Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling, MI

DNHarris

DNHarris

Pre-Flight
Joined
Nov 30, 2013
Messages
35
Location
Grand Ledge, MI
Display Name
Display name:
Dan
Hi PoAers,

A friend of mine I used to curl with in Lansing, MI sent a aviation request to me on FB. A friend of theirs needs some assistance. I forwarded it to several FB groups I am a member of and am sharing it with you. Perhaps someone knows a person in the Grayling, MI area that can assist them. I know no further information. All questions should be directed to the email cited below.


Michael Hood
Ann Arbor, MI

I have an extremely important and time sensitive request of my many wonderful friends. I am in need of seasoned pilot and a small plane for a day flight originating from the Grayling, Michigan area. This is NOT a recreational or business request but one for a dear friend whom many of you may know. This is for a man who has done so much for his friends, family, community, and country. As I said this is a VERY time sensitive request. Please share my request with others. If you wish more details feel free to email me at Oldvoyageur@gmail.com. Your help in this is greatly appreciated. I thank you all. heart emoticon

###

If you know someone who may be able to assist would you be kind enough to forward the message to them?

TIA,
Dan Harris
4D0 (Grand Ledge, MI)
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Why is it so 'extremely important and time sensitive'? What are the purpose and the destination of the flight?
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Maybe he wants to get to Beaver or Mackinac Island in style?

I must have a need or two, maybe I should post a request on FB?
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

I think any pilot would want to know the purpose and destination of the trip before volunteering their license and plane.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Not enough info to even consider the request.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

He did say email the address provided to get the information. :roll eyes:

My best guess from the way it's worded is a final flight for someone who is very ill. (I have no knowledge and I'm speculating. Just to be clear.)

A flight like that can be very rewarding emotionally.

John
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

jsstevens said:
He did say email the address provided to get the information. :roll eyes:

My best guess from the way it's worded is a final flight for someone who is very ill. (I have no knowledge and I'm speculating. Just to be clear.)

A flight like that can be very rewarding emotionally.

John
Click to expand...

Might be right. If that is the case, I hope someone in the area can assist.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

jsstevens said:
He did say email the address provided to get the information. :roll eyes:

My best guess from the way it's worded is a final flight for someone who is very ill. (I have no knowledge and I'm speculating. Just to be clear.)

A flight like that can be very rewarding emotionally.

John
Click to expand...

I am betting this is the reason. I would do it in a heatbeat if I could.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Hi everyone,

I told him I posted the request on our forum and received further information.

Dan - Thank you so much for picking up the ball here. This is a flight for a dear friend who has stage IV cancer. At this point it would be a non-medical flight but that may change depending on how his condition progresses. I'm trying to put him back in the air one last time. He was air cavalry in Viet Nam. The Au Sable is his love and he's spent most of his life paddling the holy waters there. I'm trying to arrange for him to have a fly over of his beloved river before he passes. He knows nothing of this at the moment but I'm heading north tomorrow to speak with him about it. My cell is 517.420.4341. After tomorrow i'll be without internet so please feel free to direct folks to me via my cell phone. I also have no idea of costs and so any information on the economics would be appreciated so I can start directing a fund for that aspect.


Personally, if I was in the area and had my ppl (student pilot now) and a my own plane, or was building time to prepare for an instrument I'd do it as well. Of course it would be wise to talk to them first (ph. number above) and then meet & greet before deciding if it is a good fit. I don't know this man personally but it was a friend of a friend who I curled with and served on the curling club board of directors with for a few years before our terms were up.


I of course do not wish for cancer upon anyone, but if the claims are true I wish this pilot and soldier and the pilot who gives them a final flight the very finest experience.

Feel free to forward information to others.

Dan
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

:sad:
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Wish I were closer.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Ed, wake up!
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Hope he gets to make the flight. My first thought was spreading ashes. Glad it's not that yet. I've done a couple flights like that. One hadn't flown for years and I let him fly. I did take-off and landing and flew everything else like the pro he was at one time.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

I would do it, if you don't find a pilot closer to Grayling (it's a 1.5h flight for me to get there).

Our plane is a Cessna 172.

I am available either this Sunday (weather forecast looks bad, though) or on the weekends 17/18 and 24/25 of October.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Sounds like a worthy cause. I'm sure the OP will get a volunteer.

My Corvette club did something similar for a local guy who was weeks away from dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. Young guy, married with 3 young kids...Navy veteran...always wanted a Corvette...loved Corvettes. His Mother contacted our club and asked if we could have a little Corvette show in front of his house since he couldn't travel.

Well, once the members found out, over 30 Corvettes showed up in front of the guys house, and we proceeded to take him around to each car so the owner of the car could describe what the car was, and what was special about it. We even loaded the guy into his favorite Corvette to give him ride (1966 big block convertible). We all had a great time...his Mother, who initially contacted our club, was in tears, as were most of the club members who were very reluctant to take their cars out in December. The local newspaper found out about it and did a story on it with a photo.

It was a good day for all involved.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

It is fantastic seeing all the support in our flying community. Hopefully it'll pull together!

