“Worse than not realizing the dreams of your youth would be to have been young and never dreamed at all.” Jean Genet Acquiring a private pilot’s licence in the United States is fairly straightforward: Pass the Federal Aviation Administration’s(FAA) written exam Take flying (and landing) lessons from a FAA certified flight instructor (CFI) for at […]
Behind The Scenes – Reflections On September 11
It was the advent of the second plane, sharking in low over the Statue of Liberty: that was the defining moment. Until then, America thought she was witnessing nothing more serious than the worst aviation disaster in history; now she had a sense of the fantastic vehemence ranged against her … For those thousands in […]
The Value of Margins – Six lessons From Ladders and Air Traffic Control
I have come to appreciate the value of margins. This happened during a season when my husband took too a tumble from a ladder while trimming a tree. Yes, there was a running chainsaw involved. We are thankful the only damage from the incident was a broken left heel bone. Nonetheless, crutches in a three-story […]
A Timely Rendezvous With A Dear Old Friend
“The wind taught me never to forget old friends, by blowing them back to me.”― Michael Bassey Johnson This past week I was able to meet and visit an old friend. Our rendezvous was to be at the local airport and as I approached our meeting point, there she was, just as stately and elegant as […]
Three Ways Quiet Pivotal Moments Can Burst Open New Adventures
In the quiet moments, the discoveries are made. – Vera Farmiga I look back, now, and I know that the naming moment, which seemed so insignificant then, which seemed to demand no more than an arbitrary and superstitious yes or no, was in fact a pivotal moment in my life. – Gregory David Roberts I remember the […]
When It feels AWKWARD: A Memorable First Flying Lesson
“Even when it feels awkward…” – Nancy Cullen “Anything worth doing well is worth doing badly in the beginning” – Marshall Thurber I do not like doing things badly. I want to do things well. The first time. I see others doing a thing well, with grace and ease, so I jump in and, well, […]
Three Essential Elements Of A Perfect Early Morning Flight
To most people the sky is the limit. To those who love flying, the sky is home. – Unknown Recently I rolled myself out of bed at “O dark-thirty” for an early morning flight. I had been planning to do so daily for over a week, but other life demands kept getting in the way. It […]
Three Ways To Use DNA To Authenticate And Launch Your Story
DNA opens an even more mysterious door to understanding the human condition: all of our ancestors live within each one of us whether we are aware of it or not. ― Laurence Overmire, from: The One Idea That Saves The World: A Message of Hope in a Time of Crisis There is science that bears out the […]
What Is Happening With The Cute Biplane Build?
The Biplane Build: To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything. – Otto Lilienthal Aviation is still considered a man’s world by many. The time to reach young ladies is during their first years of school. Research has shown that although children may change their minds several […]