+/- 1986 - Dad took me for a helicopter ride at Paul Bunyan Land in Brainerd, MN - Loved It! +/- 1989 - Dad took me with on a flight around our hometown in Alexandria, MN with a friend of his at the controls of a Piper Warrior - Loved it. 1999 - Met my future Bride at a college party at NDSU - stole her heart with a flat out lie about how i was a fighter pilot (gonna have to somewhat make good on that someday.) 2003 - Start my career in Denver, CO; get maried to said co-pilot. 2005 - I took a local flight with a co-worker in a C172 out of KAPA along the front range. Thought, huh; bet I could do this?? 2006 - Took what I refer to as the "$8,000" Discovery Flight. This was at Specialty Flight in Erie (KEIK) - Started Lessons, went on to Solo. 2007 - Opportunity for career transfer to San Diego - who'd a thought Cali huh? I hung up the flying thing for a couple years - just wasn't in the budget... 2008 - Purchased an RV Tool-kit from Avery - gotta find a use for these someday...gonna need a PPL 2010 - Resume flight training at Pinnacle Aviation Accademy; acquired Private Pilots License at KCRQ in SoCal. 2011 - Received tailwheel endorsement at KSEE in a Legend Cub - "Fly the Wing" flight school 2011 - Obtained Instrument Rating at KCRQ - This took about six months. (I obviously work too) 2012 - Obtained high performance and complex. Start doing some more flying for fun. 2007-2012 - Methodically scour the internet for the perfect plane to purchase (some day of course) - constantly bouncing between "this and that" blah blah blah. 2012 - Order a Vans RV-9A Tail Kit.
