Flight review - Dream achieved!
What started out way back on October 31st, 2000 has finally come true. That was the date of my first flight lesson with Joe Mulkins. It was that day that I really started to hope that my dream of flying to London, Ontario to see my family would come true.
One thing you must understand is that I LOVE aviation. My Grandmother lives beside the London airport and I remember with great detail falling in love with airplanes when visiting my Grandparents when I was young. I love the sight, sound (now at least) and yes even the smell of anything to do with aviation. It is in my blood and I shall forever be in love with it.
My relationship with aviation has been taxing at times. There was my first airshow which my Dad took me too. We left during the then Blue Angel’s equipped Douglas A-4 Skyhawk team show because of my screaming. I just could not bear the ‘agony’ of the noise!
Dan Pascoe, a renowned airliners.net photographer has this photo from the very same airshow weekend as the event mentioned above. You can view it by clicking on this link: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/305060/L/
During my Cub Scout days we were given the oppourtunity to fly over Niagara Falls for a winter experience that we’d never forget! Just imagine having the privilege of viewing this famous landmark from the air! I remember climbing aboard the Air Ontario Convair-580 and grabbing a window seat. We cruised over Niagara Falls and I was ‘wowed’ by the ice and steam at this wonder of nature. Perhaps it was the water or steam but I suddenly seemed to need some Coke, and a lot of it. Several glasses later I was filling bags left and right as we flew through turbulence on the approach back in to London. As we exited the plane I remember falling to my knees and kissing the asphalt of the tarmac thanking God for my return to earth.
Dan Pascoe has an excellent photograph of an Air Ontario CV-580 at airliners.net. You can view it here: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/231328/L/
On October 28th, 2004 I earned my private pilots’ license thanks to the help of some excellent instructors. Joe, Derek, Aaron, Kate and all the staff at OAS (Ottawa Aviation Services) are the best and I can’t thank them enough for all their coaxing, encouraging and endless patience during my lessons. I can only hope that they know just how much their teaching and my license means to me. My family, of course, is a huge support. Mom, Dad, Karen and Nanny (my Grandmother), from afar, have supported me financially and emotionally in ways they will never know. Last but definitely not least… Katie, my always patient girlfriend, was a HUGE help in my flight test and written exam studies. We started dating on July 5th, 2003 and I don’t think she had any idea what she was getting herself into!! She’s my best co-pilot, my best friend and most importantly she completes me. I didn’t know my potential before I met her and now I know I’ve only just begun!
So what do you do to celebrate all of this? Why, achieve your dream of course! Katie and I started planning our big trip months ago and used my Dad’s birthday as a great reason to do the flight. We have a couple of other things on the go right now too… we’re helping coordinate an amazing Bell Festival which will be held in Ottawa in late May and we’re getting ready for a big trip to Scotland and Europe in early June. To say that we’re busy and financially stretched would be an understatement! I told her at least a few times that we better save our money and rent a car but she insisted that we do this. Dreams should come true after all!
The weekend was absolutely beautiful. The temperatures were very warm and the skies clear. I think other factors were coming into play! The day before the flight I was very anxious to go but a bit nervous as well. I had never flown through Toronto airspace so I didn’t know what to expect. I made the decision to GO bright and early on Saturday morning. My flight planning was done and re-checked a few times. We decided on going the ‘south route’ along the Lake Ontario shoreline to avoid Pearson airport. I wanted a nice view on the flight after all.
Arriving at OAS early on Saturday Donna broke the news… 4 planes were out with snags. On such a beautiful day… what a shame! It seems my luck was holding out. For a while I’ve known that Mother Nature and airplanes like to play games with me. Something inside me knew that everything would work out though. Our departure time was pushed from 9am to 10am. James, the mechanic arrived and all was fixed. We strapped C-GAIC to our backs and off to Peterborough we went!
The flight to Peterborough for gas/break was amazingly smooth and went extremely well. Katie did a fantastic job following the map and we arrived with no glitches. Katie’s Mom and Dad met us at the airport as we had planned and welcomed us, as always, with open arms. They too have been very supportive of my dream and their encouragement means a great deal to me. I was able to fulfill my first promise of the day and we helped Katie’s dad, Bill, get strapped into the Katana. Off we went with camera, video recorder and 2 fairly big guys in the brave Katana for a circuit and a city tour. Bill quickly familiarized himself with the area and was able to find a TV tower near their house. In just a few minutes we were orbiting the area and Bill had switched to paparazzi mode. Katie and Barb (Katie’s Mom) had returned to the house in the meantime and were able to see us flying over! Upon the return to Peterborough we bid farewell to Katie’s folks, got refueled, filed a new flight plan and headed off to London.
