Taking my Mentor (Dad) For a Flight Today

Mooney Fan

Mooney Fan

Cleared for Takeoff
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Mooney Fan
This is going to be a great day.

In his prime, my Dad was my CFI when I was 16, bumping along in his AA1 Yankee. He is prior Army Reserve where he flew L-19 Bird Dogs, Beavers and the C-45 (Beech-18)

Today he's 83 with a prosthetic and in poor health. He used to own planes his whole life, Yankee, Mooney's, Comanche and his favorite a 1967 C-310.

My brother will join us for the memorable flight. My step-mom says Dad has been like a little kid the past few days since I called him to see if he wanted to take a ride. I am very happy I started flying again after the 14 year absence for days just like this

The best part was when he asked, "You're going to let me fly right?" He said "I'll keep us straight and level"

Yea, Dad....... Your airplane

-MF
 
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Enjoy it! I got to take my dad for a few flights. He got through solo in the early 1950's in Cubs and Champs. He's gone now but those flights were some great memories.
 
very cool, enjoy! taking my parents on their first flight with me was memorable as well.
 
Enjoy guys. It's really special. I wish I could do that, but neither parent likes flying.

Hope you have some way to "go pro" it. Video like that will be nice to have later.
 
Thanks all. I'll shoot some video with my IPhone. I just reviewed my log book on when the last time it was we flew together. It was Feb 1999 when he was visiting us out in So Cal. We flew from SZP up to SBA for lunch at the Elephant bar. On the return flight home he asked if I was working towards my commercial yet and asked to demonstrate some lazy 8's. I told him have at it, he slid the seat up, took the yoke and went right to it. Over the top the ball was centered as could be.

-MF
 
Mooney Fan said:
Thanks all. I'll shoot some video with my IPhone. I just reviewed my log book on when the last time it was we flew together. It was Feb 1999 when he was visiting us out in So Cal. We flew from SZP up to SBA for lunch at the Elephant bar. On the return flight home he asked if I was working towards my commercial yet and asked to demonstrate some lazy 8's. I told him have at it, he slid the seat up, took the yoke and went right to it. Over the top the ball was centered as could be.

-MF
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Have fun. Make yer dad proud. The Elephant Bar is sadly gone. Our daughter took my wife there from WJF shortly after getting her ticket. A memorable flight for both. I was working so didn't make that one. I've been with up with her many times though, always a proud moment.
 
My only flight with my father was KFUL to KCMA in a 172. Was pretty cool. One of the few times he admitted I knew more about something than he did! I was 48 :)
 
my dad is 87... he started flying when I did back in the early '70s... He is also in failing health but still likes to go for a ride now and then... He can still keep the blue side on top....
 
My dad passed away right after I got my first flying job.

Enjoy the time you spend flying with your dad.
 
My dad is a retired airline/corporate pilot. 6 years ago he went with me on a trip to Tucson where we had several hours to kill and toured Pima. I found this picture on the internet of us clearing the runway, shows him in the right seat. He is in his mid 80's now and still fly's his Cessna 140.

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Congratulations, MooneyFan. Enjoy every moment. And maybe borrow a GoPro?

I got to take my Dad flying on his 80th birthday, while on vacation in Florida. It was also my first flight at sea level, having learned to fly at 5,500' in Colorado, and the first time I flew over water I couldn't swim across.

During taxi out, Dad looked up at saw some turkey vultures circling over the airport. He turned to me and said: "They look hungry, son. Let's not feed them today."

It was quite a feeling to share my passion for flying with him. He has no aviation background but it was good, even at our ages, to feel that father-son love. That was our only flight together - he died nine months later.
 
Zeldman said:
My dad passed away right after I got my first flying job.

Enjoy the time you spend flying with your dad.
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Yep. My dad passed in May at 94 and I regret never taking him flying. When I was a kid we would go to Atlanta airport and go to the end of the runway in College Park and watch the planes land.
 
I did my private checkride at KGVL, not far from where my father lived at the time. After I passed it, he came over and was my first passenger. That was good, because we didn't fly together much after that since we both wanted to be PIC.:confused: Great memories.
 
The day was epic. It started with the walk of course on the ramp. Our plane for the day was tied down just three spots down from the car. I turned around and Dad was stopped at a beautiful blue Cirrus. I went over and he asked 'what is this?" I told him about the plane and he was amazed that a fixed gear plane like that could cruise ~185kts. He was even more amazed it rented for $250 or so wet.

As we got him all set-up in the plane he commented on how you just can't beat the smell of a well worn airplane.

We departed to the south for the Cumberland river and as I climbed through 1500' I told him, Your airplane Dad, he said OK, grabbed the yoke and continued our climb up to 3500', I controlled the power for him as he was getting adjusted to the feel of flying again. Gentle S turns leading to a nice 30 degree 360 where he held altitude within 100'. He then asked if I was OK with him performing a departure stall which he did very well at. I dialed up Springfield TN on the Garmin and briefed him on how to NAV using the box. He put us on a 45 for the left downwind to Rwy 22. Turned us base and at that point I took over and we did a couple touch and goes then he flew us back to Tune. We followed with an awesome lunch at Arnold's, a renown Meat and Three on 8th Ave in Nashville.