I will be offline for the rest of the week, flying down to Atlanta to work with my doctoral committee and push my doctoral study past the next hurdle.

Just a kind repeat that I am a messenger of this giving opportunity. I received an email from Michael earlier tonight saying he was headed up to Grayling, MI to be with his friend and will not have internet. To help make it happen please contact Michael Hood's cellphone direct at 517.420.4341 from this point forward.

May you all have a great week!
Dan
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

DNHarris said:
[...] To help make it happen please contact Michael Hood's cellphone direct at 517.420.4341 from this point forward. [...]
Click to expand...

Text message sent.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

ejensen said:
Hope he gets to make the flight. My first thought was spreading ashes. Glad it's not that yet. I've done a couple flights like that. One hadn't flown for years and I let him fly. I did take-off and landing and flew everything else like the pro he was at one time.
Click to expand...


There's no urgency in spreading ashes. ;)

Dark humor, I know...

But due to a strange set of circumstances I have the ashes of three relatives here at home and probably won't be spreading them anywhere anytime soon.

They don't seem to mind.

We're joking that maybe we should just put it in our Will that the next generation has to keep them and us around, too... As a condition of their inheritance.

Heh.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

denverpilot said:
There's no urgency in spreading ashes. ;)
Click to expand...
Yup. I waited over a year. Then I did it last week in a beautiful 195.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

denverpilot said:
There's no urgency in spreading ashes. ;)

Dark humor, I know...

But due to a strange set of circumstances I have the ashes of three relatives here at home and probably won't be spreading them anywhere anytime soon.

They don't seem to mind.

We're joking that maybe we should just put it in our Will that the next generation has to keep them and us around, too... As a condition of their inheritance.

Heh.
Click to expand...

Not sure why that was my first thought. My second was realizing it wasn't urgent.

Might be that I remember the 98 crash that kill 4 while spreading their mothers ashes. I know it's not the same but my brain connected it.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Sounds like a good request for Angel Flight.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

To the OP as you are a student pilot, you could still do the flight with your CFI on board and acting as PIC.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

ejensen said:
Not sure why that was my first thought. My second was realizing it wasn't urgent.



Might be that I remember the 98 crash that kill 4 while spreading their mothers ashes. I know it's not the same but my brain connected it.
Click to expand...


Ugh. I remember that one too.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Last Sunday was finally the day on which I took Dave and his partner Janet up. They are the nicest people one could imagine!
Michael, their friend who organized everything, is the type of person one can only hope to have in such a difficult situation! The efforts he puts into helping his friends is just incredible.

My wife Martina and I had a great flight from the Detroit area to Grayling, where we met them. We had to wait for a while to let the rain showers pass by, before I could finally take them up. Dave and Janet were completely relaxed and truly enjoyed the flight. They had spent multiple decades on the Au Sable River, but never saw it from above.

The autumn colors and the light were just amazing:
P1140997_NS.jpg


P1150042_NS.jpg


Martina posted more pictures of our flight to / from Grayling and along the Au Sable River in the daily pic thread:
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1918176&postcount=1680
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1918183&postcount=1681

We both enjoyed the day and were thankful that we had the opportunity to do somebody a favor, which meant so much to him.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

That was a very kind thing to do. :thumbsup:
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Awesome! Sounds like a great day!

David
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Very heartwarming. Glad you were able to make this happen!
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

German guy said:
Last Sunday was finally the day on which I took Dave and his partner Janet up. They are the nicest people one could imagine!
Michael, their friend who organized everything, is the type of person one can only hope to have in such a difficult situation! The efforts he puts into helping his friends is just incredible.

My wife Martina and I had a great flight from the Detroit area to Grayling, where we met them. We had to wait for a while to let the rain showers pass by, before I could finally take them up. Dave and Janet were completely relaxed and truly enjoyed the flight. They had spent multiple decades on the Au Sable River, but never saw it from above.

The autumn colors and the light were just amazing:
P1140997_NS.jpg


P1150042_NS.jpg


Martina posted more pictures of our flight to / from Grayling and along the Au Sable River in the daily pic thread:
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1918176&postcount=1680
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1918183&postcount=1681

We both enjoyed the day and were thankful that we had the opportunity to do somebody a favor, which meant so much to him.
Click to expand...
Great story!
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

It's a good thing a certain CFI is not posting here anymore. I'm sure there would've been 20 chief counsel opinions about how this kind of flying is not legal.

Fantastic story and great pictures.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Bravo, Oliver & Martina!
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Beautiful thing to do! Glad someone from the forum was able to help them. Kudos to the guy who put this together very nice of you.
 
Re: Local man in need of experienced pilot for day flight originating from Grayling,

Thank you for all the kind words. :)

Actually, Martina and I had a great day ourselves. Before we met, I was afraid that to meet a man of whom I know that he might not be around for much longer, would be very awkward and troubling. Other than what I had feared, meeting Dave, Janet and Michael was however fun, enjoyable, not awkward at all and we had only very brief sad moments. :yesnod:
 
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