Late last year Ted, a former coworker, reached out to me and asked if I'd be willing to take his nephews flying; he wanted to surprise them as a Christmas present. As I said five years ago when I took another one of his nephews flying, I think most pilots would jump at the opportunity! My crazy travel schedule and their own activities led to many months of figuring out when we'd all be in the same place at the same time. Turns out today was that day.
The video's long but I suspect they'll enjoy being able to re-watch much of the flight
We all met at Stewart a bit before 1 pm - I was already preflighting the 172 when they walked up and said hello. I topped off the tanks and we filled out the requisite Young Eagles forms, then I got Anthony situated onboard. Joe, the younger brother, is particularly into airplanes, so he hopped in front.
After taking off to the west, I orbited over their house; they were quite excited when they spotted it from above. I then flew down towards King's Island, which always seems to delight passengers from above. From there, I entered the pattern at John Lane Field / Lebanon-Warren County Airport (I68) so the boys could switch places.
We made two flights around the local area this afternoon
I departed I68 and we flew over Caesar Creek Lake, then returned to Stewart. Back on the ground, Anthony hopped out and their sister, Isabella, hopped in - she decided she wanted a ride prior to the original departure and I was glad to take her up! We didn't have as much time so we again circled over their house and school before flying north over I-675. I pointed out the local malls and some roads and then we again made our way back to Stewart.
Upon returning, all three kids certainly seemed to really enjoy the experience. We talked for a few minutes and I filled out their certificates and logbooks and said our goodbyes. While I obviously haven't flown too much this year, it's nice to make the most of the little bit I have - and taking kids on their first flights is a great way to do so!
Plane: Cub, 85 hp Route: 40I, Local Weather: Scattered clouds, 75 degrees, wind 240 degrees at 6 knots
I'm a bit ashamed to admit it's been over two years since my last Young Eagle flight. Not that I haven't taken any kids flying - I brought my cousins up in the 172 last summer, in fact. Still, it had been far too long and I'm glad I had the opportunity to fly two more this morning!
As part of the annual Labor Day Weekend airshow and fly-in at Stewart, the local EAA chapter coordinates Young Eagle flights once the pancake breakfast is dying down. I got to the airport around 10:00, preflighted the Cub, got a hand from Jamie to push it out between the mess of airplanes lining the runway, and taxied down to the fuel pumps to top the tank off.
My first passenger was Dawson, a local kid who lives just around the corner from the airport. He was excited for the flight and we chatted about the Cub for a couple minutes while I waited for someone to come over and prop us. He asked a few questions, which I answered, and I explained some of the very extensive instrumentation inside the J-3's cockpit.
Taking Dawson, my first Young Eagle of the day, flying
Engine running, I went through my pre-takeoff checks, explaining what I was doing. Then we took off and headed out over Caesar Creek Lake. He thought it was really interesting when I pointed out how you can see where a road is submerged underwater - it's the old alignment of Route 73 that was flooded when the Little Miami River was dammed to create the lake back in the 1970s.
Before long, we were back in the pattern, and I touched down softly on Runway 26. Dawson had a big smile on his face as he climbed out of the plane and I'm glad his first small airplane ride was such a great experience. Hopefully we inspired another future pilot in the making!
After filling out his logbook and saying our goodbyes I met my next passenger, Chaston. This wasn't his first flight - in fact, he's got me beat. He went on an aerobatic ride in the Citabria with Emerson a couple years ago! Still, he's a high school kid who hopes to become a pilot and make a career out of it. And he'd never flown in a Cub before. I was glad to do my part to help out!
Chaston is in high school and hopes to become a pilot
We talked about airplanes and aviation as I waited for takeoff; the pattern was packed all morning with fly-in guests, local traffic, and us Young Eagle guys. Climbing out into the morning air I noted how you can see the miles upon miles of straight dirt lines where the recently-installed pipeline now sits beneath the ground.
Heading towards the lake, Chaston spotted his neighborhood and house. He pointed it out to me and I circled around so he could get the full 360 degree view. Then we continued on to the lake before turning back towards Stewart.
Briefly chatting after Chaston had climbed on board
Pointing out some of that previously-mentioned extensive instrumentation
Engine started and ready for takeoff
Departing on Runway 26
I spotted skydivers and pointed them out to Chaston as we were approaching the airport. I think he got a kick out of seeing them from the air at our altitude. To stay out of their way, I flew a long upwind north of the runway then turned back.
