/CFII for both ASEL and AMEL for as long as I can
    remember.  In the mid-to-late 80′s (87 or so), he taught my Mom how to
    fly in 31 days.  I know this because another instructor in the flying
    club I recently joined remembers my mom for that very reason.  In ’88, I
    began taking lessons from my Dad until some idiot (no idea who) ran the
    tanks of my training plane dry over Idaho.  That stopped training for me
    and never resumed until this year when I found some money and time and
    the support of an amazing person who is not interested in flying…my
    wife.  1 year ago, I took a ground school class at a local community
    college (also my employer ;) and started shopping around for an
    instructor and a plane.

    Within a few years of teaching my Mom how to fly, my parents divorced
    and money/time became limiting factors for flying for all of us.  My mom
    has not flown in many, many years and has no intent of doing so again.
    She has about 95 hours TT.  My Dad also quit instructing and only has
    flown a handful of times since then.  He lost his medical a couple years
    ago after having a quintuple-bypass (no heart attack or damage!) but got
    it back on a yearly basis.  This year, he got it back and, with some
    financial assistance from me, got back up-to-speed for flying safely and
    insured to instruct.  The same club my Mom was in, I joined and they
    (again) let my Dad teach in their airplane.

    In short, my entire immediate family flies (excluding wife/kids).  My
    wife was my first pax and I’m still negotiating taking our 1 year-old
    flying with her.  I *LOVE* flying and wish my wife shared the same
    passion and enthusiasm, even a little.  Maybe in time, but for now,
    she’s a nervous mommy who is concerned about what will happen to Alex if
    we crashed, especially if he was parentless.

    Anyhow, I can’t wait to introduce my son to flying.  I remember my Dad
    flying with another pilot many years ago in a Piper Seneca II and they
    were practicing engine-out procedures.  I was white-knuckled holding on
    for dear life to the seat because I *knew* we were going to crash.  I
    laugh about it now. :D  I also remember my Dad ferrying the plane to the
    Tri-Cities area of Washington State and how much fun it was when I got
    to take the controls for a while.

    I know my Dad is extremely proud of me.  I’ve got the t-shirt and the
    logbook to prove it.  Also, he was glad I poked, prodded, pushed, and
    shoved his ass back into the cockpit to fly again.  Not many people can
    say their Dad taught them how to fly.  Even fewer can say that their Dad
    taught them AND their Mom how to fly.  I plan to eventually get my CFI
    ticket to teach my son how to fly.  He already likes playing in the
    airplane. :)

    Happy Landings, all!

    Chris G.
    PP-ASEL, 8/27/05

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    john smith wrote:
    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    > own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    > He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    > I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

  9. admin says:

    I share the same passion and get giddy when my children (7 and 2)
    express an interest in going flying!  Up until recently, we would take
    family trips up to the airport and throw the kids bikes in the back of
    my truck…  I would wash and wax the plane and the kids would ride
    their bikes around our fairly vacant airport.  (Okay, so my two year
    old son would sit in the airplane, pulling and pushing anything he
    could get his hands on, while my seven year old daughter would ride her
    bike around the airport).  I would want to go up for a quick spin
    around the pattern and would ask my daughter if she would want to go
    for a quick ride, to which she would respond, "No thanks…  I’ll just
    ride my bike around…"  OUCH!!!

    Well…  about a month ago, my daughter said, "daddy, will you teach me
    how to fly?"  I told my wife, "gotta go!!!  I’m going to give my first
    "unofficial" flying lesson!!!  Woo Hoo!!!".  My daughter and I went up
    to about 5,500 feet and I started explaining the horizon, showed her
    the altimeter and what it does when you pull back on the yoke and what
    it does when you push forward on the yoke…  Showed her the VSI and
    it’s reactions, then the DG…  I then had her peforming shallow turns,
    while maintaining altitude.  It would often require a little nudge with
    my thumb to get her back down to altitude, or a tug of the finger to
    get her back up to altitude, but for the most part, I would point out
    the VSI and point out that it was going down and that she needed to
    pull back gently and visa-versa.  So, we did this for about an hour and
    believe it or not, I think she got it, to some extent???  She then
    asked me what every single instrument in the plane was for and
    expressed a genuine interest in hearing my response!

    I am soooo stoked about this, and look forward to MANY trips as she
    gets older, where I can sit back and let her get us from point A to
    point B, because she wants to!!!

    1 year old is still young and all that seems to happen at that point is
    the engine noise puts them right to sleep.  I’m sure your wife will
    come around in time and you can start taking the family on those trips
    that will forever be engrained in their minds!

    My friends think I’m a little nuts because I want to continue teaching
    my seven year old to fly, so I’m glad to hear that there are others who
    feel the same way!

