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Musings from an airport fence: “Wow, sure wish I could do that,” and “Wow, sure glad I did.” (Image generated by Greg Anderson with Open AI Chat GPT).
Ask any aviator what childhood experiences got them interested in flying. Or ask them to tell you about their very first flight in an airplane. Then watch as they rewind their minds. Their eyes grow distant, their voice softens, and a smile slowly spreads across their face.
Yes, peel back the layers of any pilot—even the crusty ones—and you’ll find a kid at heart. Even the crankiest old codger will let you into an inner sanctum of flying flashbacks that resonate with the simple pleasures of youthful curiosity and wonder.
You may hear about dreams. Flying with birds. Sitting on clouds. The Little Prince. Peter Pan. For me: flying carpets.
You may hear about things they made—airplane models, balsa and plastic. Kites. Balloons. Rubber band-powered gliders. Water-propelled rockets. For me, it was Revell plastic models.
You may hear about heroes. Buck Rogers. Sky King. A parent or grandparent. Military pilots. Astronauts. For me, it was Superman.
And you will hear about experiences. Running outside at the sound of an airplane overhead, or peering through an airport fence to watch landings and takeoffs. Airshows. Movies. Reading books and magazines. I vividly remember running off Grandma’s picnic table with my arms outstretched like Superman, and with her kitchen curtains tied around my neck, flowing behind me like his cape.
Some memories will be serious, some humorous, some both. Jack Swigert’s sister told me her future Apollo astronaut brother jumped from his garage roof holding an umbrella—only to sprain an ankle!
Memories of first flights will include astonishing detail. That first transition—from wheels to wings—is a sensory overload, an oh-my-gosh experience. Most will remember where, when, and what type airplane. Sights, sounds, even smells. And, of course, special thoughts are reserved for the pilot who gave them their first flight.
For those of us who decided to follow first flights with goals to become pilots, we can all attest the journey into a life of flying is both challenging and rewarding. We wouldn’t really want something so special any other way. The privilege of doing what so many have only dreamed should only be earned with dedicated effort.
There is a fascinating parallel between life in the air and life itself. We take baby steps before we walk and run. There was the sidewalk that took us from toddling down the block to pedaling four wheels, then three, then two. There was the road that allowed us to ride bikes and cars across town to the airport. And finally, there was the runway that allowed us to soar gloriously over them all.
In the same way, we pilots probably started in Piper Cubs, Cessna 150s, and other simple airplanes that gave us our first flights. Soon enough, it was time for another memory to burn into our brains—our first solo. Hoo boy—that gulp right after the instructor slapped our back and stepped out of the airplane. The next few minutes became a lifetime memory. And then a never-better handshake welcomed us back to the world of mere mortals. But now we had fledgling wings to complete training and join the rarified ranks of licensed pilots.
Almost magically, with a pilot license, a new dimension was open, one that gave us new adventures with new perspectives. As in life, we grew in experience—becoming safer, more confident—and just as we longed for faster cars, we sought faster, farther-reaching aircraft. Additional ratings, complex aircraft with more engines, greater performance, advanced technologies. Some of us found careers in flying, while others flew for recreation, efficient travel, or to scratch an itch for challenge and achievement. We reveled in the freedom to get away from an earthbound existence that didn’t quite satisfy our yearning to see the world in new ways.
A jet airplane like a KC-135 Stratotanker will fly you high, fast and far to see across continents and oceans. (Altus Air Force Base Military File Photo).
So what was your story from dreamer to doer? For me, it was a path graced by many others who supported me through the Air Force Academy, where the progression from a Cessna 172 (military T-41) led through Air Force jet trainers and onward to KC-135s. Tankers took me as far east as Turkey and west as Thailand. My post–Air Force career kept me around airplanes with the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh and Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver.
I have found that two things stay with you in a life of flying. First, in whatever type of flying we do, there is that rock-solid community of kindred souls who encourage and inspire high standards for flying and life in general. Whether a military squadron, career colleagues, or airport breakfast bunch, they are the greatest people in the world—the wind beneath your wings.
Second, amazingly, the kid inside of you that turned flying dreams into flying experiences never goes away. Make no mistake, we deal with time and cost constraints of an adult world that puts other responsibilities right up there or ahead of flying. But given the opportunity, the kid inside us often leads us back to the airport. He or she still exults with the euphoria of takeoff and the thrill of seeing the world from an eagle’s perspective. And most of us would agree—when we touch back down on terra firma, the kid inside us is as grateful for the gift of flight today as for that first one many years ago.
Now 75 years old, I continue to experience the parallel pattern between flying and life. As we age gracefully, the arc of our lives slowly bends back—back toward simple pleasures, even magnifying what we once took for granted. A good friend. A warm handshake. A good cup of coffee. Sunrise and sunset. Everyday experiences take on new meaning. We appreciate the world around us in ways the kid inside of us sees it.
That same special pleasure shows up in our flying, too. Instead of flying higher, faster, and farther, we can find joy in lower, slower, and closer-to-home experiences. For me, after the Air Force, I owned a PA-12 Super Cruiser for some thirty years. It faithfully flew me around the country, adding memories that are every bit as rich as globe-girdling military flights. Not better, not worse—just different, and special.
I hated to part with the Super Cruiser, but in 2019, I embraced retirement with a Lockwood Air Cam. It will be my last airplane, and it may well be my favorite. A super-safe, open-cockpit, twin-pusher taildragger that cruises around 75 mph. I fly it around our summer home in northern Wisconsin. Instead of an overseas rendezvous with Air Force fighters, or a private cross-country flight for the holidays, these days I think about which wild river to follow, what remote lake to explore, and which grass strip to conquer. Simple pleasures like scouting a fishing spot, checking out a grouse trail, flying beside a gaggle of geese—and, of course, a cold beer after a good flight.
A simple airplane like a Lockwood Air Cam will show you the forest AND the trees, and the wonders of a flight lower, slower and closer to home. (Photo by Greg Anderson) .
Wisdom from our senior years comes with careful discernment of risk and reward. One day, we will make the decision to part with our airplanes and enjoy roadways and sidewalks again. But we have been blessed, because we will enjoy them with memories of a life well-lived.
Here’s a piece of wisdom to make our remaining years even more fulfilling: complete the cycle. Encourage young people to put wings on their dreams, just as someone once helped you.
Listen to the kid inside you. Rewind your mind and feel the euphoria all over again.
And it’s OK to let your eyes grow misty, your words trail off… the smile spreading slowly across your face will make people wonder what you are up to.
The kid inside us can put wings on another kid’s dreams through programs like EAA’s Young Eagles program. (Photo by Greg Anderson).
- The Cycle of Flying Life - August 25, 2025
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