I'd Like to Learn More About You...

Hello,

I just joined Hangar Chat a few days ago, and I see the membership is still relatively small. I think it would be a good idea to get to know one another before this site explodes with growth. I will start with a short bio of myself. Please feel free to share whatever you are comfortable with. Most all of us are pilots here, so we have some things in common.

I started flying back in 1976 at a place called Collegedale Airpark. They've changed the identifier since I was there, it is now KFGU. It used to be 3M3, if I remember correctly, I'll have to go back and look in my logbook.

I had the desire to learn to fly when I was a kid growing up in Africa, and as a Missionary Preacher's Kid, (MPK) we lived on a remote mission station called Mombera in Central Malawi, (Nyasaland back in the 60s). Every second tuesday of the month, we would be blessed with a Flying Dr service that came up from a place called Malamulo which was about 40 miles outside of Blantyre in Southern Malawi. The pilot was a World War ll Veteran and he was a seasoned aerobatic pilot as well as a Dr, and along with him he would be accompanied by a dentist, a nurse, and a student missionary. He would buzz the mission station with the Church's C-185 and then do a barrel roll as he pulled up, then he would enter the pattern. In the mean time, everyone from the surrounding neighborhood (probably 200 people at least) would race to the runway to watch him land. My sister and I would get on the two motorcycles we had, one was a Honda 90 and a Yamaha 100, and my folks would get in their car (Peugeot 403) and hurry to the dirt strip nearby. It was my responsibility to put up the windsock, and check that there were no obstructions on the runway before they would arrive. They would stay the night, and we would put on a concert for them. The following day they would takeoff, and fly to the Northern Dispensaries taking care of health and dental issues. Every once in a while, my sister and I would have the opportunity to fly in the back seat of that C-185. What a trip!

That was the highlight of my 12 year stay in Africa as I grew up. I never dreamed I'd actually become a pilot until I came back to the US and found fuel prices were very cheap, and I was able to get my private pilots license for $880. Wow, have times changed since then.

Currently I've over 15,000 hours, have flown many different aircraft, but one of my favorites was the Learjet 20 series, which next to the military T-38, had the same engines, except for the afterburners. My most recent job was flying a B-727 and next to the Lear, which was like flying a Porsche, compared to the B-727 which I would compare to driving a truck, although it is very versatile, and can even go into airstrips that even a Lear could not.

Most recently, I've started an Air Ambulance Business called Desert Sun Aviation, LLC. I'm still busy putting it together, and am acting as a broker at the moment. I'm also into internet marketing, and am into several different ventures, the most recent one being Perpetual 20.

That's it in a nutshell, now it's your turn. I'd love to hear your story.

Take Care,

James Wright

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Nguyen on August 30, 2011 at 1:28am

Mr. Wright,I didn't get my shirt tail because I was wearing my favorite shirt. Instead, I got a military challenge coin engraved with my name and the details of my flight. Thanks for your wishes and I'll try my best for the goals I chose.
Thanks,Chris N

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Nguyen on September 3, 2011 at 3:37pm

Sara,

It's awesome to read about another teen who is as interested in the world of aviation as you are. There needs to be more teens like us who are involved in aviation. I hope the Aerospace Engineering major gets you far in life.

Good luck, Chris N

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Permalink Reply by Obie S. Young on September 3, 2011 at 5:10pm

Private in 43 days and 18 years old... What a great story.. Congrads.. and keep on learning.. *** OBIE ***

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Permalink Reply by Veronica Risko on September 22, 2011 at 9:32pm

James has certainly sparked some interesting discussions. I enjoyed reading them. I am not a pilot but I'm here at hangerchat to learn more about the aviation industry. My business partner and I recently created a start-up company to provide online (internet) training to any aspect of the aviation industry. We are newly formed but we have experience. We are currently looking for people or companies that would like to move into the 21st century with their training courses. I know that many of you are "Subject Matter Experts" and could very well develop sell-able course material. I invite you all to drop in to see us at our website and sign up for our free newsletters. www.aviationtrainingmall.com Our last newsletter contained a very attractive pricing offer for putting one of your courses into the online mall. Let me know if you would like to receive a copy of that newsletter.

