FLYING IS LIFE
I was extremely fortunate to start flying at a very young age. My first memory of being in a Cessna was with a neighborhood friend Donald Evans, who was at the time [1971] a Captain for TWA. I remember he let me take the controls. The Cessna was green. Cessna green. I believe it was a Cardinal or possibly a 172. I don't remember seeing struts. We flew out of Marlboro, Massachusetts which was near where we lived.

I had my first real flying lesson in March 1977 at Discover Flying at Hyannis Airport (HYA). My first lesson was in a C-150 Aerobat [N8162V] with Dennis Pekarcik. I also flew a C-172 [N9138H] and could barely see over the control panel. They put a bunch of yellow pages on the seat for me so I could see better. I began real training shortly thereafter at Hyannis Aviation. They were located right in the Hyannis Airport terminal. John Polando was there at that time and used to take my dad and I on charters in a Piper Apache and a C-182. My dad loved flying too. He was a huge proponent of general aviation for business.

During 1977-79, I was flying a C-150 [N19561] most of the time.
Rick Thompson was my instructor. Hyannis Aviation soon moved to the east ramp. Their hanger is still an FBO today. In 1978 the new C-152's came to Hyannis. They were faster and better handling. I loved them then as much as I do now. I soloed a day after my birthday on June 25, 1979 in HYA, flying a beautiful new red and white C-152 [N69201]. While away at private school in CT, I had the opportunity to fly out of South Woodstock [64CT]. My instructor's name was Rudy Tomasik. He was a good pilot. He taught me many techniques. We flew in ancient C-150's. Woodstock was a tiny paved runway up on a hill. Great experience for crosswinds and cross-country's.

In 1980 I flew for a bit out of Danbury, CT [DXR] while I was away at school. I flew back and forth to the cape during vacations. I took a break for a while. After college and getting married in December 1987, I began serious flight training at North Central State Airport (SFZ) in RI. I flew Warriors [N2810V & N4295N]. I ended up finishing up with Executive air Service in Providence, getting my private pilots license in a Warrior [N2909U].
In 1988 My wife and I moved to Rutland Vermont. I went to work at our family's textile mill in Ludlow. I took some lessons at RUT to get used to the mountainous area. Flying 150's and 172's. Determined to move on in safety and get higher ratings, I went back to flight school in NJ at Aviation Career Academy. It had been recommended by a friend. Based in Lumberton, NJ, [Flying W], ACA was my first real move into advanced training. I trained on Frasca 141's and in C-172. I got my instrument rating in 1990. In 1991 I began flying 182RG's in Lebanon, NH [LEB] in order to satisfy my high performance endorsement and get my commercial certificate. My instructor was Carl McQuaig. Carl was a great instructor. Patient, professional, smooth and safe.

In 1993 I went down to Florida and began training for my multi-engine ratings at American Flyers. American Flyers was based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport [FXE]. I flew C-310's. They were the balls. It took me a while to get used to the approach speeds. After flying singles, the 310 was a true rocket ship. I got my Commercial, Multi-engine Instrument rating. For the first time I felt like I could do this for a living. I could feel what it must be like to fly the line.

In 1995 I went back to American Flyers and spent a month down in hot Fort Lauderdale training to be a CFI. Being a flight instructor was the next step. I remember the first day at school when the instructor looked at all of us (about 25 students in the class) saying "Take a good look around because some of you won't be here in the end..". The class had a high attrition rate. It was very interesting because we were all the same. One of our instructors, a ex-naval flight surgeon told us that we were REALLY alike in many ways. He had done studies for the Navy about the profile of advanced flyers. We were usually first born or middle children after a long spread between siblings. About 90% have hazel eyes. Most were mechanically inclined. There was a lot more. I forget most of it. Anyway, what I do remember was when we all went out to dinner as a group that first night.. we all ordered exactly the same food at a local TGI Fridays in Fort Lauderdale. Yeah 12 of the same dish. Weird. But I guess when you advance in whatever you do, the group gets smaller and more select and you probably are alike in many ways.

Most of my flying in the 90's was in a beautiful Cessna 182RG [N6063C]. I love this aircraft. She is now in CA. Hopefully being cared for by her new owners. I flew her all over the northeast corridor. I had the privilege of watching the Japan Airlines 747 carrying my mother-in-law through our windshield as we lined up number 2 to land at JFK to pick her up. 63C never let me down. I was able to fly her in all weather conditions. 63C was owned by a local newspaper in Rutland, VT. As a CFI, I lowered their insurance. When we met initially to discuss our flight arrangements in 63C, I had only one request: Keep the aircraft to military spec. I didn't want anything broken when was in the clouds. If something was broken we get it fixed asap and correctly. We kept that aircraft spotless. like new. We flew so often between HYA and RUT that the controllers knew us by name. Cool stuff.

The last time I flew was in June of 2000 according to my logbook. Way too long ago. I remember it was possibly about money and budgetary constraints on the business. I can't remember everything. What I do know is that I miss being up there. I think about flying everyday and can't wait to get back in the sky. I have a plan to get my medical back and as soon as I begin serious work, I will be working on my health to get my medical back.



Total Flight Time to Date: 865 Hours
Multi-Engine Time: 19 Hours
Night Flight Time 109 Hours
Instrument Flight Time: 40 Hours
Instrument Approaches: 160
Total Day Landings: 1031
Total Night Landings: 127

To date I have flown 61 different aircraft and 15 types:

C-150	N8162V	N19561	N8637G	N3574L	N63455	N10648	N19402
	N714DG	N7158F	N2810V
C-152	N48870	N48881	N69201	N67368	N5282B	N89097	N46872
	N5465P	N4954A	N69061
C-172	N9138H	N738TG	N3568E	N3543E	N3553E	N99756	N738LQ
	N9193G	N733XF	N4173L	N9935L	N99704	N98379	N52049
	N739RS	N734GS	N99826	N97224	N4577	N81AF	N737SX
T-41B	N93217
C-172RG	N172CE	N9443D	N9451D	N4669V
C-182	N9687E
C-182RG	N3227C	N6063C	N268ER
C-310B	N8478
C-310R	N3399Q	N2638Y
PA-38-112	N9571T
PA-28-161	N8210T	N4295N	N2909U
PA-28-180	N5354L	N7471W
PA-28-181	N9397C
PA-32-260	N56309
PA-32-301	N42945
PA-34-200	N75185