Two days after the World Trade Center Towers were attacked, I had the unique experience of flying a mission for Lifeline Pilots … when the skies over the U.S.A. were cleared of all but F-16s and a handful of emergency medical flights. Here are some stories from that flight: (From LifeLine Pilots: the shortest distance
Crystal Lake Airport (now Lake in the Hills) was a sleepy airport serving local pilots about 30 miles northwest of O’Hare. It housed a flight school with three trainers and a couple flight instructors. Hangars on the field included one for my dad’s brand new Beechcraft Bonanza – the ultimate single-engine airplane of the time.
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
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 thousand hours
For most, Tuesday, September 11, 2001 began as an ordinary day. * * * My first student of the day was Bryan. An excellent student, he had become familiar with procedures at Palwaukee so when it was time to land I had him call the tower for instructions. That was the end of ordinary. For
