Flight with my dad

[Stephen Shore]

I took my dad up this past Saturday to go get the proverbial "$100 hamburger". We went on a short 80 mile trip to Sulpher Springs Municipal (KSLR) for lunch. There is a pretty good cafe across the street from the main terminal.

My dad just turned 78 and has diagnosed early stages Alzheimer's. I got my love for flying from him, although he is not a pilot - but a definite airplane lover. He has always gone up with me from the time I was 17 years old.

The early picture below was taken in 1981 just before a trip down to College Station, TX we took. The other picture was taken just before takeoff from Gladewater (07F) this past Saturday on the trip to Sulpher Springs. We had a great time. Flying and cars (he was a long time drag racer) were what we did as I grew up.

I am 55 and have one parent left, so these trips are priceless. I got back into flying for business, but I ultimately think this type of flying is in reality the best reason I have to fly again.

 

[mscard88]

Purty Sundowner! Great your dad enjoys your flying interest with you. I taught my son to fly and occasionally we'll do a flight together. Been on a few flights with grandson #1 since he was 4-5 I guess. Let him take off (me on rudders) a month ago (he's 8 now) and he flew his first take off. Have a logbook for him and enter his flights, so if he ever pursues it later I'm sure he would appreciate it. Looking forward to grandson #2 (2 yo) soon.

 

[MickYoumans]

Great stuff Stephen! I lost my Dad to Alzheimer's in 2003. Take advantage of every minute with your Dad that you can now. You will be so glad you did. It will not be easy seeing your Dad's mind decline with this disease. Two of the hardest days of my life were because of this. The first was when I had to take Dad's car keys from him because it was no longer safe for him to drive. The second was when I had to fill out the paperwork to admit him to the nursing home. He had reached a state that was beyond what my mother could deal with at home. He lived another five months in the nursing home and it was so rough seeing the rapid decline.

Thanks for sharing the trip with your Dad. I wish you the best in the time you have remaining with him. Mine has been gone for 15 years now but I still miss him.

 

[Half Fast]

Enjoy this time and be grateful for it. I still have my dad and he still has all his faculties, but he's not healthy enough for me to stuff him into an LSA for a flight. I just got my Sport certificate in November and I really wish I could take him up.

On the positive side, I've been able to take my son up a couple of times and make some great memories for both of us. I hope we'll have lots more flights together.

 

[rk911]

Most excellent! I lost my dad when I was 19 and it wasn't until much, much later that mom told me he had wanted to be a pilot and so enlisted in the Army Air Corps about a year before Pearl Harbor. He washed out in that program and transferred to the Signal Corps when the AAC wanted to make him a bombardier. He was with MacArthur's command in New Guinea and the Philippines. He never mentioned either when he was alive and so I was stunned to learn this given my love of all things aeronautical and my desire to get my pilot's certificate as well as the fact that I've had a second life-long love affair with two-way radio. How I wish he would've talked to me about all that and hadn't died so young (48). Savor the time you have left with your dad, Stephen.

 

[AKBill]

Nice Sundowner, sounds like you had a great time with your dad. Good story.