Like most people, it started early. My father was in the Air Force, working on Lockheed Constellations. When I was little he would often take us to airshows around RI and MA. One strong memory I have is being completely blown away by the performances of Art Scholl.

This was well before the age of finding celebrities on social networks, actually it was before the internet, even before I had my first 300 baud modem. But I really wanted to write a note to Art thanking him for an amazing show, and maybe even get a cool picture or something. So Dad got out the magnifying glass and started inspecting the airshow program and the writing on the Pennzoil Super Chipmunk. I’m not quite sure how it all came together but he somehow found enough information to send a letter off. Sometime later I received an autographed 8×10 photo of Art and the Chipmunk in action. I thought I still had it around somewhere but haven’t found it yet. It really would be awesome if it was still hiding somewhere after about 30 years.

Now jump to November 2012. My wife surprised me with a discovery flight at KHFD for my birthday. After about 5 minutes on the simulator (all those MS Flight Simulator hours as a kid helped), we warmed up a 1978 Piper Tomahawk II and squeezed in. The flight was pretty short but I was definitely hooked and ready to sign up for lessons.

Immediately I picked up Rod Machado’s Private Pilot Handbook to start learning anything I could while I did research into flight schools and the process. I got through most of the book by the time I started lessons at Premier Flight Center at KHFD. My first flight was August 11, 2013.

Stay tuned for progress and tips from ground school and flight lessons.

Never heard of Art Scholl? Here’s some videos I found.