Little did know as a child sanding a chunk of pine that this was the beginning of a passion that would last the rest of my life.
My Uncle Leland lived with us. His favorite indoor pastime was building model airplanes. And of course, whatever he was doing, I had to do, too.
His airplane modeling skills were enough to earn prizes and eventually money. Of course, I wanted to be just like him. What I remember most was sanding. After sanding a wing for what must have been hours I was certain that it was perfect. “Uncle Leland, isn’t this great?” His reply never changed, “Keep sanding.”
A few years later, Lee left us to enlist in the newly created United States Air Force. And I went on to other things that kids do. But my love of airplanes never died. As a college student, one course – Aviation 101 at the University of Illinois – shaped my life more than any other. At the end of the semester, I had earned three credit hours … PLUS a pilot license. Over the next 60 years I logged five thousand hours, flew dozens of airplanes, attained a host of pilot ratings … and even spent several years teaching others to fly.
Though I’ve retired my wings in real airplanes my passion just won’t die – regrettably its now limited to flying a flight simulator at our local airport and talking about it. Anyone who’s familiar with smaller airports has seen and heard old guys sitting in the lounge, swapping lies about what it was like way back when. Over the coming year that’s just what I’ll be doing – in Grandpalyle’s Notebook. Taking a year or two at a time, I’ll share my logbook and reminisce about some of those old times. Hope you enjoy the journey as much as I know I will.
-GrandpaLyle
P.S. Check the smile on my face as I fly with Skip some years later.
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The Red Baron
1988 The next step In the preceding two years, I had logged more than 300 hours flying my Mooney all over the country, in all kinds of weather, over all kinds of terrain, and into airports small and gigantic. I was itching to get back into the kind of experience I had in the Baron. And I ...Read moreMy Own Personal Airline
1989 Requirements My dream was to use the Red Baron as my own personal airline. Airlines have an extraordinary safety record – and it’s no accident. They pay meticulous attention to the quality of both their equipment and their personnel. Go left? OK with caution.Go right? Don’t even think about it! Equipment: The Turbo Baron had not only ...Read moreFly-By-Knight
1990 Flying at a new level If the world headquarters of my personal airline was our home on Knight Street, the natural name had to be Fly By Knight – with a fleet of one Red Baron. By this time, I had attained a degree of mastery, and the stories were more about the trips. Here are ...Read more“Ordinary Angels” Touches Home
When Marie and I sat down to watch Ordinary Angels neither of us could remember whether we had seen it or not—a common occurrence for us. In the story a struggling hairdresser finds a renewed sense of purpose when she meets a widowed father working hard to care for his two daughters. With his youngest, ...Read moreWinter 1991
LifeLine Pilots Emergency Mission The phone next to my head snapped me out of deep winter slumber. It was 1:30 AM. The temperature outside was 17 degrees below zero. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?! Lifeline Pilots calling. “A boy and his parents need to be in Minneapolis STAT for a kidney transplant. Will you take the mission?” Kidney transplant “Of course,” ...Read more