Swan Song

Pilawt

Pilawt

Final Approach
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
9,481
Location
Santa Rosita State Park, under the big 'W'
Display Name
Display name:
Pilawt
Years since solo: 56 (47% of the history of flight since Kitty Hawk)
Total Hours: 4,646.6
PIC: 4,415.1
X-C: 3,120.8
Complex PIC: 922.6
High Performance PIC: 850.4
Tailwheel PIC: 310.8
Instruction Given: 576.7
IMC: 113.7
Night: 278.5
Types Flown (by ICAO designator): 40
Aircraft Owned: 9
Airports Landed: 296
Accidents as PIC: 0
Violations: 0
Inflight Emergencies/Engine Failures: 0
FAA Master Pilot Award: 1
Photographs: Thousands
Fond Memories: Millions

At the moment it appears that there might be no more. It's time to focus on some medical issues that have come up.

I've been dealing with prostate cancer since surgery five years ago. It's been generally going well, but in the last couple of months I've had some cancer spots on the brain. Those have caused physical and mental impairments. Brain radiation has improved things greatly in recent weeks and the medical team is happy, but I just don't see a clear path to return to flying or driving any time soon.

I shall always be grateful for every one of those hours, for all of those memories, and especially for each of the many friends and mentors who have come my way through flying. That includes each and every one of you, too.

The flying bug is hereditary, and I was hooked at a young age. As I got into the awkward teen years, my dad, a California Highway Patrolman, seized the opportunity to forge a lasting bond between us. We both started flying lessons. As it happened I took my check ride on my seventeenth birthday, while he passed his check ride about six weeks later. He soon bought a used Cessna 150 in which we both took our advanced training. We didn't fly together often (the few trips we did fly together were memorable) but for four decades we never lacked for exciting things to talk about, and we always looked forward to the next chance to share our flying adventures.

I instructed for a couple of years while in college, and thereafter flying was for family vacations, business trips and pleasure flights.

It's not an exotic flying history; some might consider it boring. I'll gladly admit that I tried to keep it that way. It was lots of hours in simple, single-engine spam cans on safe-and-sane trips on sunny days. But there were a few more adventurous ones along the way, too.

Come along, if you like, and scroll quickly through some of my photographic memories (no particular order) of the last 56 years.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/66WLtSrSxGia4V3N7

And a mug sheet of airplanes I have flown ...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iSkpf1jEsLLDAJMAA

Here are the articles I wrote for Air Facts Journal, describing some flying highlights:
https://airfactsjournal.com/author/jeffjacobs/

Lord willing, maybe someday I can get back into the front seat of my Citabria and add some to the totals above. Right now, I just don't know. I'll hold onto it for a while and see what happens, but it doesn't look promising.

There is a line of poetry that is often erroneously attributed to the humorist Dr. Seuss, but actually comes from a 19th-Century German poet named Ludwig Jacobowski. He wrote, "Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."

I rejoice.

I'll still be around here as much as I can to chat about general aviation trivia and history, and I'm looking forward to that. Meanwhile, you all fly safe, y' hear?
 
Thank you for sharing with us. I do hope that your health stays on the up-and-up.
 
Jeff, keeping you in my thoughts, keep pushing forward. Focusing on your health is most important!
 
All the best for a restoration of health. I have always valued your contributions here!
 
Pilawt,
I've enjoyed your posts since I started in General Aviation far fewer years ago than you. You've been informative, helpful, encouraging, wise, and entertaining. I feel like I know you from your posts, and I certainly enjoy you. It's been lots of fun hanging out with you.
Thank you for everything you've shared, and here's wishing you the best of health and everything else.
 
Jeff,

Your contributions and archival knowledge of the different aircraft types and variants on here have always been insightful and much appreciated. I've learned a lot about the history of these spam cans reading through your posts. I liken it to reading through the folded inserts of old albums back when people actually purchased music hardware en masse. Nuggets of trivia and historical context within them that if it weren't for the archival nature of the internet, we'd probably lose forever. So thank you for that, it's a unique contribution you've provided here from where I see it. I am also grateful you've been able to immortalize your words by publishing in Air Facts and other publications, whether in print or online.

Reading of your bout with cancer hits me hard, since I recently lost a former squadronmate (UPS pilot) who was instrumental in my career, gone much too soon at 58. I can't shake the desire to scream at him to quit that blasted job 7 years ago when he first got diagnosed with prostate. Much more incisive things I could say about that but in the end it was never my place to do so, so I won't. All I can do now is remember him and thank him for how he so impacted the course of my career, and thus my life. BL, I want you to stay healthy and keep sharing with us what you have to say, even if it means taking a walk instead of a flight for a while.

