1) How and/or when did my interest with aviation begin?
My love affair with aviation has been going on for about as long as I can remember; it’s been kind of woven into the constitution of my being from an early age, a byproduct of being born of aviation enthusiasts. I grew up in a “normal” suburban family composed of: two parents, three kids, a dog and a cat, riding bikes after school with friends, building stick forts in the woods, and spending weekends flying around in the family airplane “Bluebird” with Mom and Dad. Life later revealed that “normal” was a naiveté of youthful thinking which may not truly exist in any definitively objective form. Kids don’t “normally” grow up with “the family
airplane.” I’m grateful for this
abnormality that Bluebird had been in my life. She's been an especially instrumental gift in the formative years of my youth.
My earliest aviation memory however comes from an unusual family tradition of sorts. We would load up into the family car and take a ride to a gravel pullover directly beneath the final runway approach at DTW Detroit Metropolitan Airport – RWY 21R then, now RWY 22L, if memory serves correctly. Then we would wait. Landing lights lined up from the distance drew brighter and brighter on their final approach, the whine of engines would slowly build into an incredible rumbling and shrieking roar of turbofan jet crescendo overhead, only momentarily would a detailed glimpse of beautifully crafted sheet metal, rivet, rubber, and hose underside be had, and then the wondrous beast of flight zoomed ahead on track for the runway. Ever so gracefully with two squeaky chirps and two small puffy tufts of smoke, the wheels would touch down and her flight was complete.
As a small boy, I would go absolutely bonkers with excitement every time, and couldn’t wait for the next one to come soon enough. I cherish this history of bona fide “aviation nerdiness” of which proudly I still take part in from time to time as I find it unwinds the stressors of life. Most often though, I’ll do it just for sake of fun and nostalgia. I encourage you to find any airport, preferably a large international one for heavy jet action but any one will do. Post up under the flight line and wait for it. I am a huge, huge nerd. I cannot deny this fact.
When though was it that I fell deeply into love with aviation?
Certainly, I think that must have been when my father brought me to our hangar and we set Bluebird up with 2x4 pedal blocks, a bunch of old “yellow pages” stacked on the seat, and then he expertly perched a tiny me atop the pile and strapped me in. We donned our trusty ‘green daveys’ and taxied to the run up area – my excitement was practically uncontainable. Shortly thereafter, we took off on my very first flight, in the front seat! That day I knew one thing for sure; I loved flying.
Do you remember the first time you fell in love with aviation?
2) What is my current status, academic major, and when will I graduate?
Currently I’m pursuing a Bachelor of Science Aviation Management Technology Major and General Business Minor undergraduate degree with an FAA Aircraft Dispatch Concentration at Eastern Michigan University’s College of Technology Aviation Program in Ypsilanti, MI. My expected graduating class is 2020 if my current track and progression are maintained.
3) What are my future plans?
Simply:
Learn to fly. Fly, fly, fly, fly, fly and fly some more. Have fun! Get paid to fly. Never stop flying. Fly until the powers that be won’t let an old man fly anymore. Never forget to always have fun! Fly til’ I die.
More specifically:
Develop my personal pathway toward a lifelong career as a professional aviator. I aim to concurrently earn my FAA Airmen Student Pilot through Commercial Multi-engine Instrument Certifications with additional Certified Flight Instructor Multi-engine Airplane Instrument Certifications by my EMU undergraduate degree completion of 2020. I realize fully that this timeline likely needs some rational re-adjustment with consideration toward the sheer volume of hard work and time requisite of this aim. My benchmark philosophy is to always and continuously set it above that of which I’ve been easily capable of performing. Forces growth.
Most specifically:
Excellence in skill is achieved through time and hard work practiced with accuracy and consistency. Paraphrased, Kung Fu.
Fly and learn. Have fun! Apply knowledge gained from each chapter / certificate earned toward each and every next step of my aviator progression with the most logical, beneficial and efficient manner possible. Share! Never willfully arrest another’s growth or well-being. Fly as an instructor, give back – so important, and learn to keep newbie fliers from killing me, then themselves and their families after you’ve set them free. I’ve got a lot of places to fly to still. Relocate to Anchorage, Alaska where I’ve built some really positive friendships within the flying community. Learn to fly bush! Learn to fly seaplanes and helicopters as well.
Realize that I’m approaching that middle aged, flabby around the edges, not quite as sharp or fast as I used to be era a lot quicker than expected. Reposition to a major cargo / airline or otherwise inherently stable flying industry venture. Fly the lion's share of my career there; retirement surplus building stage. Plan an exit for retirement. A life of seaplane island flying sounds like a pretty good end game to me. Most importantly, have fun! Life is too damn short to get all bent out of shape. Be good to each other. Be like the ducky and let the ‘it roll right off your back. Take those lemons and make em’ lemonade. Never take for granted the brevity and fragility of life. Don’t sweat the small stuff and always choose love. Have fun and fly on!
4) Industry related topics or guest speakers of which pique my interest most?
Aviation and the Blockchain: Industry Crossroads – Can decentralized distributed ledger technologies promote aviation safety to levels or standards previously unforeseen?
I believe they can and will, with certainty!
What do you think? Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
What is Bitcoin? Are you interested in learning more?
Proposal of Guest Speaker: Mr. Tom Sherony – Aviation Site Manager, Metro Aviation Inc. – University of Michigan Survival Flight, Ann Arbor, MI.
He once graciously allowed a personal interview for my coursework. His particular career progression was especially unique and his industry perspectives were exceptionally interesting, passionate and enlightening. If he we’re invited to share his story with our program, I do believe our students would positively benefit.
- Aviator in Progress
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