After 20+ years and over 500 posts, there are a lot of entries in this logbook. This page contains shortcuts to my favorites.
"Oh, the Places You'll Go!":
Favorite flying trips
An Aerial Road Trip to Fort Myers (Or, How Kristy Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Airplane), June 2005
- My wife takes her first, multi-state cross country flight by general aviation and actually enjoys it. It was a big step for us both.
Flight of the Fudgies, July 2009
- Kristy and I flew to Mackinac Island (and other places) for our anniversary.
- Family flight to Luray Caverns in Virginia.
- A flight from New York to Florida and back again with Kristy and The Bear.
- Solo day trip at the 1000 hour mark to visit the Wright Brothers memorial in Kill Devil Hills, NC.
- The Bear flies to Michigan and visits the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mackinac Island, and other places.
- Landing at First Flight Airport with the family.
- Visit to historic Fort Ticonderoga with the family.
America's Castles - Part II: Return to Heart Island, August 2014
- Family flight to visit Boldt Castle on Heart Island.
- Landing on the only FAA-certified ice runway in the continental United States.
- Kristy and I fly to Boston in some weather, experiment with Uber, and see John Williams conduct the Boston Pops.
Billy Bishop's Alternate Universe, Part 1, May 2017
- We make our first international flight to Toronto, Ontario.
Flight to Totality, August 2017
- Family flight to Copperhill, TN for viewing the total eclipse.
Expedition to the Outer Lands, October 2017
- Solo flight to Block Island.
Ice Runway Pilots, February 2018
- A return to Alton Bay with Ed C.
These Vagabond Wings Are Longing To Stray, September 2019.
- A circumnavigation of Manhattan.
Sublime, February 2020.
- A beautiful visit to the mountains in winter.
Tales from Braying Dock Manor | Part 6, Mission STS-481, July 2021.
- Shooting the approach to NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility in Titusville, FL.
Carolina Sojourn | Part 4, Where Red Tails Soared, August 2021.
- An inspiring visit to Moton Field in Tuskegee, AL, birthplace of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Ghost Ship: The Nighthawk, August 2021.
- Shooting the approach to NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility in Titusville, FL.
Carolina Sojourn | Part 4, Where Red Tails Soared, August 2021.
- An inspiring visit to Moton Field in Tuskegee, AL, birthplace of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Ghost Ship: The Nighthawk, August 2021.
- I got some hands-on time during restoration of a Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter.
To Boldly Go..., September 2021.
The Flying Bear, August 2007
- The manifold challenges of flying cross country with a two month old infant.
Knoxville...Deferred, April 2009
- General aviation: bringing families together since December 17, 1903 (roughly).
New Copilot, July 2011
- The Bear rides shotgun for the first time.
Whirly Bear, May 2012
- The Bear flies in a helicopter for the first time.
That First Time Grin, September 2012
- Clear the skies, five year old at the controls!
Yankin' and Bankin', August 2013
- The Bear gets more comfortable at the controls.
Clan of the (Flying) Cave Bear, September 2016
- The Bear and I returned to Luray and stopped for incredible brunch at Latrobe.
That Old Autumn Magic, October 2016
- The Bear lands on grass for the first time in Basin Harbor, VT.
Bear Versus Airplane, December 2018
- A return to form for The Bear.
Landing Blind, September 2001.
- First solo in a Cessna 150 (N9327U) at Dowagiac, MI.
Mishaps at Muskegon: Student Pilot Solo Cross Country Flight, July 2002.
- Set loose, alone, in southwest Michigan skies. Learning ensued.
Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad, DPE?, September 2002.
- Angst and the private pilot check ride.
Rocky Mountain Dawn Patrol, May 2008.
- Mountain flying training and a landing at the highest elevation public airport in the USA.
Mile High Soaring: A Not-So-Eerie Silence, July 2012.
- First flight in a glider.
Origin Story, May 2013.
- How I came into the world of flying.
Unscripted IFR, July 2013.
- My first serious flying in real world weather and possibly my best ever flying lesson.
With One Eye Tied Behind My Back: Instrument Check Ride (Part 2), July 2013.
- Overcoming a check ride bust to earn my instrument rating.
Majesty and Menace Aloft, August 2014.
- A serious introduction to IFR re-routes and weather deviations on a family trip.
Here There Be Monsters, June 2016.
- My first time ever truly frightened while at the controls of the airplane.
Dragging Tail, June 2017.
- Earning a tailwheel endorsement in a J-3 Cub.
The Human Chain: How Dougall Got His Wings, August 2018.
Stupid Pilot Tricks, August 2009.
- Good habits can still save the day when complacency sets in.
Carpe Diem, January 2010
- All kids should fly an airplane before driving a car...there's less to hit up there.
To Boldly Go..., September 2021.
- Exploring a recreation of the original Star Trek Enterprise in Ticonderoga, NY.
An Eighteen Year View Through the Acrylic, March 2022.
- Eighteen years worth of photographs through the windows of Warrior 481.
Breaking Away, August 2022.
- Returning to the laboratory of my late PhD advisor for the last time.
- Flight into the FRZ to College Park Airport (CGS), the oldest continuously operated airport in the world.
