Passing the Torch
Seaplane taking off from the Downtown Vancouver Seaport. Awesome!
Wow…it’s been nearly three months since I wrote my last blog pilot on this site. I surely apologize for its being so long in between reflections. That’s not to say that I haven’t had great pilot experiences since that time or that I haven’t been reflecting on all the fun I’ve had and the moments I’ve shared in the cockpit. The last three months have been an interesting ride though, because in some ways it’s been these aviation experiences that have caused me to ponder on my next professional journey.
As you might recall from my last post, “Five Fun Flights with Friends,” my summer had been action-packed with pilot experiences. By that time, I’ve had the chance to increase my number of non-pilot passengers to 22 and now that number has surpassed 25. In many ways, I’m more proud of this number than I am with the total number of hours in my logbook. While I’d hate the thought of ever losing my logbook, these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that I’ve shared with non-pilot passengers and aspiring pilot passengers are moments that can never be taken away.
Passing the Torch
After my last flight with my friends Clara and Claudia to Gloria Ferrer Winery in early August, I left town for a couple of quick international trips. One trip to Vancouver, CA with my girlfriend, Kaitlyn, to celebrate our one year anniversary and another quick trip to Hong Kong by myself for a week. While in Vancouver, I found myself continuously gravitating towards its downtown seaport to watch planes takeoff and land. Never before did I desire to fly seaplanes, but something spoke to me on this trip. I was in awe of the beauty of the Vancouver area on three perfect summer days, while watching pilots land upon the glistening waves of the harbor and takeoff towards the picturesque mountains north of the city. Yet, little did I know that at this same time, approximately 3 hours away, one of my former non-pilot passengers was working on his seaplane rating while on summer vacation in Seattle.
Soon after I returned home from my trips, I received a Facebook message from Patrick, telling me about his recent training on Lake Union in Seattle in a Cessna 172 seaplane. Words can’t describe how proud I am to be part of his dream of flight and to watch video of him conducting his first solo really struck a chord in my soul.