A couple years ago I took my first lesson from Gil Johnson at Red Eagle Aviation, in Kalispell, Montana, just for fun. The hook was set, and I couldn’t get enough of it. Back home, I signed up for more lessons with Kevin Gosling at Regal Air in Everett, WA.
Here’s a picture of me, just after my first solo flight:
The aircraft is a tiny Cessna 152. A few months later I passed my checkride and am now a FAA-certificated Private Pilot. This allows me to fly when the weather is favorable. Here I am with my instructor, just after I passed the checkride. The aircraft is a 1959 Cessna 172.
As time and money allow, I’d like to get an Instrument Rating so I can legally fly into clouds and not be stranded by poor weather.
Here’s a shot inside the cockpit of a Cessna 172:
We’re somewhere over Quillayute, WA. I’m the guy on the right. The other is my friend Tom, who owns TX3 Online Services. I always have a big grin on my face when in or near aircraft.
I don’t own a plane, but I often rent. Paine Field, in Everett, Washington, is usually where I operate.
Here’s a picture I took from the pilot’s seat during a pretty sunset. Click on it for a larger version.
I
took most of my primary flight training at
Regal Air, at Paine. This is a nice, full-service FBO.
I’ve recently gotten checked out at
Northwest School of Aviation.
This is a tiny flight school with only a few aircraft, but it is very affordable
and the people who run it are great. It is also based at Paine Field. They have
a very convenient online scheduling system.
I
once took a Seaplane lesson at
Kenmore Air
Seaplanes. Wow, what a lot of fun it is landing and taking off on the water!
They are also a small airline with regularly scheduled service to Victoria, BC,
the San Juan Islands, and points North.