Your album is fantastic. As someone with a love/hate relationship with my occupation, I can tell you you've seen this world from exactly the right altitude. There's nothing boring about your reel, it's an enviable journey. I lament not "having more free time" to take pictures like that, in light of the constant reminder of the inherently finite condition to our lives. Mid life has also hit me hard, and having good people like you, and like my friend, deal with hard times has been the worst part of midlife for me. Sometimes I like to daydream about living in the pleasant fiction that was our 20s, when we were all immortal. Digressing.

At any rate, thank you; keep posting, keep talking, keep sharing. Stick around for a while, we still have questions big and small, and we need good people to have a conversation with. Much health and happiness to you and your loved ones going forward.
 
Thank you so much for sharing and to your contributions over the years. Keep up the good fight, we need you around here for years to come!
 
hindsight2020 said:
Jeff,

Your contributions and archival knowledge of the different aircraft types and variants on here have always been insightful and much appreciated. I've learned a lot about the history of these spam cans reading through your posts. I liken it to reading through the folded inserts of old albums back when people actually purchased music hardware en masse. Nuggets of trivia and historical context within them that if it weren't for the archival nature of the internet, we'd probably lose forever. So thank you for that, it's a unique contribution you've provided here from where I see it. I am also grateful you've been able to immortalize your words by publishing in Air Facts and other publications, whether in print or online.

Reading of your bout with cancer hits me hard, since I recently lost a former squadronmate (UPS pilot) who was instrumental in my career, gone much too soon at 58. I can't shake the desire to scream at him to quit that blasted job 7 years ago when he first got diagnosed with prostate. Much more incisive things I could say about that but in the end it was never my place to do so, so I won't. All I can do now is remember him and thank him for how he so impacted the course of my career, and thus my life. BL, I want you to stay healthy and keep sharing with us what you have to say, even if it means taking a walk instead of a flight for a while.

Your album is fantastic. As someone with a love/hate relationship with my occupation, I can tell you you've seen this world from exactly the right altitude. There's nothing boring about your reel, it's an enviable journey. I lament not "having more free time" to take pictures like that, in light of the constant reminder of the inherently finite condition to our lives. Mid life has also hit me hard, and having good people like you, and like my friend, deal with hard times has been the worst part of midlife for me. Sometimes I like to daydream about living in the pleasant fiction that was our 20s, when we were all immortal. Digressing.

At any rate, thank you; keep posting, keep talking, keep sharing. Stick around for a while, we still have questions big and small, and we need good people to have a conversation with. Much health and happiness to you and your loved ones going forward.
Click to expand...
Well stated, and seconded!

@Pilawt keep yourself engaged here and maybe even as a right-seater in a friend's aircraft. Your health is paramount and kudos to you for knowing when to take a step back, whether it be temporary or permanent. Your stories and experiences are anything but benign, I wish to rack up the "boring" hours and experiences you've logged!
 
Fight the good fight my man. We’re all thinking of you.
 
Your quote is very much in agreement with my own view.

"German poet named Ludwig Jacobowski wrote, "Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."

My flying is no where near your exploits, but the memories are very much in my thoughts, as I age away from 90. My last time PIC was16 months ago.....

Right now, I have duties that do not allow reading and viewing your extensive post and fully enjoying it, but rest assured that I will.

Your posts are always interesting, and tell of places and planes that I find interesting.

I am pleased that quitting is not on the list of things you have done, keep on posting here!

GEEZER, also not quitting.
 
Pilawt said:
Years since solo: 56 (47% of the history of flight since Kitty Hawk)
Total Hours: 4,646.6
PIC: 4,415.1
X-C: 3,120.8
Complex PIC: 922.6
High Performance PIC: 850.4
Tailwheel PIC: 310.8
Instruction Given: 576.7
IMC: 113.7
Night: 278.5
Types Flown (by ICAO designator): 40
Aircraft Owned: 9
Airports Landed: 296
Accidents as PIC: 0
Violations: 0
Inflight Emergencies/Engine Failures: 0
FAA Master Pilot Award: 1
Photographs: Thousands
Fond Memories: Millions

At the moment it appears that there might be no more. It's time to focus on some medical issues that have come up.

I've been dealing with prostate cancer since surgery five years ago. It's been generally going well, but in the last couple of months I've had some cancer spots on the brain. Those have caused physical and mental impairments. Brain radiation has improved things greatly in recent weeks and the medical team is happy, but I just don't see a clear path to return to flying or driving any time soon.

I shall always be grateful for every one of those hours, for all of those memories, and especially for each of the many friends and mentors who have come my way through flying. That includes each and every one of you, too.