    Best of luck!
    Todd

  10. admin says:

    >> I also remember my Dad ferrying the plane to the
    >> Tri-Cities area of Washington State and how much fun it was when I got
    >> to take the controls for a while.

    BTW – It was out of Snohomish, where my dad took me up at two weeks
    old.  I think I’ve
    flown out of there a lot, but don’t remember much of it…  ;-)

  11. admin says:

    Todd,

    Thanks!  I’m glad I’m not alone in this either.  I did forget to mention
    that my first word was "airplane" (in kid-speak, of course).

    CUL!
    Chris

  12. admin says:

    My two year old can spot a Jet flying over at 50,000 feet!  (We live
    under a victor airway from SAC to RENO)  He can say airplane, but for
    some reason he sticks to umm-umm???  He’s been saying it for over a
    year.

    It is so cool to see him perk up, when he hears one flying over…  He
    goes, "ooooohhhhhh, umm-umm!!!"  

    Best Regards!

  13. admin says:

    I am the first in my family to get my pilots license.
    I have a second cousin on my father side that has his pilots license as
    well. We are the only two in an extended family of over a hundred.
    Michelle

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    john smith wrote:
    >Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    >My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    >own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    >He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    >I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

  14. admin says:

    My father is a lifelong aviation nut.  He went to school to be a
    aeronautical engineer, but the school wasn’t accredited properly.  I went
    through the dozens and dozens of notebooks he did, all in india ink, all
    lettered, solving trig and engineering math problems. His work was neat, and
    precise to the point of being artistic.   He drew up plans for new designs
    and built models of them.  However, he was not able to get the degree he
    needed, and spent the rest of his life working in other areas.

    We spent summer Sundays at airports.  Pilots are not an especially congenial
    lot, especially when talking to casual visitors.  So we stood aloof and
    watched.  I developed a love for the sheer mystery of it all.  Sometimes,
    even now I look at my wings above the clouds and cannot believe that anyone,
    especially I, can do this.  I take my father along whenever I can.

    My mother passed away about five years ago.  She left me some money, and I
    used it to buy an old airplane. I believe that machine has a benevolent and
    protective soul which has saved me on more than one occasion.  My mother was
    totally devoted to my brother and me, and nothing keeps her memory closer
    than flying that airplane.

    The first long trip in the airplane after I got my license was when I took
    the family to Disneyworld.  It was a picture-perfect trip, but destined to
    be our last as a family.  We divorced shortly thereafter.

    On the other hand, my two boys couldn’t care less about flying.  I could
    interest the older boy a little when I told him that chicks dig pilots, but
    now that he’s older he calls my bluff and says well, what happened to you?

    "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message

    news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    > own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    > He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    > I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

  15. admin says:

    john smith wrote:
    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    > own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    > He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    > I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

    My dad started in Stearmans back in 1943, then went on to fly C-47s in the
    Mediterean Theater in WWII.  After a relatively short mustering out, he went
    back in for Korea and flew C-46s.  When that war ended, he was a ROTC instructor
    at Brooklyn College and flew cadets around in a C-45.  His next billet involved
    flying C-121s, SA-16s and C-54s for Air Rescue.  Our last duty station before he
    retired was with the 6th Weather Wing at Andrews AFB, Camp Springs, MD when I
    was in the 8th grade.

    He never touched an airplane again until I handed over control of a Cherokee Six
    to him on a trip down to the Bahamas.  Within 5 minutes, he was holding heading
    within 5 degrees and altitude within 50 feet.  Not too shabby for an old fart.

    I let him fly a couple of months ago with me (he’s now 81) and he didn’t
    disgrace himself that time either.

    My mother hated us flying.  It was worse after I had an accident where I got
    hurt pretty badly.  I ended up giving it up myself when I lost my medical back
    in 1990.  She was delighted (although she always denied it).  Anyway, since she
    died last year, I got my medical back this spring and here I am… and my old
    man never gave me a bit of grief about starting again.  I think he’s proud of
    me.  I know I am of him.


    Mortimer Schnerd, RN

    mschn…@carolina.rr.com.REMOVE

  16. admin says:

    "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message

    news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…

    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    I grew up knowing that my father was a top turret gunner in the 100th Bomb
    Group on a B-17 late in WWII. In the last few years I also found out that my
    dad started taking flying lessons in the early 40′s in a Luscombe (currently
    located just south of Jay H.) but never soloed. I also had an uncle that use
    to fly until he got married in the late 30′s or early 40′s. His wife forbade
    him from flying again.

    (OT) My dad and I are going to Pittsburgh next week for a 100th Bomb Group
    reunion. It’s great to listen to all the stories!
    http://100thbg.org/index.htm

    -Greg B.

  17. admin says:

    I think we live under that same victor airway in Grass Valley.  WHere you
    at?

