Never Take Your View For Granted

That looks like some smooth air! Everytime I see that terrain my PA-28 gets rattled. Either way gotta love everyday up there. My favorite part (and still is to this day) is the ATC. I just always feel like we're one big family whether it's flight training, airlines, or the weekend warriors. :)
 
A Life Aloft said:
There may unexpectedly come a day when you no longer have one.
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This is something my non-pilot friends have a hard time understanding. It's also something that, when the opportunity to resume my training came about, I was seriously considering not taking it. Then a conversation with a friend who "got it" (she's as passionate about law enforcement as I am about flying) provided the push I needed.

I remember my last flight before the money ran out. Had I known then, I would've taken the 172 up for one more trip around the pattern so my last landing wouldn't have evolved bouncing down the runway.

That video is fantastic. Shocking to see a 1900D with GPS. Apparently it's operated by Maverick.
 
The day I failed my medical and was told my vision was deteriorating at a rate that I'd likely be denied for a SI (and later confirmed by 2 different eye docs) was like a punch in the gut. It's been a few years since i got the diagnosis and I've pretty much made peace with it. Like someone else said...it can all be gone in an instant.


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Take time and enjoy the sound of every click into your five point harness.

I'm three months into short term disability with a very severe case of Lyme disease. Feb 1 is judgement day, either make it back to work or "transition" to long term disability.

I was very healthy prior to this and within a period of six days became overwhelmed with disabling neuro symptoms.

Don't ever take this for granted, and have a plan B. One minute your enjoying Paris, the next you wouldn't put yourself behind the wheel of a car, let alone an airplane.
 
MikeOH58 said:
Take time and enjoy the sound of every click into your five point harness.

I'm three months into short term disability with a very severe case of Lyme disease. Feb 1 is judgement day, either make it back to work or "transition" to long term disability.

I was very healthy prior to this and within a period of six days became overwhelmed with disabling neuro symptoms.

Don't ever take this for granted, and have a plan B. One minute your enjoying Paris, the next you wouldn't put yourself behind the wheel of a car, let alone an airplane.
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Oh fack... that sucks. :<

I'm sorry, man.

-Fox
 
azmedic said:
The day I failed my medical and was told my vision was deteriorating at a rate that I'd likely be denied for a SI (and later confirmed by 2 different eye docs) was like a punch in the gut. It's been a few years since i got the diagnosis and I've pretty much made peace with it. Like someone else said...it can all be gone in an instant.


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I am very sorry. It's a shock how quickly crap falls down the hill. But even in our shock, some depression, some insecurities, panic, being overwhelmed and feeling lost, we have to just keep plodding forward. At first it just seems like going through the motions because our feelings are just not aligning up with what lies ahead and what we need to do. But you just keep going, figure out and lay out a new plan, gather up the pieces of your life and start to put them back together again. Acceptance is the hardest thing to accomplish. When you do though, it gets a bit easier and the longer you move down the new path, try some other roads and get some time and distance in, it does get better. You still can have those f this moments but they become calmer over time. Like I said, it's good to have those here who understand and will be here for one another. Take advantage of it. :)
 
higney85 said:
Cannot agree more. I got a cancer diagnosis on the day I got my last medical in March. Not a fun situation. Beat the cancer and playing the paperwork game now, but what you posted is spot on. You never know what tomorrow will give you and if you don't live each day as it's last, you won't know what you lived. Some may say "whatever, not happening to me", but if/when it does, everything you longed for and enjoyed comes before your eyes. For me the worst case was losing my wife, but for #2, it was the fear of never flying again, never running a checklist, or landing after a day most would want a beer to cure. Sounds stupid, and I hope no one has to experience it, but it exists and far too many pilots will have to deal with it. Be humbled with what you get to do, with the understanding of one mistake or fateful doctor visit, it can all vanish.
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Sorry for your loss, much happier that you had a great love for many years.
 
A Life Aloft said:
I hope you heal and are able to return to work. But if you aren't, it's going to be a challenging transition, no denying that, but you can do it and you can find more meaning in other things. You will learn to cope. They'll be some changes, for sure, but you can manage and come to a better place. If you ever need to talk, pm me. I had a feeling that there were others out there facing these challenges, and at least it's a positive action to be able to share what has happened, what is going on and offer what advice, encouragement and understanding that we can for one another. You aren't alone.
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I really appreciate that. I'm keeping a positive outlook and still hopeful I can recover before the transition. I have three and a half months - thats about as long as i've been sick, and in the past two weeks I am starting to somewhat feel better. If I have to transition to LTD, as frightening as that would be, i'm so fortunate to work for a company that offers five years at 60%. I've been smart with my money and even at a reduced income there is no risk of losing the house, or being able to put groceries on the table.

In a way this has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. I'll eventually beat this, and it will have provided me with a whole bunch of experience and perspective that only those in our position could understand. This is the first time in over a decade that I have been home, in my own bed with my family for 100+ days straight! Traveling the world is great, I love every minute of it, but waking up next to my wife every single morning is even better!

Don't be naive into thinking it can't happen to you. Have a plan, and as crappy as it might get, as long as your still breathing it's not the WORST thing to ever happen to you =)
 
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Everyone has been moved. So have I.
When I was a 16 year old solo student, I watched the sunset over the top of a distant cloud deck. Then I dove down below the clouds and watched it again before landing at the home airport. Might be the most beautiful memory I have that doesn't involve another human. When I described it to my cajillion hour friend of my dad that was teaching me how to fly, he asked me a very good question. Would it have been better to have it all to yourself or have someone else there to share it? I said I don't know, and he said "exactly". I've been in love ever since.
Some of you know that my dad was a corporate pilot before I was born. Multiple Sclerosis grounded him, his first wife left him and he met my mom and had us kids. They bought a house next to a local airport and I grew up watching him look up to the sky every time an airplane went overhead. I now understand the pain I saw in his face behind the smile with every glance skyward. He never regretted anything and didn't have anger for the disease because it gave him two boys. But I never understood what he missed so much until long after he was gone.
I have never taken the view for granted and I think of him often.
Thank you for the post, I don't think I've ever put all those thoughts into one place.
 
MikeOH58 said:
I've been smart with my money and even at a reduced income there is no risk of losing the house, or being able to put groceries on the table.
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This is what worries me the most, especially with the first EKG coming up. I'm hoping that when I upgrade I can spend the first 2 years using the extra money, to put myself in the same situation should something come up.

On a lighter note, the one thing I won't miss about flying is being cramped in the middle seat, my flight kit at my feet because there is no overhead space. Trying to hold the pee in, so I don't have to ask the person sitting next to me, who would obviously have a difficult time getting up, next to me to move. My situation now.
 
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