Toronto airspace, I’ve decided, is really a wonder upon itself. I have much respect for Air traffic controllers and what they do in that airspace is nothing short of miraculous. While it’s true that Pearson airport is not ‘too’ busy on an early weekend afternoon… that’s not taking into account every General Aviation pilot with any common sense getting his/her airplane dusted off and heading to the airspace on a gorgeous Saturday! East of Toronto was relatively quiet, over Toronto was busy, west of Toronto was… insane! On top of it all, we were flying over Lake Ontario… which probably is not the most comfortable feeling, for someone not crazy about heights. Katie put on a brave face and stayed calm and collected just like a pro! Soon enough we were clear of the madness and west of Woodstock with London in sight!
Nanny’s house is just north of the runway 27 threshold. I knew for my dream to be reached I needed to land on that runway. Nope, the airport wasn’t good enough ;) My heart sank a bit when I heard the wind definitely did not favour that runway. We flew by Nanny’s house north of the airport and entered the left hand approach for runway 15. After landing, we taxied to Empire Aviation (which had kindly waved my parking fee for the 3 night stay), outside of which my parents and family friend Dr. Pattison patiently waited! Of course there were hugs, kisses and pats on the back all around.
Our friend Dr. Pattison is one of a kind. He is a retired medical doctor, he volunteered at a nearby prison at which he helped prisoners with their problems, and he is an excellent pianist and … a former Tiger Moth pilot! He is one of my heroes and a great friend. We jammed quite often during my London days and I have fond memories of tackling some tricky violin sonatas with Fred at the piano. Fred had just returned from Scotland the day before but he braved his jet-lag and came to greet us. Thanks to his effort I was able to fulfill my second promise of the day. Fred and I took off and did 3 circuits on runway 15. He was grinning from ear to ear and I know he was remembering his flying days.
The weekend was a busy one with our schedule jam-packed until Monday afternoon. It was Mom and Dad’s turn to go for a flight! Dad was on a school bus run so Mom was the first passenger of the day. On the way we picked up Nanny so I could give her a brief rundown of the Katana. Katie and Nanny headed off to the ‘spotting area’ and it was time for Mom and me to get ready. After a detailed briefing off we went to do some circuits. The wind was calm on Monday, however for the sake of seeing Nanny’s farm and Fanshawe Lake we stayed with runway 15. I was in the zone and made ‘greaser’ touch-and-goes much to my delight. Mom isn’t a great lover of flying, in fact I know she gets nervous, but on our flight she was calm, cool and collected. I was pointing out sights to her and she was taking it all in. I’m very proud of her and thank her for letting me show my appreciation for all of her support. Two circuits were enough for Mom and we headed back to Empire to get Dad.
My Father, who celebrated his 60th birthday on April 20th, knows all about dreams. He has wanted a Harley-Davidson motorcycle forever and finally this past March, he got it! He was kind enough to give me a ride home on Saturday on the Harley-Davidson and I was anxious to return the favour. Off we went for more circuits on 15 while I pointed out sights and answered whatever questions he had. On our second circuit I spotted the family at Nanny’s farm (running her home) and I gave them a ‘waggle’ of the wings to say Hello! With the winds calm now was the time to achieve my dream. The tower controller granted my request for an approach and landing on runway 27 and the stage was set. We landed on 27, I shared my appreciation with the tower controller and we taxied back to Empire Aviation for the last time.
Tuesday morning, with rain and storms threatening Ontario in the early afternoon we headed out as early as we could. Again we were treated with smooth air and a quick and steady tailwind! We made record time to Peterborough and Ottawa and returned the plane to her owners.
So what’s next? I have plenty of new dreams now that I have the key to new possibilities! Now that I have the private license I can continue to learn, improve and earn new ratings, type endorsements and licenses in the future! Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way… you know who you are! I’ve only just started…
All the best to you and yours!