We landed - twice (hey, we all bounce sometimes, right?) - back on the grass. Chaston waved hello to his parents, who were busy snapping photos, as we taxied back. Thanks to his mom, Sheraine, for letting me share a couple of those great photos on the blog!
Back on the ground after a great Cub flight!
I shut the engine down and we talked about his flying aspirations for a little bit. I pointed out to him and his mom that he's already old enough to solo a glider, should he want to go that route. I really hope he's able to pursue an aviation career! He was my second and final Young Eagle for the day, as our assortment of pilots knocked out all of today's free rides in short order.
P.S. Apologies to both Steve Miller Band and Yoda for the title of this post. I simply couldn't resist the urge... ;-)
Plane: Cessna 172 Route: 40I, Local Weather: Clear, 80 degrees, wind 110 degrees at 4 knots
Ted, a coworker of mine, asked me about getting his nephew an airplane ride earlier this week. He lives down near Stewart and was curious how much they charged. Of course, no pilot would let someone pay for a ride when one of our favorite things to do is take new people flying! Ted's actually a Private Pilot but hasn't flown in many years. I told him I'd be happy to take him, his wife Donna, and his nephew Aaron (as a Young Eagle) up in the 172.
I arrived at the airport an hour before they were set to meet me. After thoroughly preflighting the Skyhawk, I took it around the pattern three times. I haven't knocked out a bunch of takeoffs and landings in it since last year so it was a good chance to brush up on my short and soft field skills. Three trips around the pattern later, I felt sharper and better for the practice.
Highlights of the Young Eagle flight and some of my later T&L practice
Ted pulled into the parking lot around with 6 pm and Aaron hopped out, excited and wanting to head straight to the airplane. We got his booster seat securely into the front seat and Ted and Donna got situated in the back. After getting Aaron's seat in place and buckling his belt, I walked around, hopped in, and started the engine. I explained a little bit about what I was checking during the runup, then waited for a Cub to land before taxiing to the very end of the runway.
Aaron was ready to hop in the plane the moment he got to the airport!
Getting Ted's headsets set to hook into the intercom
Comfortably sitting in the right seat while taxiing for takeoff
I pushed in the throttle, waited for the RPMs to stabilize, then released the brakes for a short field departure. We had plenty of runway (I had done a thorough weight and balance and calculated our takeoff distance) but I still wanted to be off the grass as quickly as possible. Within a few seconds, Aaron asked if we were flying - I told him no, not yet! As soon as we did lift off, I said so and heard a distinct "yaaay!" over the intercom.
Gazing down at the airport just after takeoff
Ted pointed out the golf course next to Stewart as we climbed straight out. Leveling off at 2,500 feet, I pointed out Caesar Creek Lake straight ahead. We flew straight for another minute or so before I made a shallow, 10-15 degree turn to the right. Aaron did not like that. At all. In hindsight, I should've warned him that we were about to turn.
He decided then and there that he'd had enough with flying for the evening. While the view was awesome, the whole turning thing wasn't so much his cup of tea. I very gently flew us back towards the airport (again using no more then 10-15 degrees of bank) while informing him every time prior to a turn. I told Aaron to try looking straight ahead when we turned to see if that would help. He wasn't sick or anything, just didn't like the turning sensation.
Aaron leaned all the way into me the instant I turned to the right
The pattern was clear as I re-entered on a 45 to the downwind for Runway 8. I announced every power change and turn as I brought us down to final. We touched down gently a few hundred feet down the runway, at which point Aaron exclaimed that landing was a lot of fun. Go figure. Thus ended our 15 minutes in the sky.
He loved takeoff and landing. I explained to him that they're a lot of fun, but unfortunately you have to turn if you want to experience those parts of flying. Aaron wasn't ready to hop back in an airplane right away but Ted and I both think he might want to go up again in the distant future. He's only seven, after all - there's plenty of time for him to decide he wants to fly again.
Our quick route out over Caesar Creek Lake and back to Stewart
As always, I'm glad I had a chance to take someone up on their first flight. While he may not have had the best experience, he still enjoyed parts of it and was smiling when he got in the car to leave. He was my first Young Eagle for the year as well. I'm hoping to hit 10 this year for the first time!
After we landed - he's still got a smile on his face!
