I just had an amazing flying experience, and I never left the ground. I have to share it with my flying friends, and ask you to forward it as you see fit.
I was at my flying club, waiting for a student, and chatting with the staff. Two men were talking with the front desk about learning to fly, and the younger (the son, probably about 55 years old) asked if was okay to just fly enough to solo once. I interjected that it is, and that some students want to fly just once, let alone solo. I never pressure my clients to go further or faster than they are able or interested. We chatted some more, and he said offhand, that his father (standing next to him) was a pilot, and what would it take to renew his certificate? Were there any age limits? I said no, as long as it was not ATP commercial he would be fine. There are some older licenses that are no longer valid (like ones with horsepower ratings) but that was a solvable detail.
It was then that he mentioned he had flown B17s in WII, and that he had trained in a BT13.
I have a soft spot for heroes, known or unknown. So the conversation went from me pitching my craft to get a new client, to Richard as escort.
I told him that a friend of a friend owns a BT13, and it's often parked here at the airport. I wasn't sure if it was here today, but we could go take a look. As we left the building I thanked the father for his service (because we can never be too grateful for their sacrifice, and we don't have many opportunities left to thank this generation in person).
As we started out the son asked if I knew much about WWII aircraft and stories, and I said I knew my share. He then told me that his father was flying a B17 on the Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweinfur ... rg_mission). Wow. I went from being host to being honor guard.
Enroute we walked past the T34 and I said that I had just checked out in it, and could not wait for my first students to take it on - it is such a remarkable machine. And it had characteristics similar to the early Navy jets. Interesting, but "too new" for him. We then borrowed a club golf cart for the trip out to the flight line, and my heart sang to see that the BT13 was proudly in its spot.
For those who don't know this airplane, it was a popular trainer for airmen preparing for fighter and bomber assignments. It is a big airplane, and in brushed aluminum it simply glows. More info at
http://www.warbirdalley.com/bt13.htm.
As we approached the father's demeanour changed (his name is Mario) and he got reverential. He had tears in his eyes as he touched the airplane, and I could see 65 years disappear in a moment. He was no longer "grandpa Mario", he was "cadet Mario". His son grasped the moment as well, seeing for the first time the mount that taught his father how to fly safely enough to complete 25 B17 missions and come home to start his family. I simply stood and choked up watching a reunion between three gentle souls. And a deepening bond between father and son.
Inanimate machine? Well cared-for warbird? No, today this Vultee Valiant was on one of her most important missions ever - as an aluminum angel answering a humble prayer of thanks from an old friend.
I took their picture together with the airplane to preserve something so very special, that I was privileged to be a tiny part of. If you've seen the look in the eyes of the older man at the start of "Saving Private Ryan" you'll know exactly what I saw in Mario. I am so so so glad that my student cancelled, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time.