Obligatory Biographical Mumbo-Jumbo
Ratings: Private pilot, airplane single engine land and sea, instrument
What is this blog about?
I'm a private pilot based on the south shore of Lake Ontario in upstate New York.
Endorsements: Tailwheel
Hours: 2600+
Aircraft: 1979 PA-28-161, N21481 (2004 - present)
Home base: Williamson-Sodus Airport (KSDC), Sodus, NY
What is this blog about?
My official logbook is a prized possession; a concise by-the-numbers memoir of past adventures, airplanes flown, hours elapsed, and places visited. But a big part of my passion for aviation is inspired by the imagery of flight and that is why this blog exists.
As Amelia Earhart so eloquently expressed, "I have often said that the lure of flying is the lure of beauty, and I need no other flight to convince me that the reason flyers fly, whether they know it or not, is the aesthetic appeal of flying.” (Amelia Earhart from Last Flight)
This blog is a (significantly) visual chronicle of my flying experiences. I started it in 2003 as a hand-coded website full of photos with short captions. It's also a writing outlet, so the captions got a lot longer over time.
"Why?"
I fly because, while at the controls of an aircraft, earthbound worries stay on the ground. My wife's version of this statement is that "flying is therapy" for me. She's right - health insurance companies should reimburse avgas for mental healthcare. (Do not take internally.)
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| With my family aboard Warrior 481 on May 11, 2014 |
I fly because soaring through the sky in control of my own destiny is the realization of a childhood dream.
I fly (and take pictures) because, from above, the Earth can be dazzlingly beautiful. And even when it's not, it is still fascinating to see the everyday world from such a different perspective.
I fly because, more than anything else I have ever experienced, aviation blends science and art in a way that inspires passion.
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| September 8, 2005: With Dave in the Stearman |
First Flight
My aviation origin story can be found here. No radioactive spiders were involved.
Home Bases
One of the best parts of an aeronautical journey is the reappearance of familiar home runways in the windscreen. Since I began flying in 2001, I have called a number of airports home.
Three Rivers-Dr Haines Municipal (KHAI), Three Rivers, MI.
Flight training and aircraft rental from April 2001 - April 2004
Flight training and aircraft rental from April 2001 - April 2004
After the purchase of Warrior N21481 from April 2004 - November 2005
Le Roy Airport (5G0), Le Roy, NY.
November 2005 - May 2013
Williamson Sodus Airport (KSDC, formerly 3G7), Sodus, NY.
May 2013 - Present
Influential Characters
There are several folks who regularly appear in my tales from the logbook:
Dave, "The Instigator". Scientist, docent, and mentor. All this madness is entirely his fault.
Kent, my partner in crime during training. I've known and worked with Kent since 1994 - at three different organizations in three different states. What are the odds?
Ray, owner and operator of the Le Roy Airport and my own personal Patron Saint of Aviation.
Kristy, my wonderful, supportive wife and occasional copilot.
The Bear (as in "don't poke the..."), my daughter, who is always game for an airplane ride. The Bear has been flying with me since she was five weeks old.
Darrell and his beautiful Cessna Skyhawk, my constant companions during instrument training.
In 2013, I joined the Williamson Flying Club and have had many excellent adventures with several of the members including Ed, Tom and Alicia (top, left to right, photographed at Basin Harbor, VT in 2021 with me and The Bear), Scott, and Jamie (lower photo, left to right, photographed en route to Alton Bay in 2019).
Thanks for visiting! Feel free to look around. Any questions? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email through the "Remote Communications Outlet" at right. I'm always happy to chat.
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| May 30, 2008: I had just landed as pilot in command at the highest elevation airport in the United States. Getting my photo taken with this iconic mural was a must. The photo was taken by Reuben, my aeronautical sherpa in the Rocky Mountains. You can read about it here. |
