About the time I graduated from kindergarten, my Uncle Leland returned from his enlistment in the newly created United States Air Force. Hanging out and making model airplanes with him ignited a passion that would burn in my heart for the rest of my years. About a decade later in Air Force ROTC I had my first flight – in the back seat of a four-place single-engine airplane. We hadn’t even cleared the runway when I was hooked. In these posts, I’ll share some of the highlights of the next sixty plus years of learning, flying and teaching in numerous planes.
OSH-2 – World’s busiest airport
Originally posted May 6, 2016 More than a year ago I posted part one of this story with the promise of “more to come.” But I never finished. Just a week ago Bill, my partner in the adventure, shared his version. He tells it better than I ever could. Thanks, Bill. Not only for the story, ...Read morePayton and Alex fly
Payton Kashmier Alex Kashmier This morning I bolted awake with a frightening thought: In just a few hours my grandsons Payton and Alex will be at the airport looking forward to their first flying lesson. And they’re expecting me to be their instructor. Gulp. Yes, I’ve been flying for more than fifty years. Yes, I’ve logged five ...Read moreA painful rite of passage
It’s really true, GrandpaLyle’s Ark will launch from NW Arkansas again in July. Headed north for a couple days in the Chicago area, then on from there to somewhere. The next step in a bitter-sweet painful rite of passage. The Ark had been sidelined so I could take a stab at being young again. Let me ...Read moreAdios to the Duke
The last hurrah As much as I loved flying Duke N33WF, the cost was twice that of a Baron. Prudence required me to face reality and sadly I sold it. The good news was that I flew the plane for almost two years and more than 300 hours, yet sold it for more than I paid ...Read more