The flying bug is hereditary, and I was hooked at a young age. As I got into the awkward teen years, my dad, a California Highway Patrolman, seized the opportunity to forge a lasting bond between us. We both started flying lessons. As it happened I took my check ride on my seventeenth birthday, while he passed his check ride about six weeks later. He soon bought a used Cessna 150 in which we both took our advanced training. We didn't fly together often (the few trips we did fly together were memorable) but for four decades we never lacked for exciting things to talk about, and we always looked forward to the next chance to share our flying adventures.

I instructed for a couple of years while in college, and thereafter flying was for family vacations, business trips and pleasure flights.

It's not an exotic flying history; some might consider it boring. I'll gladly admit that I tried to keep it that way. It was lots of hours in simple, single-engine spam cans on safe-and-sane trips on sunny days. But there were a few more adventurous ones along the way, too.

Come along, if you like, and scroll quickly through some of my photographic memories (no particular order) of the last 56 years.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/66WLtSrSxGia4V3N7

And a mug sheet of airplanes I have flown ...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iSkpf1jEsLLDAJMAA

Here are the articles I wrote for Air Facts Journal, describing some flying highlights:
https://airfactsjournal.com/author/jeffjacobs/

Lord willing, maybe someday I can get back into the front seat of my Citabria and add some to the totals above. Right now, I just don't know. I'll hold onto it for a while and see what happens, but it doesn't look promising.

There is a line of poetry that is often erroneously attributed to the humorist Dr. Seuss, but actually comes from a 19th-Century German poet named Ludwig Jacobowski. He wrote, "Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."

I rejoice.

I'll still be around here as much as I can to chat about general aviation trivia and history, and I'm looking forward to that. Meanwhile, you all fly safe, y' hear?
Click to expand...
When the time comes for me, what you have said here will be an inspiration and help me through it. Thank you so much for sharing such a positive outlook.
 
Pilawt said:
Years since solo: 56 (47% of the history of flight since Kitty Hawk)
Total Hours: 4,646.6
PIC: 4,415.1
X-C: 3,120.8
Complex PIC: 922.6
High Performance PIC: 850.4
Tailwheel PIC: 310.8
Instruction Given: 576.7
IMC: 113.7
Night: 278.5
Types Flown (by ICAO designator): 40
Aircraft Owned: 9
Airports Landed: 296
Accidents as PIC: 0
Violations: 0
Inflight Emergencies/Engine Failures: 0
FAA Master Pilot Award: 1
Photographs: Thousands
Fond Memories: Millions

At the moment it appears that there might be no more. It's time to focus on some medical issues that have come up.

I've been dealing with prostate cancer since surgery five years ago. It's been generally going well, but in the last couple of months I've had some cancer spots on the brain. Those have caused physical and mental impairments. Brain radiation has improved things greatly in recent weeks and the medical team is happy, but I just don't see a clear path to return to flying or driving any time soon.

I shall always be grateful for every one of those hours, for all of those memories, and especially for each of the many friends and mentors who have come my way through flying. That includes each and every one of you, too.

The flying bug is hereditary, and I was hooked at a young age. As I got into the awkward teen years, my dad, a California Highway Patrolman, seized the opportunity to forge a lasting bond between us. We both started flying lessons. As it happened I took my check ride on my seventeenth birthday, while he passed his check ride about six weeks later. He soon bought a used Cessna 150 in which we both took our advanced training. We didn't fly together often (the few trips we did fly together were memorable) but for four decades we never lacked for exciting things to talk about, and we always looked forward to the next chance to share our flying adventures.

I instructed for a couple of years while in college, and thereafter flying was for family vacations, business trips and pleasure flights.

It's not an exotic flying history; some might consider it boring. I'll gladly admit that I tried to keep it that way. It was lots of hours in simple, single-engine spam cans on safe-and-sane trips on sunny days. But there were a few more adventurous ones along the way, too.

Come along, if you like, and scroll quickly through some of my photographic memories (no particular order) of the last 56 years.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/66WLtSrSxGia4V3N7

And a mug sheet of airplanes I have flown ...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iSkpf1jEsLLDAJMAA

Here are the articles I wrote for Air Facts Journal, describing some flying highlights:
https://airfactsjournal.com/author/jeffjacobs/

Lord willing, maybe someday I can get back into the front seat of my Citabria and add some to the totals above. Right now, I just don't know. I'll hold onto it for a while and see what happens, but it doesn't look promising.

There is a line of poetry that is often erroneously attributed to the humorist Dr. Seuss, but actually comes from a 19th-Century German poet named Ludwig Jacobowski. He wrote, "Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."

I rejoice.

I'll still be around here as much as I can to chat about general aviation trivia and history, and I'm looking forward to that. Meanwhile, you all fly safe, y' hear?
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear about your health setback. Prayers sent. Thanks for your positive attitude. Wish you well.
 
Post of the year and makes me smile and celebrate it happened with you…best of luck making it happen, to add some more!
 