After they left, I still had the itch to fly. I really wanted to buzz around the patch in a Cub for an hour but they weren't open. That left me with the 172. It's not nearly as much fun as the Cub but I still wanted to fly and, heck, it's still an airplane! So I flew two more times around the patch - one normal T&L and then a simulated engine-out. I always enjoy practicing the latter; you can never run through emergency situations often enough. All in all, it was a fun summer evening of flying and a great way to end the work week!
Plane: Cessna 172 / Piper Cub, 65 hp Route: 40I, Local Weather: Clear, 66 degrees, wind variable at 4 knots
Today was a day I have been looking forward to for a variety of reasons. EAA Chapter 284, of which I am a member, always puts on a great pancake breakfast and fly-in the morning following Stewart's annual airshow. That alone makes for a great time but our Young Eagles Rally is what I was really excited about.
Having the opportunity to introduce multiple kids to small airplane flight in one morning is about as good a thing I can think of doing as a pilot. Every kid I met today was smiling and excited as soon as I walked over and introduced myself. Each and every one of them said they'd like to go up again sometime. Most importantly, they got to see the world from a new perspective and left with a new paradigm for their imaginations to work wonders in.
This is what it's all about - if you don't have much time, start at the 6:05 mark!
I started off in the Cessna 172 and finished in the Piper Cub. My original plan had been to fly the 150 all morning (while the Cub is the most fun, I thought the kids might prefer to have an intercom and headset so we could actually talk up there) but it was down for maintenance. So the plan was for me to fly multiple kids together in the 172 at first and then switch over to the Cub.
My first flight was a brother and sister who were just about the happiest, most excited two people you'll ever strap into a 172. They were talking much of the flight, taking pictures, and just completely enjoying themselves. We flew out of the pattern and over Caesar Creek Lake, passing by the Ohio Renaissance Festival that they got a kick out of seeing from the air. I completed the circle of the lake and then entered the busy pattern and made a pretty good landing with the stall horn chirping.
I'm kicking myself over and over because I didn't have the intercom plugged into the camera until after we landed (note to self - add to the checklist!) so nearly all their great commentary was only recorded to my brain. You absolutely must watch the video above to hear what they had to say at the end of the flight. The other that thing cracked me up was when, about halfway through the flight, the little girl said, "This is awesome! When I grow up, first I'm going to buy a German Shepherd and then I'm going to learn how to fly airplanes!" Man, you couldn't come up with something more adorable if you tried.
After I shut the plane down, I helped the kids out and walked over to the registration table. There I filled out their logbooks and signed their official Young Eagle certificates. We said goodbye and they thanked me again (though, as with all the kids, I should have been thanking them!) and I was introduced to my next passenger. This was the procedure after every flight so I'll keep it brief from here on out.
My second and third flights in the 172 were single-passenger, as there didn't appear to be any other kids that wanted to ride together. I took up a little boy on flight number two and then a girl after that. Both of them were pretty quiet as I explained things during the flight but that didn't mean they weren't having a good time. Whenever I looked over in the right seat I was greeted with a giant smile!
After the three laps around the sightseeing circuit in the Cessna, I put the plane away and went over to preflight the 65 hp Cub. There's no sense in paying more money for extra seats when we weren't using them anyway. I didn't have time to hook up the video camera in the Cub so there's no multimedia from those two flights.
I took up two young boys in the Cub, at least one of which (my last Young Eagle of the day) that had never flown before in any way, shape, or form. That was the slightest bit ironic, as his father had worked for the FAA and Flight Service for something approaching 30 years if I'm recalling correctly. While we couldn't talk very easily, they both clearly were loving the view as we flew around with the door open on the gorgeous late summer morning.
On that last flight I could tell the little boy was extremely excited and interested, so we flew a slightly amended course. He lived in Waynesville and was pointing out some things he recognized like the football stadium and soccer fields. Since he apparently lives very close to those, I turned away from the airport and flew right over top of where he was pointing. Although he never did spot his house I know he came back with a new perspective on the neighborhood. After landing (which was nothing to write home about - let's just say I dissipated enough energy in the thunk on to the ground that it was quite the short field landing) he was all smiles when his parents came up to the plane and said he'd love to go flying again.
