[f-AA] annuals and love of flying

[Al]

Scott,

As your new HERO and ROLE MODEL (GRIN)...
A good wife is not "almost" a necessity it is mandatory thing. I've seen too 
many
of my friends end up single over these winged wonders...
My wife and I had pretty much the same talk, her first ride in a 172 was 
while we
were in Spain for 30 days (Air Force) it cost me plane rental and a sewing 
machine...
She was looking through a stack of Sport Aviation's and came to Doug 
Creech's D-145
Monocoupe and said this was the plane she wanted...I BOUGHT RINGS THE NEXT 
DAY.

We got the engines for out Coups several months ago. She refused to let me 
put a Lycoming in it.

I can relate first hand to the age thing. Think about a 13 year old going to 
EAA meetings, now inject
that kid proclaiming that he wants to build a Gee Bee Sportster... I'm not 
sure how to handle most kids these
days. We had a talk this week at work, when I was in High School your car 
was the ultimate, you babied
it, spent every cent you could on it and you were PROUD of it. (I had a 
stock 68 VW, it got me to the airport...)
 Now most of the kids cars are beat to crap and they just don't care about 
anything. Sure there are exceptions
but today it seems too many are lazy and self centered. I think back to when 
I was in HS and before, it drove my
mother crazy, I could remember the wing span and empty weight of a plane I 
read about a year ago but I couldn't
conjugate a verb. She came home after work one day very upset and told me 
that she would never again give me
a hard time about my airplanes. Her best friend at work son OD the night 
before and she told my mom
"at least Al has a hobby that he loves".

I'm getting a couple of the guys in the shop that have the desire that it 
takes to dedicate themselves to the ways of the
old birds and I think they will do great once they get over the apprehension 
they have. None of us were born doing
this stuff, it was acquired through time and practice, some do take to it 
better than others... My biggest problem is it's
hard to teach using a customers plane.

Role Model... I guess I was one for a friends son, he would come down and 
watch me work every now and again and
once I felt comfortable with my J5 I gave him a ride. He is a Navy F-18 
pilot now and while he never told me he did tell
his mother that it was that ride that lead he down the path he is on now. I 
smile venry time I think of that...

I have a 13 month old Grandaughter she is getting her first headset this 
Christmas. She already has three planes...

I'm certainly no Hero, Just a guy following his dream.

Later,
Al


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Johnson" <n2064e at provide.net>
To: <aeronca at westmont.edu>
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 8:22 AM
Subject: Re: [f-AA] annuals and love of flying


> AL,
>
> I don't use the word hero very often......you may be my new role model<G>.
> 2points from this:
>
> 1.  A good wife is almost a necessity to making this work.  One of the
> things I made clear to my wife before we were married, was that we would
> have an airplane before a house.  She did not flinch, and we had a flyer 
> and
> a project before the house.
>
> 2.  The words that should concern us all in your letter is "I am the only
> old plane guy in our shop".  This should be a huge alarm bell with these
> aircraft.  I see no reason why they could not fly for another 75 years and
> counting, but is there anyone who will work on them?
>
> I am 37 and I run into the opposite problem which is "are you sure you 
> wanna
> let that kid work on your airplane."  Luckily word of mouth keeps me too
> busy.  To keep a younger crowd into this, we are going to have to give 
> them
> an opportunity.  I taught my friends 15 year old the correct way to prop a
> Champ a few weeks ago.  You should have seen him try to hide his grin when
> she started.  An event that he will hopefully not soon forget.
>
> I try to involve anyone with an interest when doing fabric, or really
> anything with our style of airplane.  Even if it means the work will take 
> a
> bit longer.  Hopefully this will payoff in the long run.
>
> Our new Daughter should be cleared for the approach in December and
> hopefully she will have an interest in aviation.  The 17th actually, 
> Wright
> Brothers day.  I am already negotiating with wife and doctor to cut the 
> cord
> with pinking shears.
>
> Scott
>
> p.s. Here is the teaser since we are not telling the name.  Her first name
> is 5 letters, starting with a vowel.  The nickname for her first name when
> combined with her middle name is an aviation reference.  Free jar of honey
> if anyone guesses correctly.
>
> sj