Well, I hope it will be an adventure! While in Alaska to visit my son Gard, who was working a summer job at Denali State Park, I had the opportunity to fly out of Talkeetna, AK, as a passenger, and land on the Ruth Glacier, half way to the top of the 22,000 foot Mt. McKinley. Undoubtedly, that was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. At that time I had no inclination to return to AK as a pilot. As moving as the experience was, piloting an airplane in the shadow of the big mountain was never imagined. Our visit to Alaska was in August of 2008. A week or so after our return home, it was my 60th birthday. Rather a monumental accomplishment! I think it was due to the significance of the number (sixty), that I realized that if I was going to enhance my life with new experiences, I better get going. I also was kicking back a bit in my job. For the first time in 30 plus years, I felt I could spend significant time away from work and feel confident that things would go well and (in my mind), I wouldn't be missed. My friend David was close to receiving his pilot's license. I thought, if I got my certificate, he and I could use our new skills to fly together. David had a connection to a flight school at Gran-Aire, at Timmermn Airport in urban Milwaukee. I visitored the school, took my introductory flight, and was immediately signed up to be on my way to become a pilot.
I have a history with airplanes. When I was a kid, most of my childhood was living on the approach path to the main north/south runway at MKE. at that time it was (from what i remember) the most used runway. We seemed to have a constant flow of planes either taking off or landing iverhead. On hot summer days, a buddy of mine and me would head to the passenger terminal, both to cool off in the rare air-conditioned space, but also to be near the planes and maybe to be around the stewardesses (that's what they called them in the late 1950's).
Growing up, I was never encouraged to prepare myself for college. I'm not sure if it was the times I lived in or if it was because I and my 4 siblings were raised by my Aunt and Grandmother that financially it was never going to be an option. I held some sort of a job all the way through high school. After graduation, I was working at Delco Electronics in Oak Creek. Delco (at that time) worked on missle guidance systems and gyro systems which were used in military tanks. It was insinuated that I might be exempt from the draft (induction into the Army because of the Vietnam War), because Delco had military contracts. Not so. I had no desire ti be in the army, so I enlisted in the AirForce. Four years of travel and being around the most spectacular airplanes of the time. Being an auto-pilot technician allowed me to be in, on and under fighter aircraft on a daily basis. I really appreciated the mechanics, technology, and even the smell of hydraulic fluid, JP4 (av-gas) and jet exhaust.
Upon completion of my 4 years, and I like most guys of 22 was anxious to re-enter regular, non-military life, I married Sandy and began my college education using the GI Bill. I worked
part time for a while and with the assistance of some people that Sandy worked with, ended up with a job at the Milwaukee Airport, in air freight. Again around airplanes on a daily basis. 35 years in various positions in transportation, including co-founding an air freight related logistics and trucking company, and here we are. Not that nothing else transpired in the past 40 years since I got out of the Air Force (started a business, had children (Gunnar and Gard), saw them go off to college, graduate, start their own lives), I got my Private Pilot Certificate in July of 09'. I was so proud of myself for the accomplishment and for the realization that I could still learn something new, successfully take tests and most importantly, be able to multi-task. I have continued my training with my instructor, Danielle (http://www.myskymom.com/), and am currently pursuing my instrument rating.
I'm not sure who first introduced me to the National Geographic show "Alaska Wingmen". It is a dramatized documentary about various pilot experiences in different parts of Alaska. I really enjoyed the "new frontier, cowboy-pilot" theme the show represented. In particular, there was an episode on the series that showed a young guy going through "bush pilot" training. He was instructed on how to land on the sides of river-beds, gravel runways and ( what really got me), public highways. I'm not sure its true, but I have no reason to doubt, but it is legal to land an airplane on a road or highway in Alaska. Seeing this done, timing the flow of auto traffic so as not to endanger anyone on the ground, really peaked my interest. These bush planes have oversized tires in order to handle rough landing terrain. Kind of like the ATV's of the air.
Curiosity finally prompted me to google "bush pilot Alaska", and I am now signed up to head to Talkeetna, a place I already feel comfortable with, for 10 days of extended training, in the shadow of "Space Mountain".
I leave for Talkeetna on July 24th for 10 days of tail-wheel, bush and float plane training. I am anxious to share my adventure.
No comments:
Post a Comment