Search Results for: angel flight west

Myron Collier was born June 8,1930, on a farm near Butler, Ohio. He built model airplanes and, though hedidn’t know any pilots, knew he wanted to be one. An hour’s worth of instructionwas too expensive, so he paid for 15 minutes at a time. What he lacked infinances he made up for in determination, and […]

Michael Nolan was born October 24,1949, in Van Nuys, Calif. His first flight was in a PSA DC-4 out of Burbank,Calif., and he was hooked instantly. He learned to fly in late ’68 while he wasa student at L.A. Valley college, soloed on March 1, ’69, then earned a two-yeardegree from Fullerton College and studied […]

After what felt like an eternity, I finally soloed. I then completed my three supervised solos, flights where I stay in the pattern and John my instructor watches from the ground rather than from the seat beside me. I say that I flew all by myself, but of course I had my imaginary instructor in […]

What would you do if you thought that you had an electrical system failure and a vacuum system failure at the same time in a single-engine airplane? The chances of that happening are pretty slim, but the pilot of a Cessna T210 was convinced that he had both failures at the same time while flying […]

John L. Baker was born July 8, 1928, in O’Neil, Neb. He started flying at 15 and went into the Air Force five years later. He flew fighters in Korea then taught fighter gunnery at Nellis, Pine Castle and Luke. After his military career, Baker went to law school in Omaha, and graduated with honors. […]

While the self-righteous denigrate those who mess up, we shout our barbaric yawp in praise of folly.

“Mind if I ride along with you guys?” an old friend and captain named Dave asked me the other day as we prepared to launch for San Antonio. “I’m heading down to Texas and the back is full. I’m hoping to get the jumpseat.” Dave grinned and handed me the usual licenses, jump seat passes […]

When Garmin first announced its forthcoming big-screen color mapcom in 1999, my salivary glands took on a life of their own. I just knew I had to have one! It’s been a long wait, but it was definitely worth it. After four months of flying with the GNS 530, I can say without reservation that […]

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. – Ben Franklin Old Ben had it right, but only half-right. He pointed out that such people don’t “deserve” either, but failed to point out they won’t GET security, either. There is no such thing, for we […]

The events of the eleventh of September affected all of us deeply. The Pilot’s Lounge at the virtual airport became jammed that day and has remained so with pilots who have come together and try to sort out the myriad emotions that each felt. The attacks, the subsequent groundings and then the national suspicion of […]