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As a child I often dreamed of flying, both literally and figuratively. Images of floating through the air with my arms extended were mixed with images of me at the controls of an imagined supersonic aircraft. On reaching my teen years I continued to be fascinated by aviation - often going to JFK Airport in Queens NY City to stand on the observation decks and watch the planes. A cousin took flying lessons and got his license. But, there just wasn't the parental permission, or time, or cash, for me to learn to fly. Then I was off to college and graduate school and 6 years of teaching (no money!) and then a switch to Medical Physics. My new profession was overwhelming and then just very very busy. And then...
In about October of 1998 a pilot friend and professional colleague, Larry Reinstein, talked (and talked :-) enough about flying to start regenerating my interest. At that time he owned half of a 1979 Grumman Tiger N28622 (but wouldn't say which half). Additionally, Rick Crownover, a colleague within my department, was taking flying lessons and describing them to me. My inertia was almost overcome. Finally my excuse of not enough money, or time, at the same time was breaking down. Then Pamela, my ever subtle wife, cinched it by saying to me "at your age you're running out of time." So, thanks to Larry and Rick and their unbridled enthusiasm, and Pamela's "supportive" comment, I would get started in the spring...
There's an unhappy postscript to the above. Pamela was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in February 2001. She insisted that we continue to live as normally as possible and she very much supported my flying. We even travelled a bit in my plane. Further, she encouraged me to get my instrument rating so that we might travel even more before she became too ill to travel at all. Pamela succumbed to her illness in February 2002. Her life, and our lives together, are celebrated at Pamela's pages.
Photo by Larry's unnamed graduate student.