I haven't been flying in quite a while but this brings back some great memories. Most of my flying was in open cockpit homebuilt tail draggers ("Experimental" not ultralight) with no radios (heck, not even an electrical system. Hand started 'em). Got into it with my dad when I was in Jr. High. Lots of fun. He took it to Oshkosh one year. He wasn't that familiar with the area so he asked if I wanted to fly it out. I jumped at the chance! No radio departures were interesting... First a briefing for all the pilots for no radio departures, then just get in line. When you get waved onto the runway just line it up and go as quickly as possible. Then fly straight out until you are clear of the area.
I did my student flying in Cessnas mostly off military bases since I was in the Navy at the time. Interesting mixing in with the big boys. They had priority of course but I don't remember it being an issue as most of the times I remember the traffic was pretty light. We wouldn't shoot landings there - just get out and go to some smaller airport for that. In the Philippines we would do our cross countries to another military base or shoot landings at a grass field in the middle of nowhere - had to keep an eye out for people and animals on the runway there. The bases aren't there now...
Grew up in Oregon. The antique aircraft group there had an "air tour" in the summers. People would fly their planes from little town to little town kind of like in the olden days of barnstormers and camp at the airports. Lived and breathed airplanes for the week. What a blast!
Sold off the the last of the plane stuff a number of years ago. Just a matter of too many fun, interesting things to do and making a living, etc. Also easy to get TOO engrossed in avaition - try to avoid AIDS (Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome) B)
There is even a picture of dad's plane on the net from when we were going to fly ins and camping out:
http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/AmateurBuilt/Apac1.htm
Interesting to note that I had NOTHING to do with this picture.
There is a picture of my old plane (Bowers Flybaby) somewhere out there too but can't find it at the moment...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowers_Fly_Baby
I did my student flying in Cessnas mostly off military bases since I was in the Navy at the time. Interesting mixing in with the big boys. They had priority of course but I don't remember it being an issue as most of the times I remember the traffic was pretty light. We wouldn't shoot landings there - just get out and go to some smaller airport for that. In the Philippines we would do our cross countries to another military base or shoot landings at a grass field in the middle of nowhere - had to keep an eye out for people and animals on the runway there. The bases aren't there now...
Grew up in Oregon. The antique aircraft group there had an "air tour" in the summers. People would fly their planes from little town to little town kind of like in the olden days of barnstormers and camp at the airports. Lived and breathed airplanes for the week. What a blast!
Sold off the the last of the plane stuff a number of years ago. Just a matter of too many fun, interesting things to do and making a living, etc. Also easy to get TOO engrossed in avaition - try to avoid AIDS (Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome) B)
There is even a picture of dad's plane on the net from when we were going to fly ins and camping out:
http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/AmateurBuilt/Apac1.htm
Interesting to note that I had NOTHING to do with this picture.
There is a picture of my old plane (Bowers Flybaby) somewhere out there too but can't find it at the moment...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowers_Fly_Baby
