I have always loved being a pilot. When we moved to West Plains eleven years ago, I lost access to an airplane, and it hadn’t been a priority to purchase one. In January of 2018, flying was one of those things in my life that I used to do, but I didn’t see anywhere on the horizon where it would be a major part of my life again….. boy was I wrong.
We heard that a new flying club was starting up, and that a share was available, so my wife really encouraging that we should join the club and get me current again. We got the airplane airworthy in March, and I started working with an instructor, who became a good friend, to knock off the rust and get me current.
By April I was current, and Erica and I started looking for flying adventures. A few of the trips we have made include:
- Fort Smith, AR – Steampunk Festival
- Little Rock – Def Lepard concert
- St. Louis – Multiple trips for family, work and to visit the zoo
- Eureka Springs for an afternoon getaway
Later, I was able to finally complete my instrument rating, something I had wanted to achieve ever since I completed my private pilot license.
In the roughly 9 months, I have been back into flying, I have logged just shy of 80 hours. 5 hours in complex airplanes, 1.7 in a high performance airplane, and 3 hours in a twin airplane.
In the next year, I plan to complete my Commercial certificate, as well as flight instructor ratings… and maybe even get all the way to Instrument instructor. I think I may be able to add some tailwheel time, acrobatic time, and perhaps even a
The Ozark Aviators flying club has been a huge blessing to me, helping to awaken an excitement in me that I thought had died. I have made new friends, shared new experiences, and had an overall wonderful time being a part of the club. Good things are coming for our club as we seek some new ways to expand access to aircraft in our area and continue the growth of aviation in our little corner of the world.
