The Making of A Pilot

Back the in the 70's, a little boy dreamed of flying airplanes. He drew pictures and poured over books. He could answer just about any question about military airplanes. He never let go of that dream, but as life unfolded it seemed his dream would never come true.

Fast forward to the present. Engineering school was not going as well as planned and we were beginning to feel that maybe this wasn't what he was supposed to be doing. My dear friend Tiff heard an ad on the radio advertising helicopter flight training. I mentioned this to Ken, and he dismissed it as impossible. Several months later, while on vacation out West, I mentioned it again. This time he lit up! As soon as we got home he began researching how to make this actually happen.

Last September, he began flight training. In December he scored a perfect 100% on the FAA written exam! This is an amazing feat and extremely rare. Today he graduated flight training with his private pilot license for rotorcraft helicopters. Only 1% of the population are pilots and only 1% of that 1% are helicopter pilots. He has officially joined an elite club!

I am so proud of him and all the hard work he has done. It is so amazing to me that he has made his childhood dream come true. I am awed everytime I watch him fly. I think he has found his true calling in life. Congratulations Sweetheart, I couldn't be prouder!!!!

The next step is instrument training so he can fly in all conditions. After that he will be a commercial helicopter pilot and the sky is the limit from there.

You know the best thing about all this...my boys will win any "my-Dad's-job-is-cooler-than-your-Dad's-job" argument hands down.