The Best Moments

[Fly_Chick]

Too many to mention, yet I will agree this post does bring back wonderful memories and the whole reason I fly, for the love of flying.

When I was a commercial student on my long 300 miles xctry at night, a friend of mine called me on sequential... I text messaged him earlier with my n-number, told him where & when I would be flying. I felt like I was on top of the world when, while monitoring sequential, he called me by my n-number, asked me my position: left seat, 60 south of Valdosta, 2500'. His position: left seat, 75 miles east of JAX, FL 340. Me - 0 pax, him - 200 pax. He told me to standby, then came back with the current and forecasted wx for my route of flight. We chatted a bit and wished each other good flights.

Looking back, I knew next to nothing, and that simple gesture, that bit of confidence in my little cessna to be talking to an airline captain, both of us on cross-countries, each of us in the same boat at one time, gave me the biggest boost of confidence, the excitement of flying towards my dream...

 

[Vector4fun]

Some that come to mind:

My first solo

My first time at the controls of a jet. (T-39 for 45 min.)

Puttering along on a summer evening at around 1500' in a DH Beaver with the windows down and elbows out, like it was a '56 Chevy.

My first lessons in a Cub.

Flying the Starduster Too I helped Dad build.

 

[Mysteryofflight]

Great post!! I almost find myself sitting in your airplanes when I read your replies, It definately reminds me why I got into this. Here goes....

Of course first solo and private are unforgettable, but as I look upon the last 11 years of my flying so far.....

Formation aerobatics in the backseat of an Aeroshell T-6 at Oshkosh.

CLG 200' Vis 2400RVR @ SAT and shooting the ILS down to mins perfectly.

Picking up my 1st airplane from North Las Vegas, and the trip to Houston. Mountain wave turb, and running the right aux dry @ 11,500.

Giving a BFR in an Extra300.

Soloing my Dad.

First failure of any type, ( mine was alternator in IMC ), with the pax none the wiser and all the training paid off.

Thanks alot for the memories.

 

[CUEBOAT]

-first solo.

-first time flying/landing(same flight and the landing wasn't pretty) a jet.

-various sunsets.

-XC from Florida to NYC,with a student/really good friend(same person) in a light twin.

-earning the CFI.

-engine failure in a duchess, bringing her in feathered, with a bunch of airplanes holding short watching.

 

[VNugget]

Well, time to add one to the list...

Remember the Waco?

... well this weekend I got to start it and taxi it around!!! I know it doesn't sound like much, but it was mindblowingly cool for me.

 

[Geronimo4497]

#1 - Every single minute flying a Champ.

#2 - Logging my first hour of PIC turbine time.

#3 - The day-dream of getting my seaplane rating !

Great Thread

I give it 2 "bumps" up.......

 

[sky37d]

I really enjoy this thread.
In no particular sequence.

My first trip to TEB, coming out of the clouds at night, NYC straight ahead.

The day after my Instrument check ride, headed for MIA with my wife. We landed at BNA, out of the clouds at 400 AGL, runway straight ahead. She loved it.

The stupid one we don't talk about. (you know the one. Many people have one)

Getting loaned a Mag so we could get home, the day after we got married.

Spending fathers day, last year, flying formation to a pancake breakfast, with other folks who own the same kind of plane I do, 4 of us, all tight in formation. 1100 AGL, 185 on the clock. Thundering along (8 engines as one). It's so challenging, and so rewarding.

 

[Goose Egg]

Despite all the negatives we are bombarded with from people sometimes...some of the most awesome places are accessible only by traveling a winding, bumpy road...

That's the truth!

Some of my cool moments:

-Getting the CFII (long story)
-Catching my first real thermal
-Getting my first flying job
-Getting a free hour in a full motion 737 sim
-Every approach I get to do in actual
-Almost all night flying

-Goose

 

[Hovernut]

Great thread!!

Soloing at Sanford, FL when I was based in Orlando with the Navy...my instructor was a Vietnam POW who got shot down in his F-4; what an incredible fellow!

Giving my Dad a flight over NASA's VAB and shuttle landing strip (pre 9/11)

My FAM flight on the CRJ in RDU at night

My 1st time landing the CRJ at my home airport, STL, on 12R over the old gravel lot on Lindbergh where my mom took me as a kid to watch TWA in its heyday, McDonnell-Douglas test the F-15, and the MO ANG do their afterburner t/o's on their F-100s. My only regret was that TWA wasn't around anymore and Concourses C & D were ghost towns...causing my beloved Pasta House restaurant to pull out of the airport!

My 1st LIE viz to LGA, and River Viz to DCA!

 

[slacker]

-My first lesson at the age of 14 and the pride I had when the instructor told my father I was a natural.

-My first solo

-My first solo in the mighty tweet and my first formation flight.

-My first flight after Aircraft Commander Upgrade. It was the first time I signed for the plane. We had an emergency immediately after take-off. Everyone on the crew looked at me for the answer. My first landing was an engine-out, it’s good to get the first one over with.

- Having a friend I haven’t seen in years find me at an air show showing the airplane I just flew in.

- Watching children watching you, and remembering your own dream of flying. It makes you remember how blessed you are to live it.

- Flying the Senate Majority Leader and 3 other senators out of a combat zone.

- Having 85 Army guys and girls cheer when you take off out of Baghdad for their first leg of their trip home after 13 months in Iraq.

- Landing at home station after a trip to the sandbox and having Mom, Dad, Wife and Kids all waving flags and holding signs with tears in their eyes. That was a great feeling.