The Turning of the Tide

April

The months that passed since I learned of Joe's getting a new job with the consequence that he would no longer be instructing with the EAA Employee Flying Club were slow and difficult. I strove in vain to find an instructor and plane together and at a price within my budget but it was all to no avail. I was getting pretty discouraged. Day after beautiful, sunny day passed in March and I could only experience them from the ground simply because I couldn't find an instructor! It was incredibly frustrating. The flying club does, of course, have other instructors, but none of them were available at the time.

At long last, however, the beginning of April brought the return of the club's main instructor for primary students, Jim Kress, from his winter sojourn in Florida. I had known he would be returning but had hoped I wouldn't have to wait that long to fly again. Well, in God's plan I did have to wait that long for reasons only He, as yet, knows.

As soon as I knew he was back, I contacted Jim but with the end of March there also came an end to the beautiful weather. The whole entire first half of April, the weather was not flyable for the most part so I had to wait a little longer. But I knew the tide had turned. The day was not far off when my wings would be restored. The long wait was almost over. In the meantime, there were a few things that happened which helped to buoy my spirits and which made the long wait seem, perhaps, a little more worthwhile.

One of these was an all-expenses-paid trip to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH (a birthday present from my brother-in-law, Matt, and and my sister, Naomi). We spent most of two days at the museum and could have spent another I'm sure. Below are a few pictures. I didn't include any from inside the museum as I would have had a hard time choosing just a few! I guess you'll just have to go and experience it for yourself which would be much better than looking at pictures anyway as pictures (even the outside ones) can hardly do it justice!

Monuments in the

beautiful memorial gardens

outside the museum.

The museum is immediately adjacent to Wright-Patterson
Air Force Base, the first military base I've ever been on!

The other event was a Launch Party send-off for EAA's WWII-era B-17 bomber in preparation for its leaving on tour as it does each year. Employees in attendance were entered in a drawing to receive a ride in the plane with an extra entry if you dressed up in the style of the era (1940's). Figuring it would be worth the extra entry, I did and (oh joy!) was one of the ten drawn!!! I haven't had my ride yet but it should happen sometime around AirVenture. As part of the festivities, we were allowed to explore the plane at our leisure and sit in the various stations as we chose. Quite amazing to think of spending six hours on a mission in one of these, bundled in heavy flying gear and an oxygen mask! A WWII veteran, Doug Ward, ball turret gunner on a B-17, was there and spoke of his experiences which, alone, was worth coming for! Gives me a whole new appreciation for these brave men.



Here I am in the pilot's seat! Wow!
Is this for real?!



Honored to have my picture taken with Doug Ward,
former B-17 ball turret gunner.

In a way, these two experiences sort of made up for the endless period of no flying, or, as I said before, at least made it seem just a little more worthwhile. Winning that ride was so much more than just luck. I believe it was a special gift from God to me--a sign that my aviation journey is not over yet by any means and will go on, an inspiration of hope for the future and, for that reason, it meant the world to me! Thank you, Lord!