I appreciated the reminder of so many of the points made by Budd Davisson (see “Heads Up!” December 2009 AOPA Flight Training). May I offer another? It won’t always be possible, but if low enough and if the sun is present at the right angle, look for your shadow or have passengers check it on their side. Check it once in a while, especially in the pattern and you will find a potential conflict much more obvious than scanning alone. When you see another shadow converging you will know exactly where the danger is.
Gary Lacher
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Learning from a distance
In my consulting work, I am often asked about suitable schools for adult learners wanting to return to school to pursue and/or to complete their undergraduate degrees or a graduate degree. I have several references that I use for that purpose including several commercially available college guides, a list of distance learning programs that I have compiled and maintain and update myself, and the annual directory issue published in December in AOPA Flight Training.
I was disappointed that the new 2010 directory deleted the distance learning column. With aviation being a mobile profession, most of the people I speak with concerning educational opportunities are interested in a program with at least a significant distance learning component. The distance learning column made it easier for those people to identify schools with programs that are appropriate for their needs.
Dr. C. Hall “Skip” Jones
Polk City, Florida
Never too old
Ralph Hood really hit on something in his recent article (see “Professionally Speaking: Retreads,” December 2009 AOPA Flight Training). I’m a “retread,” in that I retired from the army in 1988 after more than 20 years as a military pilot, and had never received an FAA rating of any kind. After 20-plus years in the civilian world (15 years with McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing and eight years as business owner in Huntsville, Alabama), I got my private ticket, built a Glasair Sportsman 2+2, and now my wife Lynn and I are having the time of our lives!
Hood’s article, coupled with the grand time that Lynn and I are having, have inspired me to start a push to get some of my retread brothers back in the cockpit. Hood’s right—many of us can really afford the bucks, all of us have the time, and we certainly have the fundamentals thanks to our military training.
Tom Rains
Huntsville, Alabama
Just wanted to say that I enjoyed Ralph Hood’s article about the bucket list and the market in aviation for retreads. I’m 68 and just got my private pilot certificate with a very good instructor who, I believe, didn’t fly himself until he had retired. Having someone of my approximate age (he will deny this of course!) made my training and instruction much easier. During my planning for my first cross-country, a Cessna landed outside and a guy who said he was “over 70” came in to get a signature for his first cross-country. It seems there are a lot of bucket list prospects out there, perhaps a resource that could be tapped?
Tom Tomlinson
Birmingham, Alabama
Ralph Hood’s story in AOPA Flight Training magazine hit home with me; I enjoyed the read because it was a near description of my own desire to get back into flying after a 65-year gap in my Army Air Corps logbook. The secret in an old guy getting a license to fly an airplane is the instructor. I had a hard time finding one that would deal with an old guy, but I found Jimmy Carter in Ramona, California. He had the patience to deal with me, and get me through the ordeal. It was a very satisfying experience.
Tom Bevers
Ramona, California
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