So that, in a nutshell, is my experience flying six kids this morning. It was a rousing success and I only had to use one Sic Sac - which was given away as a souvenir to the little girl from the first flight! I've heard pilots say many times before that they probably get more out of the experience than the kids do and I completely understand that sentiment now. Giving the gift of flight to a bunch of kids can't adequately be described by my own words. Listening to their comments, seeing the smiles, and hearing them say they want to do it again is the best testament to the value of the Young Eagles program.
I apologize for taking so long to get this posted. Video editing always takes me a little while and I unfortunately had a hard drive fail on me last week that contained the footage from these flights. Thankfully I hadn't deleted it from the camera so I was still able to edit it and share everything with all of you!
Plane: Cessna 150 Route: 40I, Local Weather: Haze, 75 degrees, wind 060 degrees at 7 knots
Today I had the opportunity to mark another goal off my list from the beginning of this year by taking my first Young Eagle flying. My boss' daughter, Emily, is 11 and absolutely loves airplanes. We've been trying to figure out a time for me to take her flying for months and today is when it finally worked out. So instead of just taking her flying I thought we might as well make it an official Young Eagle flight.
We flew over the lake and over their house before returning to Stewart
I arrived at the airport about 20 minutes before them so that I could do a thorough preflight and fuel the airplane. We were flying in the 150 since both Cubs were already reserved for nearly the entire day. Plus, this way we could wear headsets so communication would be easier. They arrived just as I was ready to taxi over to the fuel pump.
I already knew that Emily wanted me to show her the airplane before we climbed in so I basically went through a preflight again, explaining what things were and what they did. It took about five minutes and then she and her dad walked over to the parking lot so I could safely taxi to the pump. They watched to see how I fueled the airplane and then I helped her inside after making sure she could work the door latch.
Drying the morning dew off the windshield
Our airplane for the day - I've got nearly 100 hours in 338 now
Showing her the cockpit
Once she was secure I explained how we use checklists as I went through mine and started the engine. I then taxied away from the pump towards the end of Runway 8 as we waved goodbye to her dad. While taxiing (to the opposite end of the airport from the fuel pump, so it took a couple minutes) I explained a few more things about flying like how we sometimes talk on the radio but not to air traffic controllers. At the end of the runway I went through the entire pre-takeoff checklist and explained what I was looking for. Her enthusiastic "yes!" when I asked if she was ready to go flying was indication enough that it was time to get airborne.
You could see the haze over the valley on climbout
It was a bit hazy and humid and you could see the mist down in the valley as we lifted off and gained altitude. I waved the wings as we passed by the parking lot on climb out. Since it was still early (around 10 am) the air was relatively smooth as I leveled at 2,500 feet. I flew us to the end of Caesar Creek Lake and then followed it down. Emily seemed to like watching the boats down below us and thought it was really neat to see the dam at the end of the lake from the air.
The boaters were already out on the lake
But the beach was still pretty much empty
Nearing the dam at the end of the lake
Their house is conveniently only a few miles away from Stewart so I headed that direction while passing over downtown Waynesville. As we got close I could see that someone (turns out it was her mom and brother) was standing out in the yard. I made one circle around the house as she took some photos - Emily took all the photos included in this post - and then descended to 2,000 feet while coming around a second time. I rocked the wings back and forth as we passed by to say hello. She couldn't believe how different their neighborhood looked from above and obviously enjoyed taking some photos.
Passing by downtown Waynesville
Their neighborhood from about 1,000 feet up
The air was a little bumpier down at 2,000 feet but she said it wasn't bothering her at all. Nonetheless, I wanted to keep this first flight short so I turned back towards the airport. We had briefly talked about how planes fly around the airport before landing and I made a couple more comments as we entered the traffic pattern. Touchdown was intentionally long to shorten the taxi and very smooth on the still-wet grass. Most importantly, I asked if she wanted to go up again and she said "definitely, yes!" without any hesitation and with a big grin on her face.
Base leg on approach to Stewart
Although it wasn't necessarily an average Young Eagle flight (with me flying kids I've never met before) it was a great experience for all. She got to go up in a GA airplane for the first time and I had a blast showing her a little bit about flying. Hopefully I do get a chance to fly with her again; we might go up with her dad and Gina on a $100 burger run in the 172 at some point. Regardless, everything cooperated this morning and we both enjoyed our short time in the 150. I really do see why so many people say the pilots get even more out of this than the kids do!
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