Stay strong and hopeful. Looking forward to you adding some more hours!
 
I remember a chat with my AME of all people. We somehow got started talking about things we used to be able to do when we were younger. He said, “No sense in feeling bad about what you used to be able to do, be thankful for the things you still can do.”

Good on you Jeff, and you may not remember but I still do remind when we met for lunch a long time ago.
 
In the spirit of smiling because it happened... Of those planes you got to fly, do you have any favorites? Did a flight school really fly a Lake?

Here's to keep on keepin on.
 
Wow. No matter what happens, know that you have contributed to GA way above and beyond the call. You have been and always will be an inspiration to us all.
 
12/7/2019...The day I gave Jeff a flight review.

Why he picked me out of the hundreds of CFIs in AZ, I don't know. Heck, the ink of my ticket wasn't completely dry yet having only been a CFI for two years. I was shocked, humbled, and honored to even be asked. To say I was nervous would have been an understatement, truth be told I was downright scared of embarrassing myself. To think, the king of POA trivia, had asked me for a flight review.

I busted out the books. I slept with the AIM under my pillow for good measure. I scoured the internet. Probably even searched these forums. But really, now do you prepare for a guy like Jeff? I had previously met Jeff socially during breakfast meetups with other AZ pilots, so I knew he was a gracious gentleman and therefore knew he would go easy on me. But still, I didn't want to disappoint and didn't want to go easy on him. I wanted to be seen by Jeff as a solid CFI.

The day arrived. Jeff flew down to my home airport in N737YQ, a C-172 that had once belonged to his father. It had a warning, front and center on the panel: "AVOID PROLONGED INVERTED FLIGHT" If you know Jeff, then you know his sense of humor. I think he said his dad had put it up. Check out Jeff's photo link and look closely, you'll see the warning

We sat down in a side room in the airport terminal. I nervously pulled out the flight review checklist from AC 61-98D like I do with everyone with the FAR/AIM on the table. Then began our conversation and I was instantly at ease. Jeff was genuinely interested in reviewing the regulations, getting my opinion the current state of technology for GA pilots, asking me questions on a few things here and there and patiently allowing me to go through the checklist. The time flew by. Here was a man who has forgotten more than I have ever known about aviation, never once treating me with anything less than complete courtesy and respect.

Now it was time to fly. On one hand, I sort of felt silly for putting Jeff through the paces; steep turns, slow flight, stalls, engine out, emergency descent etc. On the other hand, Jeff dutifully performed each task without question. Rules are rules. There was nothing that needed brushing up on, thank god. Did I mention I didn't want to embarrass myself?

Then, having quickly completed the basic airwork maneuvers and still needing to run out the clock, I decided that recovery from unusual attitudes ought to take up some time. I looked at Jeff through the corner of my eyes and detected a faint smile. Sure, why not says Jeff. So he puts on the hood and I do my best to trip him up and disorient him, all to no avail. I knew ahead of time that would be the outcome, but it was worth the try. Then, just for fun, I asked him to do steep turns under the hood. Nope, not able to trip him up here either, they came out perfect. We both had a good laugh, and Jeff said he hadn't done those in years.

The rest of the flight review is fuzzy in my memory, but we went back to the airport, I'm sure we did a couple of landings, probably a power off 180. I signed Jeff's logbook. And he paid me. This man paid ME.

Since that flight review I haven't seen much of Jeff due to personal events in my life and obviously personal events in Jeff's life. I regret that, but life gets in the way. I still thoroughly enjoy his posts here as I sure many others do as well.

I wouldn't know Jeff if it wasn't for POA.

I just wanted to publicly say I will cherish that day forever. Jeff made me feel like a million bucks. We would all be a better person if we were a little more like Jeff.
 
I have really enjoyed your awesome aviation stories and even better photos you have shared with us across the internet. It is a better place because of you.
God bless Jeff.
 
Bad news. Perfect attitude. Sorry to hear the former, and unsurprised to see the latter. I hope you can get into the air a lot more, but if not I think you made good use of the chance while it lasted. And that's about all any of us can hope to do on this rock.
 
For those of us lucky to have met Jeff, you already know. For those who haven’t had the pleasure, he is a warm, kind hearted person who treats you an as equal although his accomplishments in life eclipses those of most of us. You would never know that he’s a lawyer. ;)

Jeff and I have exchanged quite a few private messages on this forum and I knew a lot of his medical issues long before most. I take that as a huge sign of friendship and trust.

Jeff, I wish you nothing but the best in the future and hope you get back in the air soon on your own. If not, you’re welcome to fly with me anytime sir.
 
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I hope I have both the courage, and the mental fortitude to recognize when it is time to hang it up.
@Pilawt thanks for it with grace.

Tim
 
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