Dan Pergau
flyingfiddler@gmail.com
http://flyingfiddler.blogspot.com/
One thing you must understand is that I LOVE aviation. My Grandmother lives beside the London airport and I remember with great detail falling in love with airplanes when visiting my Grandparents when I was young. I love the sight, sound (now at least) and yes even the smell of anything to do with aviation. It is in my blood and I shall forever be in love with it.
My relationship with aviation has been taxing at times. There was my first airshow which my Dad took me too. We left during the then Blue Angel’s equipped Douglas A-4 Skyhawk team show because of my screaming. I just could not bear the ‘agony’ of the noise!
Dan Pascoe, a renowned airliners.net photographer has this photo from the very same airshow weekend as the event mentioned above. You can view it by clicking on this link: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/305060/L/
During my Cub Scout days we were given the oppourtunity to fly over Niagara Falls for a winter experience that we’d never forget! Just imagine having the privilege of viewing this famous landmark from the air! I remember climbing aboard the Air Ontario Convair-580 and grabbing a window seat. We cruised over Niagara Falls and I was ‘wowed’ by the ice and steam at this wonder of nature. Perhaps it was the water or steam but I suddenly seemed to need some Coke, and a lot of it. Several glasses later I was filling bags left and right as we flew through turbulence on the approach back in to London. As we exited the plane I remember falling to my knees and kissing the asphalt of the tarmac thanking God for my return to earth.
Dan Pascoe has an excellent photograph of an Air Ontario CV-580 at airliners.net. You can view it here: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/231328/L/
On October 28th, 2004 I earned my private pilots’ license thanks to the help of some excellent instructors. Joe, Derek, Aaron, Kate and all the staff at OAS (Ottawa Aviation Services) are the best and I can’t thank them enough for all their coaxing, encouraging and endless patience during my lessons. I can only hope that they know just how much their teaching and my license means to me. My family, of course, is a huge support. Mom, Dad, Karen and Nanny (my Grandmother), from afar, have supported me financially and emotionally in ways they will never know. Last but definitely not least… Katie, my always patient girlfriend, was a HUGE help in my flight test and written exam studies. We started dating on July 5th, 2003 and I don’t think she had any idea what she was getting herself into!! She’s my best co-pilot, my best friend and most importantly she completes me. I didn’t know my potential before I met her and now I know I’ve only just begun!
So what do you do to celebrate all of this? Why, achieve your dream of course! Katie and I started planning our big trip months ago and used my Dad’s birthday as a great reason to do the flight. We have a couple of other things on the go right now too… we’re helping coordinate an amazing Bell Festival which will be held in Ottawa in late May and we’re getting ready for a big trip to Scotland and Europe in early June. To say that we’re busy and financially stretched would be an understatement! I told her at least a few times that we better save our money and rent a car but she insisted that we do this. Dreams should come true after all!
The weekend was absolutely beautiful. The temperatures were very warm and the skies clear. I think other factors were coming into play! The day before the flight I was very anxious to go but a bit nervous as well. I had never flown through Toronto airspace so I didn’t know what to expect. I made the decision to GO bright and early on Saturday morning. My flight planning was done and re-checked a few times. We decided on going the ‘south route’ along the Lake Ontario shoreline to avoid Pearson airport. I wanted a nice view on the flight after all.
Arriving at OAS early on Saturday Donna broke the news… 4 planes were out with snags. On such a beautiful day… what a shame! It seems my luck was holding out. For a while I’ve known that Mother Nature and airplanes like to play games with me. Something inside me knew that everything would work out though. Our departure time was pushed from 9am to 10am. James, the mechanic arrived and all was fixed. We strapped C-GAIC to our backs and off to Peterborough we went!
The flight to Peterborough for gas/break was amazingly smooth and went extremely well. Katie did a fantastic job following the map and we arrived with no glitches. Katie’s Mom and Dad met us at the airport as we had planned and welcomed us, as always, with open arms. They too have been very supportive of my dream and their encouragement means a great deal to me. I was able to fulfill my first promise of the day and we helped Katie’s dad, Bill, get strapped into the Katana. Off we went with camera, video recorder and 2 fairly big guys in the brave Katana for a circuit and a city tour. Bill quickly familiarized himself with the area and was able to find a TV tower near their house. In just a few minutes we were orbiting the area and Bill had switched to paparazzi mode. Katie and Barb (Katie’s Mom) had returned to the house in the meantime and were able to see us flying over! Upon the return to Peterborough we bid farewell to Katie’s folks, got refueled, filed a new flight plan and headed off to London.