Thanks,

Veronica

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Permalink Reply by Andy Hatch on December 10, 2011 at 11:30am

Wow, James you and I come from a totally different world in life, but as pilots we do have that common interest. I am happy to share a little about myself. I am a Private Helicopter Pilot and am currently working on my other ratings and certificates in order to get out there and make something of all this training. It has been a great ride. Frustrating at times, with all the ups and downs of staying focused and determined. As I raise a family and work full time along with getting a college degree and find it hard to sometimes keep up with everything there is to becoming a pilot. I love to fly and I always wanted to fly when I was younger. Back then I wanted to fly jets with the Air Force, but at some point my goals changed a little. I started looking into flying helicopters back in 2009, and could not believe how much it would cost me....I wish it were only $880 today. :) that discouraged me a little, but at random I was at a community event up in Preston, ID where I grew up and low and behold there was this helicopter that had just pulled up on a trailer and this school was setting up their display. The representative was a current student of theirs and is now my instructor there as well. Mountain Ridge Helicopters, knows the industry and they know the situations their students are faced with. The school as helped me bring a dream to life and what a ride it has been.

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Permalink Reply by James Wright on October 31, 2012 at 12:02pm

Andy, we all are faced with challenges. but one of the most important lessons one needs to learn is that if you have a dream, you need to find a way to source your dream and make it a reality. No one else will. It's all up to you! I wish you well :)

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Permalink Reply by Gary M. Wetzel on December 14, 2011 at 12:33am

Hi Jim,

I liked your story, sounds like everyone else I have talked to. " The start to an aviation career is tough, but those that want it bad enough can achieve thier dreams".

I have been interested in aviation since I could tilt my head skyward. Throughout my childhood, I was made to believe that my dream to be a fighter pilot was out of my reach. I think this stemmed from people seeing this passion, trying to use it to push me to better myself in school. I guess they pushed too far and I just felt it was beyond someone like me.

FFWD a few years, as I was on a construction site accross from an AFB runway, a co-worker noticed me constantly distracted by the F-16's that flew over on aproach. As he asked about my reason for such distraction and after my explaination of my child hood dreams he simply said "why don't you join the Air Force". That one simple comment led me to call a recruiter one day, and in March 1999 I took my first oath of enlistment.

I had found my calling, I was a Jet engine mechanic working on the best fighters in the world, spending time with my celebrities (the fighter pilots). I was so driven to do my best at what I was doing that I never took the time to go to school and get the degree required to apply to become an officer and become a fighter pilot myself. I truely loved what I was doing. To this day I love turning wrenches on planes however, as rank increases wrench turning decreases... Sometimes... The current state of the military is quite turbulent in my opinion and the rank verses duty, verses manpower causes some frustration.

I took a discovery flight about a year and a half ago in a helicopter, it was my first time in a helicopter and ever since then, my head has been in the clouds. I found that I can use my GI Bill for flight training and that was the end of my rational thinking. Since then, I have bought my private pilot RW kit, a head set, and took another intro flight. (checking out different schools and airframes) I have picked a school that I want to attend and now after a long process of them getting VA aproved and 141 certified I am hoping to start flying in the spring or summer semmester.

Jim, you left the door too wide open, I started to write a 5 page report, I stopped when I realised it was sounding like my last english assignment... 2.5 classes to go for that CCAF degree! WOOHOO

Better get started on this weeks homework now.

Mike

PS. Yes I am in engish class, but it is early in the course so go easy on my grammar.

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Permalink Reply by James Wright on October 31, 2012 at 11:59am

That's alright my friend, I left the door open for a reason. I've just not been back for a while to read all these exciting stories that have shown up. May I make a recommendation to you, if you've not found your craft yet!

Start in something that's not too complicated and work your way up. It will be alot easier on you that way :)

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Permalink Reply by Richard Linder on January 9, 2012 at 6:14pm

Just came across Hangar Chat today.

I'm a couple years from retirement and I own a Zenair CH200 two seat airplane. Haven't PIC'd much in the last 16 years or so but hope to get some time in the little Zenair in the coming months. Wish Avgas wasn't so darn expensive.

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Permalink Reply by James Wright on October 31, 2012 at 11:56am

It ought to be cheap on fuel though!

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Permalink Reply by Mike "Spud" McClure on February 29, 2012 at 6:21pm

Hi James. I just joined also. Still finding out what's what around here. I started out in General Aviation at Indiana State, then went on to fly KC135s until 1989. In 1990 I started flying DC9s for Northwest, while continuing to fly for the reserves until 1995. In a few days I will have completed 22 years here, but now I work for Delta. Last Summer I checked out on the 757/767, and love it. The best heavy flying I've done so far, plus I get a mix of domestic and international flying. When they announced the merger, I started making ball caps to commemorate Northwest, and that snowballed into a niche online company. Feel free to visit my site pilotballcaps.com where I have links to quite a few pictures from my flying days.