The Old School
When I started flying, I learned in a Cesna 150. This is a LITTLE airplane. It flies low and slow, both qualities of a great trainer. My Instructor was an amazing person, crystal blue eyes with a twinkle that would warm your soul. Pilot, mentor and friend. I would love to just “hang out” or “hanger fly” with him just to hear his stories. He was a decorated WWII fighter pilot and was filled with tips, tricks and tales of days gone by. What a great time we had!
My aircraft, the Cesna 150 was as basic as they could come. It certainly couldn’t hold a candle to todays models with their glass cockpits. But, back then, the personal computer had not been invented yet. There was no such thing as the iPhone and Apple Computer was still just two guys (Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak) building and selling hobby computers (Apple II’s) from their garage!
I learned to fly with a paper map (remember those?) strapped to my leg. Cockpit instrumentation consisted of an Airspeed indicator, an Artificial Horizon, a Tachometer, an NDB receiver, a VOR receiver and a Turn and Bank Co-Ordinator. Communication was accomplished with a hand mike (no headsets yet) and a Transponder (the old 4096 type). Navigation was accomplished through “pilotage,” basically looking out the window or by tuning a VOR (VHF Omni Receiver) to a frequency and tracking a radial or more commonly by using an NDB (Non Directional beacon), which was basically an AM radio station. The instrument dial would point to the radio station tower.
My instructor was adamant about being ready for the unexpected. He would routinely place a small rubber circle over one or more of the instruments and say, “You just had an instrument failure, get us home.” When we would eventually land and taxi back to our tie down, I would pull the mixture knob out to shut the engine down and invariably he would say “Thank God we made it back, the engine just quit!”
When we were flying, he would tell me to open the window in the airplane and listen to the sound of the wind on the wing, or strut or through the propeller. Only when you could feel the aircraft in the wind, could you ever really have control over it.
We spent two wonderful summers flying together, talking and enjoying each others company.
Then, it all came to an abrupt halt. My wife and I purchased our first home, so flying would have to be postponed for a while.
I lost touch with instructor Phil after that, and I kick myself for allowing that to have happened. I’m sure that by now, he has gone West. Blue Skies my friend!
