Been There, Done That

This picture, taken sometime during the 1950's, is of one of my Grandfather's airplanes (a late 1940s Cessna 120) - perhaps his first, although that is unverified at this point. However, my desire to be a pilot started as a young boy being taken flying by his grandfather. After instructing me how to make the airplane go up and down he told me to make it climb - an unexpected request which left me somewhat confused. figuring I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right, I took a guess and shoved the controls as far forward as I could manage. ...after recovering from the steep dive I had just put us in, my grandfather calmly looked at me and suggested that I should ask before doing anything if I was unsure of what to do. My mother recalls that day, says that she had never seen her father come home quite that pale looking before. Besides my grandfather, my mother, two aunts, an uncle and a brother held at least a student pilots certificate and most of them went on to obtain their pilots license as I hope to in the very near future. By the way, I am no longer confused as to which way to put the controls to make the airplane climb (at least as long as that post-it note stays stuck where I put it <grin> ).

This, after over a year of instruction, more than twice as long as I had hoped, is my Temporary Airman Certificate (minus a few areas to protect my privacy). The final step in achieving my private pilot license was a practical exam administered my an FAA appointed examiner. This exam took place on Friday the 13th, November, 1998. An appropriate day given my personality (grin). (November 1998)

Taken during the fall of 1988, this postcard like shot was taken off of Highway 21 in South Carolina while returning to Florida after a family function in Illinois. I had missed the turn for I-65 and instead of backtracking and fixing the error I choose to meander down whatever country highways and byways pointed me in the general direction. That side trip took me through some of the most interesting and scenic lands east of the Mississippi. Also, I now know where in the USA the first place two railroad tracks crossed (A town called Ruffin, S.C.).

	This is a hopechest which I made from raw lumber. I enjoy woodworking and making furniture, unfortunately I do not have enough room currently to set up a workshop.