Just wondering what everyone their real life Pilot Adventures are.
My Biggest Adventure as a real life pilot is definitely flying a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver Float from Anchorage, Alaska USA PANC to Napels, Italy in Europe LIRN which was a huge undertaking. There it is still located and the owner of this beautiful aircraft is a friend of mine. He flies it all around Europe. This was back in 1997 I was 24 at the time and it was a very exciting trip to make but also had it’s many challenges. I have the entire undertaking on Video 8 Tapes which I still need to get Digitalized at some point so I can post it on my YouTube.
I have had many more fun Adventures as a Pilot, I also have recordings of the cargo drops we did all over Alaska during extreme winters there dropping packages at remote locations where people had no way to get out. In time I will share some more experiences and when my Videos are Digitalized I will share many of them on YouTube.
Let us hear your real life adventures, what stood out for you during your Real Life Pilot Adventures.
Flying together with your Daughter is an experience on it’s own for sure. I got to Experience it with 2 of my daughters and I’m very proud of them. But any flight can be an adventure for sure. Your flights will only get more fun and interesting the longer you fly.
1990: after take off from Nice LFMN (France) on a Piper 32, we asked the tower the permit to fly over the CV Saratoga moored few miles offshore. Incredibly, they authorized us after few minutes, 2 circles 2000ft minimum alt . Something just impossible to think about nowadays. Well, the flying deck from the sky looked really tiny! Not to mentioned all the F14s…
Turned out after a couple of months that it was bound to the Red Sea for the Gulf war.
Bit embarrassing really. Was on my second solo during ppl training in about 2000 at Victoria intl, BC. Taking off, I was waiting for the asi to show 50kn so I could rotate and take off. Unfortunately the asi never came alive and I was soon barreling down the runway at way over speed. I lost control and swerved off into a runway sign. That’s the last I remember for a few seconds. I came to upside down still in my harness. The engine had stopped but the ignition was still on and fuel was pouring down the windshield. I undid the harness and fell down and crawled out of the cockpit just as the fire engine arrived. I was relatively unhurt, a few bruises and scrapes and a headache. The fire guys called an ambulance and bundled me in it but I declined to go to the hospital.
Turned out in the DOT inquiry that the pitot hadn’t been covered and a mason bee had set up shop, so I was cleared of any negligence.
Two days later I soloed again and a month later got my ppl.
