Aircraft in my life
Cessna 152
This two-seater is the type of plane I flew for my first solo in 1987. I remember the tail number ended in 39Papa. I was doused with a five-gallon bucket of water after I taxied safely onto the ramp. Yes, I was a tad-bit nervous!
Cessna 172
This is the plane I have flown the most. A four-seater, it has much more cabin space than the 152. Have shown lots of people the Christmas lights from the air with this kind of plane, and have some pipeline patrol time as well. High wings allow for good ground visibility. My sister Laura (1953-2007) paid for the two of us to go on my first flight, a promotional event around Wichita Falls. We sat in the back. I think I was in jr. high and remember it - and her - fondly...
B-25 Mitchell
I got to fly in one of these World War II aircraft and it was thrilling. The pilots took us on a breath-taking flight over Lake Possum Kingdom.
B-17 Flying Fortress (top) and B-24 Liberator (bottom)
In my motivational speaking, I tell two awesome stories about the incomparable B-17. I have been aboard two of them at airshows and hope to fly in one. The aircraft in the bottom of the photo is a B-24 and it is the WWII aircraft most associated with my family. My grandfather helped build them in the Ft. Worth factory.o
C-130 Hercules
This was my dad's favorite. He taught aircraft mechanics for many years. I was hooked on airplanes as a kid, and back then in a discussion he told me this airplane would still be a workhorse long after the C-141 had fallen by the wayside. As was the case many times, he was right! He could recognize the sound of their engines long before they came into sight...
Lockheed L-1011 Tri-Star
I adore airliners - someone else drives while they bring me ice-cold Dr Pepper. My scariest moment on board any aircraft came on one of these L-1011s, and we were still on the ground! Very late at night waiting with a packed airplane on the taxiway at Austin, Texas, trying to take off for Houston, the crowd decided they did not like something the pilot announced. The crowd turned pretty hostile and started booing and cussing. An L-1011 holds roughly 250-330 passengers depending on the model. I may have been the only sober person aboard for all I know, but I found myself thinking, "The two people in the world we most do NOT want mad at us right now are sitting right up there in front..."
P-38 Lightning
This is the aircraft I most wish to fly. America's top WWII ace, Richard Bong, flew the P-38 and it captures my imagination more than any other. For my 50th birthday, my wonderful wife made me a four-panel silhouette sketch of it - with 3D propellers! - that displays proudly in our living room. The kids named it "Zeus" to go with the lightning moniker.
A-26 Invader
My all-time favorite airplane movie is Always with Richard Dreyfuss and John Goodman. The A-26 is what Dreyfuss's character flies. The movie is a remake of an old Spencer Tracy movie where he flew a P-38. The version with Dreyfuss and Goodman has the best opening scene of any flying movie, in my humble opinion.
T-38 Talon
I taught four years at Sheppard Elementary located on Sheppard Air Force Base. Over 300 flights of T-38s came over our school daily as instructors taught new pilots the ins and outs of supersonic aircraft. The Thunderbirds used to use this aircraft.
Piper Seminole (PA - 44)
Piper Seminoles are what I used to get my MEL - Multi Engine Land. Nice plane with a complex rating. I did my cross-country trips with my instrument rating in these planes. Flew to Midland (TX), Bowling Green (KY), Meridian (MS), and Monroe (LA). This plane has a lifetime of 14,663 hours whereas many planes do not have a limit.
Cirrus 22
I got my high performance rating in a Cirrus 22. Oh wow! First ergonomic cockpit I've ever been in. The plane has a parachute where if you get into an emergency, you pull the handle and float down to the ground. Flew this in Florida and had my first part of a flight over an ocean - and my first pilot flight with an a/c. What a day!!
King Air 200
My first turboprop right seat ride was in a King Air 200. Makes ya wanna slap your momma! Air conditioners, cup holder for my Diet DP, and more horsepower than I could imagine. Got to take off and land thanks to a wonderful pilot in Amarillo, then had some subsequent flights from Ft. Worth in various tail numbers. Can't wait to drive one of these again!
Piper Cherokee
As a flight instructor, I used to teach students to fly the Piper Cherokee. Very stable platform, simple controls, and it does not tend to float on landing. Top average speed is right at 100 knots in calm wind. Be extra careful starting that engine in the winter time!!
Cessna Citation 550
I've gotten a few rides in the right seat of Cessna Citation 550s - and they are glorious! They get ya to the takeoff speed in a hurry! It was my introduction to jets and trying to speed up my processing to stay ahead of the plane.
Baron B-55
My last days of instructing were in a beauty like this one in the foreground. Great times and memories flying out of Fort Worth to the coast, Louisiana, Kansas, and New Mexico (Roswell) - not to mention 8 zillion steep turns to the west of the metroplex!
Embraer 175
This was my "office" from April, 2016 through January, 2022. Oh my - what a sweet ride! Seventy-six passengers and a crew of four. We jokingly call it a "widebody" because the cabin has a couple more inches of diameter than our competition. Our passengers love it - lots of automation. Have flown it to my first international destinations - Mexico and Canada.