The flight was like old times.

-MF

Dad-1.jpg
 
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Just fantastic...
 
That's fantastic.. I never got to take my grandpa who got me interested in aviation flying. By the time I got my cert, he was in too poor of health to get in/out of the airplane. My mom and stepdad OTOH, love to fly with me and do so every chance they get
 
Wonder how many of us are here because few if any meatspace people will talk / fly with us. Me, for one.
 
Mistake Not... said:
Wonder how many of us are here because few if any meatspace people will talk / fly with us. Me, for one.
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Not sure what a meatspace people is..... :lol:

I had a great uncle that was in the AAF in the mid to late 30s.

He had been out of the military for a few years when WW II started. He volunteered to fly again, but was told he was too old. He would have been 41 or 42 at the time. After about 6 months or so he went in as an instructor and spent the war in training command. My mom tells me of the time he landed a plane on the dirt road in front of the house for a visit. All she remembers is it had two tails.... I am thinking B-25 or B-24, probably the 25. After the war he contracted to bring planes back to the US. On one trip between Hawaii and California, he reported his position to a directional finder ship, but never reported in to the next one in line. The plane was never found.

That is the only relative I have found in the family that was a pilot.
 
sferguson524 said:
That's fantastic.. I never got to take my grandpa who got me interested in aviation flying. By the time I got my cert, he was in too poor of health to get in/out of the airplane. My mom and stepdad OTOH, love to fly with me and do so every chance they get
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Sorry that you never got the chance...My grandpa retired from the Air Force, he flew everything up to the C5. He's 78 now, and hasn't flown since he retired. He has always wanted to have a personal helicopter but his wife(my grandma) never let him. He was/is a major motivation for me getting my PPL. I'm scheduled to take him up Nov. 11 for a fly in, this will be both my first time flying with him and my first passenger.:)
 
Zeldman said:
Not sure what a meatspace people is......
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Code: 
noun
informal
noun: meatspace; noun: meat-space

the physical world, as opposed to cyberspace or a virtual environment.
"I'd like to know a little more before we talk about a get-together in meatspace"

Why it's called "meat" space should be obvious. :)
 
Matthew K said:
Sorry that you never got the chance...My grandpa retired from the Air Force, he flew everything up to the C5. He's 78 now, and hasn't flown since he retired. He has always wanted to have a personal helicopter but his wife(my grandma) never let him. He was/is a major motivation for me getting my PPL. I'm scheduled to take him up Nov. 11 for a fly in, this will be both my first time flying with him and my first passenger.:)
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Thank you, he and I built a TON of R/C planes, and he had pics of me at CRQ in the late 70s sitting on the tire of a P-40. I think i was 3 or so. That's super cool that he'll be your first pax.
 
Mistake Not... said:
Code: 
noun
informal
noun: meatspace; noun: meat-space

the physical world, as opposed to cyberspace or a virtual environment.
"I'd like to know a little more before we talk about a get-together in meatspace"

Why it's called "meat" space should be obvious. :)
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I didn't know either Zeldman...:(
 
Mistake Not... said:
Code: 
noun
informal
noun: meatspace; noun: meat-space

the physical world, as opposed to cyberspace or a virtual environment.
"I'd like to know a little more before we talk about a get-together in meatspace"

Why it's called "meat" space should be obvious. :)
Click to expand...

First time I've ever heard that one. But I get it. lol.
 
That's awesome. I got to take my Dad on one flight and I'll never forget it.
 
BigBadLou said:
Same here, first time. And it is funny too.
Wouldn't it me more logical to use "flesh-space"? Though I do see how it could be a little cumbersome.
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I dunno. Fleshspace sounds vaguely pornographic. Y'all need to read the classics.
 
I know this thread is 3 years old now but I wanted to post closure. The last 3 years were challenging for who I consider to be the best Pitch & Power - Stick & Rudder pilot I've ever flown with. Now no more. My dad flew his final departure Friday (I bet it was in the C-45 or the C-310 he loved) with a clearance I hope to receive when the route has been determined. Headed to church a little earlier this morning.

#RIP Dad.


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Dad.jpg
 
My condolences. I lost my mother in July. She never wanted to fly with me and flew commercial three times her whole life and she didn't like that either. I'm glad I was able to be there when she died.
 
When I saw this thread I didn't realize it was old....

Then, it came to a sad ending... But, I'm so glad you got to take him up that time...

He's doing lazy 8s whenever he wants now... No altitude variations, unless he wants 'em, loops, spins, stalls and dives... And no GPH/fuel limits to worry about...

Good job pilots!
 
Sounds like you both soaked up all you could on this earth. Thanks for sharing special moments with us.
 
I hadn't seen this thread before your update. You wrote beautifully about your father, and obviously loved and honored him. Thank you for sharing your joys together and the sorrow of his passing to next flight level. Blessings on you both.
 
Here's to you and your dad. I'm glad you were able to share so much together.
My dad taught me to fly and I'm fortunate that he's still around to fly with me. Although I value every single chance I get to fly with him, this thread reminds me to do better. Thanks for sharing.
 
Sorry for your loss. One thing I regret is that I never was able to take my daddy flying.
 
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