Aircraft Ownership:
And the joys and trials thereof...
From Renter to Owner, April 2004.
- "Hi Dad! Guess what? I just bought an airplane."
All Shook Up, September 2004.
- How I learned that my aircraft troubleshooting skills could use some work.
- How I learned that my aircraft troubleshooting skills could use some work.
The Second Breather, April 2006
- Engine issues on a cross country flight. To fly, or not to fly...
- Engine issues on a cross country flight. To fly, or not to fly...
Scattered, May 2020.
- A remote location heart transplant.
Ghost in the Machine, March 2021.
- Warrior 481 got an upgrade to an autopilot that subsequently tried to kill us.
Tales of the Flying Bear:
Adventures of a young aviatrix
The Flying Bear, August 2007
- The manifold challenges of flying cross country with a two month old infant.
Knoxville...Deferred, April 2009
- General aviation: bringing families together since December 17, 1903 (roughly).
New Copilot, July 2011
- The Bear rides shotgun for the first time.
Whirly Bear, May 2012
- The Bear flies in a helicopter for the first time.
- Clear the skies, five year old at the controls!
- The Bear gets more comfortable at the controls.
- The Bear and I returned to Luray and stopped for incredible brunch at Latrobe.
- The Bear lands on grass for the first time in Basin Harbor, VT.
Bear Versus Airplane, December 2018
- A return to form for The Bear.
"One Peculiar Passing Moment":
Milestones and noteworthy experiences
Landing Blind, September 2001.
- First solo in a Cessna 150 (N9327U) at Dowagiac, MI.
Mishaps at Muskegon: Student Pilot Solo Cross Country Flight, July 2002.
- Set loose, alone, in southwest Michigan skies. Learning ensued.
Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad, DPE?, September 2002.
- Angst and the private pilot check ride.
Rocky Mountain Dawn Patrol, May 2008.
- Mountain flying training and a landing at the highest elevation public airport in the USA.
Mile High Soaring: A Not-So-Eerie Silence, July 2012.
- First flight in a glider.
- How I came into the world of flying.
- My first serious flying in real world weather and possibly my best ever flying lesson.
With One Eye Tied Behind My Back: Instrument Check Ride (Part 2), July 2013.
- Overcoming a check ride bust to earn my instrument rating.
- A serious introduction to IFR re-routes and weather deviations on a family trip.
Here There Be Monsters, June 2016.
- My first time ever truly frightened while at the controls of the airplane.
Dragging Tail, June 2017.
- Earning a tailwheel endorsement in a J-3 Cub.
The Human Chain: How Dougall Got His Wings, August 2018.
- My first animal rescue flight...for an old friend.
Thirsty, September 2018.
- Excessive fuel burn nearly became an emergency.
Two Decades of Flying, August 2021.
Thirsty, September 2018.
- Excessive fuel burn nearly became an emergency.
Two Decades of Flying, August 2021.
- A return to the scene of the crime 20 years later.
Hydrodynamic | Part 2, Float Flying, May 2023.
- Earning my seaplane rating in a 1947 PA-12S.
Essays and Commentary:
Stupid Pilot Tricks, August 2009.
- Good habits can still save the day when complacency sets in.
Carpe Diem, January 2010
- All kids should fly an airplane before driving a car...there's less to hit up there.
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia", November 2010.
- It's the weather over Upstate NY that you have to watch out for...
- It's the weather over Upstate NY that you have to watch out for...
Symphony in Jackson, March 2011.
- A masterful air traffic controller saves the day for a novice pilot.
Exodus: The Professional Life of a Private Pilot, May 2011
- How I came to be based at the birthplace of Jell-O.
"Remember", September 2011.
- On being a pilot and father on 9/11.
Caretakers, March 2012.
- On the bond between pilot and aircraft.
Attend the Tale of Eight Two Fox, April 2012.
- Reincarnation is real, at least for airplanes.
Know Your Limits, May 2012.
- Aeronautical decision making is not a one size fits all proposition.
Being a Good Neighbor, January 2013.
- Making peace with the community whenever possible.
"PIC" Is More Than Just a Column in the Logbook, March 2013.
- Difficult lessons are sometimes the best lessons.
Find Your Voice, February 2015.
- On the love/hate relationship I have had with the radio.
- A masterful air traffic controller saves the day for a novice pilot.
- How I came to be based at the birthplace of Jell-O.
- On being a pilot and father on 9/11.
- On the bond between pilot and aircraft.
- Reincarnation is real, at least for airplanes.
- Aeronautical decision making is not a one size fits all proposition.
- Making peace with the community whenever possible.
- Difficult lessons are sometimes the best lessons.
- On the love/hate relationship I have had with the radio.
Special, June 2015.
- On the thorny matter of medical certification challenges.
Dust of the Stars, Part 3, August 2018.
- Flying in the midst of family tragedy.
- Now fortified with more corporate churn.
Whatever became of that Corsair that got stood up on its nose during an air show practice at the Kazoo airport??? I believe it was in the early nineties!!
ReplyDeleteDon't know...that was before my time there. Though I have to wonder, with a nose like that, I wonder how you could stand the airplane up on it!
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