{"id":3909,"date":"2020-04-01T10:17:32","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T15:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flymall.org\/blog\/?p=3909"},"modified":"2020-04-15T10:34:19","modified_gmt":"2020-04-15T15:34:19","slug":"my-most-memorable-experience-in-aviation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flymall.org\/blog\/2020\/04\/my-most-memorable-experience-in-aviation\/","title":{"rendered":"My Most Memorable Experience In Aviation"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am often asked what was my most memorable moment or experience in aviation.\u00a0 Folks will ask: Was it the first time you flew a jet?\u00a0 Was it passing a checkride?\u00a0 Was it your first student passing their checkride?\u00a0 First solo?<\/p>\n

None of the above.\u00a0 Here it is.\u00a0 This took place in the mid to late 1980s at Martin State Airport.\u00a0 The airport has a 7,000 foot runway and it is almost 200 foot wide.\u00a0 It was a perfect fall afternoon with blue skies, no wind, and low humidity.\u00a0 There was not a cloud in the sky.\u00a0 The perfect weather combined with the long and wide runway made the ideal conditions for me to give a young boy one of the most memorable experiences of his life.<\/p>\n

At the time I was a relatively new commercial pilot (I do not think I was a CFI at the time).\u00a0 This was long before the term “Discovery Flights”.\u00a0 I worked at a flight school giving airplane rides and sight seeing flights.\u00a0 A guy walked in with a young boy (his son).\u00a0 By looking at the boy I could tell he had Down Syndrome.\u00a0 The two went on to tell me that they wanted to go for a plane ride.\u00a0 The son told me that he wanted to fly to Easton Maryland to fly over the state tree, the Wye Oak<\/a>.\u00a0 I said it is a great day to sight see from the air.\u00a0 And I asked the young boy if he wanted to pilot the aircraft from the pilot’s seat.\u00a0 Now this is where a perfect flying day starts to become my most memorable experience in aviation.\u00a0 The young boy looked up to me and said very seriously “I can’t fly a plane, I am a retard”.\u00a0 Remember, this is the 1980s and this is what they were called at the time.\u00a0 My reply to him was “Sure you can fly a plane, I will tell you exactly what to do”.\u00a0 His face lit up with joy as he smiled and said “Really”.<\/p>\n

The conditions were perfect for what I was about to do.\u00a0 My airplane of choice was a Piper Archer for this flight.\u00a0 The young boy helped with the preflight and I directed him to the left seat.\u00a0 I explained the checklist to him and together we started the engine, fired up the radios, and received our taxi clearance.<\/p>\n

We were departing runway 14 and from Martin State Airport to Easton, it was just a slight right turn (see picture below).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I briefed the young boy on exactly what to do.\u00a0 I explained to him that as he added power, he would start to pull back on the yoke.\u00a0 I told him to do it very slowly and to stop when I told him to stop.\u00a0 My hands were nowhere near the yoke.\u00a0 The boy’s father was in the back seat behind me so he could watch his son fly the plane.\u00a0 Neither one could see my feet on the rudders or my hands on the trim wheel, both gave me the control that I needed on this perfect day.\u00a0 I watched the young boy’s face as he pulled the plane off of the ground, it was magical.\u00a0 Too bad it was long before the days of cell phone cameras and the GoPro.<\/p>\n

We climbed up to 2,000 feet and I talked him through reducing the power using the tac and how to level the aircraft by looking outside using the horizon.\u00a0 He had the biggest smile on his face and the dad was simply amazed.\u00a0 The young boy had his own map with him and I showed him how to look at the map and compare that with what he was seeing outside.\u00a0 He was the one that knew where to go and he was able to find the tree.\u00a0 We circled the tree a few times and then headed back to Martin State Airport.<\/p>\n

There was not the slightest ripple or bump in the sky that day.\u00a0 Smooth as silk.\u00a0 So it was time for his encore.\u00a0 Since the winds were calm and the runway was 7,000 foot long, we could land on 32.\u00a0 So I asked the boy if he wanted to land the plane.\u00a0 And eagerly he replied “Yes, if I can”.\u00a0 I also offered to let him call the tower for our landing clearance.\u00a0 This was long before we wore headsets and before planes had intercoms.\u00a0 So I wrote down what he needed to say and what the tower would say.\u00a0 He did exactly as I instructed him and he got our landing clearance by himself using the hand microphone.<\/p>\n

Coming from Easton and landing on runway 32 meant just a slight left turn and we were on final.\u00a0 You could see the runway 20 miles out.\u00a0 So the young boy lined up on final and I gave him the power settings and we gradually descended towards the runway.\u00a0 The dad and his son were both smiling ear to ear as the son landed the plane and my hands were nowhere near the yoke.<\/p>\n

I was in my early 20s at the time.\u00a0 I never thought to get their contact info to stay in touch.\u00a0 I don’t even remember their names, but I remember the experience.\u00a0 That day was probably one of that boy’s greatest memories.\u00a0 He did not look like he had the coordination or motor skills to ride a bicycle, yet on that day he flew an airplane and landed it!<\/p>\n

I have told this story many times over the years, however I never wrote it down.\u00a0 Now it is online for folks to enjoy.\u00a0 Stay turned to my future newsletters, I will be posting more of my experiences from my over 35 years in aviation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am often asked what was my most memorable moment or experience in aviation.\u00a0 Folks will ask: Was it the first time you flew a jet?\u00a0 Was it passing a checkride?\u00a0 Was it your first student passing their checkride?\u00a0 First solo? None of the above.\u00a0 Here it is.\u00a0 This took place in the mid to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p95FsX-113","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":54,"url":"https:\/\/flymall.org\/blog\/2010\/02\/a-most-memorable-checkride\/","url_meta":{"origin":3909,"position":0},"title":"A Most Memorable Checkride!","date":"February 10, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Here are some words of advice from the late Dave Gwinn There are three kinds of Private Pilot Checkrides (just as there are 3 kinds of speeches you make: the one prepared, the one you actually gave, and the one you give in the car on the way home).\u00a0 So\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Newsletters"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4822,"url":"https:\/\/flymall.org\/blog\/2021\/06\/kraemer-aviation-flymall-june-2021-wheels-wings-newsletter\/","url_meta":{"origin":3909,"position":1},"title":"Kraemer Aviation \/ Flymall June 2021 Wheels & Wings Newsletter","date":"June 30, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation\/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter This month: the Charvolant, Pontiac LeMans Sport Truck, smallest airport, a one of a kind three wheeler, and more. 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What code\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Newsletters"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3910,"url":"https:\/\/flymall.org\/blog\/2020\/04\/flymall-org-wheels-wings-april-newsletter\/","url_meta":{"origin":3909,"position":4},"title":"Flymall.org Wheels & Wings April Newsletter","date":"April 15, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation\/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter. To view our current newsletter click here. You can view past newsletters here. This month: Bruce Jenner motorcycle cop? Bicycle lost for over 30 years and was found!\u00a0 A 200 hour ATP pilot. First Englishman that built a petrol vehicle.\u00a0 Shooting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Newsletters"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/flymall.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/owen-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4314,"url":"https:\/\/flymall.org\/blog\/2020\/11\/flymall-october-2020-wheels-wings-newsletter\/","url_meta":{"origin":3909,"position":5},"title":"Flymall October 2020 Wheels & Wings Newsletter","date":"November 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to our October 2020 Wheels & Wings newsletter. Click here to view past newsletters. This month: Who invented the 3 point seat belt, a million mile Honda, a car made by the Indian Motorcycle Company, checkride passes, and much more. 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