Toronto airspace, I’ve decided, is really a wonder upon itself. I have much respect for Air traffic controllers and what they do in that airspace is nothing short of miraculous. While it’s true that Pearson airport is not ‘too’ busy on an early weekend afternoon… that’s not taking into account every General Aviation pilot with any common sense getting his/her airplane dusted off and heading to the airspace on a gorgeous Saturday! East of Toronto was relatively quiet, over Toronto was busy, west of Toronto was… insane! On top of it all, we were flying over Lake Ontario… which probably is not the most comfortable feeling, for someone not crazy about heights. Katie put on a brave face and stayed calm and collected just like a pro! Soon enough we were clear of the madness and west of Woodstock with London in sight!
Nanny’s house is just north of the runway 27 threshold. I knew for my dream to be reached I needed to land on that runway. Nope, the airport wasn’t good enough ;) My heart sank a bit when I heard the wind definitely did not favour that runway. We flew by Nanny’s house north of the airport and entered the left hand approach for runway 15. After landing, we taxied to Empire Aviation (which had kindly waved my parking fee for the 3 night stay), outside of which my parents and family friend Dr. Pattison patiently waited! Of course there were hugs, kisses and pats on the back all around.
Our friend Dr. Pattison is one of a kind. He is a retired medical doctor, he volunteered at a nearby prison at which he helped prisoners with their problems, and he is an excellent pianist and … a former Tiger Moth pilot! He is one of my heroes and a great friend. We jammed quite often during my London days and I have fond memories of tackling some tricky violin sonatas with Fred at the piano. Fred had just returned from Scotland the day before but he braved his jet-lag and came to greet us. Thanks to his effort I was able to fulfill my second promise of the day. Fred and I took off and did 3 circuits on runway 15. He was grinning from ear to ear and I know he was remembering his flying days.
The weekend was a busy one with our schedule jam-packed until Monday afternoon. It was Mom and Dad’s turn to go for a flight! Dad was on a school bus run so Mom was the first passenger of the day. On the way we picked up Nanny so I could give her a brief rundown of the Katana. Katie and Nanny headed off to the ‘spotting area’ and it was time for Mom and me to get ready. After a detailed briefing off we went to do some circuits. The wind was calm on Monday, however for the sake of seeing Nanny’s farm and Fanshawe Lake we stayed with runway 15. I was in the zone and made ‘greaser’ touch-and-goes much to my delight. Mom isn’t a great lover of flying, in fact I know she gets nervous, but on our flight she was calm, cool and collected. I was pointing out sights to her and she was taking it all in. I’m very proud of her and thank her for letting me show my appreciation for all of her support. Two circuits were enough for Mom and we headed back to Empire to get Dad.
My Father, who celebrated his 60th birthday on April 20th, knows all about dreams. He has wanted a Harley-Davidson motorcycle forever and finally this past March, he got it! He was kind enough to give me a ride home on Saturday on the Harley-Davidson and I was anxious to return the favour. Off we went for more circuits on 15 while I pointed out sights and answered whatever questions he had. On our second circuit I spotted the family at Nanny’s farm (running her home) and I gave them a ‘waggle’ of the wings to say Hello! With the winds calm now was the time to achieve my dream. The tower controller granted my request for an approach and landing on runway 27 and the stage was set. We landed on 27, I shared my appreciation with the tower controller and we taxied back to Empire Aviation for the last time.
Tuesday morning, with rain and storms threatening Ontario in the early afternoon we headed out as early as we could. Again we were treated with smooth air and a quick and steady tailwind! We made record time to Peterborough and Ottawa and returned the plane to her owners.
So what’s next? I have plenty of new dreams now that I have the key to new possibilities! Now that I have the private license I can continue to learn, improve and earn new ratings, type endorsements and licenses in the future! Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way… you know who you are! I’ve only just started…
All the best to you and yours!
Dan Pergau
flyingfiddler@gmail.com
http://flyingfiddler.blogspot.com/
posted by Daniel Pergau | 6:56 a.m.
1 Comments:
Amazing Dan! Great story, and love the pictures too!
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