    Jim

    "  (We live

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > under a victor airway from SAC to RENO)

  18. admin says:

    Garden Valley…  036 off of SAC and 300 off of Hangtown…

  19. admin says:

    "Trent Moorehead" <twmoorehead_nosp…@netzero.net> wrote in message

    news:433064ff$1@news1.dpn.deere.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message
    > news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…
    >> Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > This topic has revealed a fact that I have not thought of before: I may be
    > the only person in our family that has held a pilot’s certificate. There
    > may
    > have been some members that flew during wartime, but I am not aware of
    > them.
    > Even so, I don’t recall any member of my family, mother or father’s side
    > that flew airplanes privately.

    > Talk about bucking the trend!

    > -Trent
    > PP-ASEL, trendsetter.

    Only two pilots in my family history that I’m aware of:

    I had an uncle who flew the photo-recon version (F6? or F5?) of the Mustang
    in WWII.

    I have a cousin who I’ve not seen in many years who flew two tours in Cobra
    Gunships in Viet Nam and then went on to become (possibly) one of the
    earliest "Mr Moms" on the planet (mid 1970′s).  He married a world-class
    chemist (I’m told she invented Calgon Bath Beads amongst other things…)
    and he stayed home with the kids while continuing to fly in the Army
    National Guard and also deliver new GA helos to customers across the
    country.  By weird coincidence, I actually photographed him flying several
    years ago at an airshow … his unit was long gone back to base by the time
    I discovered he was one of the demo pilots.

    Jay Beckman
    PP-ASEL
    AZ Cloudbusters
    Chandler, AZ

  20. admin says:

    "N93332" <Erco…@charterdot.net> wrote in message

    news:jR%Xe.617$L45.285@fe07.lga…

    > "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message
    > news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…
    >> Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > I grew up knowing that my father was a top turret gunner in the 100th Bomb
    > Group on a B-17 late in WWII. In the last few years I also found out that
    > my dad started taking flying lessons in the early 40′s in a Luscombe
    > (currently located just south of Jay H.) but never soloed. I also had an
    > uncle that use to fly until he got married in the late 30′s or early 40′s.
    > His wife forbade him from flying again.

    Weren’t the top turret gunners usually the highest ranking enlisted man on
    board?

    Why do I remember that it was often a sargeant up there?  Safer (relatively
    speaking?)

    Jay B

  21. admin says:

    "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message

    news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…

    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    > own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    > He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    > I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

    My father passed away in 1972 having never even flown as a passenger.

    My oldest brother got his pilots license in 1970, my #2 brother was scarred
    to death of flying.


    Matt
    ———————
    Matthew W. Barrow
    Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
    Montrose, CO

  22. admin says:

    "Jay Beckman" <jnsbeck…@cox.net> wrote in message

    news:gu0Ye.255669$E95.174206@fed1read01…

    >> I grew up knowing that my father was a top turret gunner in the 100th
    >> Bomb Group on a B-17 late in WWII. In the last few years I also found out
    >> that my dad started taking flying lessons in the early 40′s in a Luscombe
    >> (currently located just south of Jay H.) but never soloed. I also had an
    >> uncle that use to fly until he got married in the late 30′s or early
    >> 40′s. His wife forbade him from flying again.

    > Weren’t the top turret gunners usually the highest ranking enlisted man on
    > board?

    > Why do I remember that it was often a sargeant up there?  Safer
    > (relatively speaking?)

    Yes, he was a Sgt/TTE. See his crew here
    http://100thbg.org/mainpages/crews/crews5/guhse.htm He’s the last one of his
    crew.

    -Greg B.

  23. admin says:

    john smith wrote:
    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    my dad flew quite a bit too,  but when he came to visit me
    recently (via the airlines) it was the very first time that
    he i) flew in a jet; ii) landed with the airplane with which
    he took off; iii) was doing it willingly and for fun; and
    iv) was not carrying a weapon in the process.

    not sure if that counts,

    –Sylvain

  24. admin says:

    I haven’t gotten my pilots license yet, but I have soloed.  I know on my
    fathers side of the family that my father and grandfather both took lessons
    but never soloed.  So that is a first for my fathers side of the family.

    On my mothers side of the family, my grandfather flew several planes in
    WWII.  He is probably the sole reason for my appeal to flying.  His favorite
    aircraft was the PBY-Catalina.  My uncle also has a private pilots license
    and used to own a taildragger.  Today though I am the only active pilot.


    John Huthmaker
    huthmak…@email.uophx.edu
    "john smith" <jsm…@net.net> wrote in message

    news:jsmith-FC4EB1.14032620092005@news-rdr-01.ohiordc.rr.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Just curious how much "trickle-down" aviation there is among us?

    > My father flew, that is how I got started. We never owned a plane of our
    > own, only rented. I got my first plane ride when I was three.
    > He was my first passenger upon passing my PPC checkride and J3 checkout.
    > I got to fly him to Oshkosh for his first trip there.

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