(applauds)

thanks so much Walt...

Vix

The kid and the pilot must be close. I didn't know you were into planes.

*chuckles... over 40 years in aviation... yeah, I kinda really like airplanes...

Vix

*laughs and does so...

Vix

Speaking as an A&P technician since 1983...

1977 here... and thank you...

Vix

I, um, did that on purpose.
You know, just to make sure you were really checking on things.

Um, right, that's it.

Bunners

rightie tightie leftie loosie - most times...

Vix

Very sweet.

thank you Helix...

Vix

That was an enjoyable read, sometimes it's the little things that get you. I can also relate to this... on different levels. Thank you for sharing this with us.

I sorta figured you'd like this one Fem... *chuckles and gives her a hug...

Vix

Hugggz back at you too.

Kid may be an idiot, but if so he's an idiot savant. Kudos to him!

*smiles...

Vix

Such a good feel good warm cozy in the soul story. And of the old school rule of why you pay attention to what matters. The goal is not to make money, itks to stay alive, not wreck the kite, and then make some money, and bollucks to the stock valuation.

*smiles very big... exactly...

Vix

That was wonderful. I know nothing of planes so the descriptions along with the story are really interesting.

airplanes are so full of history... even in my time they changed fantastically, so, since I worked with some real old timers, I got the full treatment of their teachings...

Vix

Sometimes a nuisance can be a blessing in disguise.
Another good one Vix.

and I will say, thank you so very much... Happy 4th!

Vix

We need more nuisances like Junior in our lives.
Around airplanes, most of all.

total agreement there...

Vix

I must admit... I sit here stunned after reading, not the story, but your 2 sentence intro. You see... I've been an airplane fanatic since I was about 7 years old. Got my 1st ride in an old crop duster... biplane... swore it looked as if it belonged in WWI. I studied airplanes so much that by the time I got out of high school, all 3 military's were wanting me after my ASAT and ASVAB tests. If it has a propeller I can probably fly it... if... only... I could. You see, once they had me signed up (The Army) and promised me flight school and everything... then came the test. And I found out then that I was color blind. Also found out that color blind people are not allowed to fly... unless it's for themselves. I know almost every single WWII airplane there is. My favorites are the B-17, the Billy Mitchell, The Hawker Hurricane, the Spitfire, and the P-38 Lightning. Although I would fly anything if I could.
Every day I find in you a kindred spirit. Thank you for the story. And thank you for loving airplanes too. (bows deeply)

*smiles and gives a hug... back in 1977, one of my first ever job interviews was given to me by a man who was colorblind. He told me so. He also told me the army quickly snapped him up (WWII) because of this, and put him in an observation unit flying in the venerable J3 Cub. He told me, 'Color blind people do not see camouflage.'

I met many people like this. To look at them, they were 'just' people, which they were. I didn't live through what they did, but I did remember a few of the things they told me.

When I joined the Coast Guard, I wanted to get into aviation - but I did not have 20-20 vision, and at that time it was a NO-GO...

Thank you for reading my stories.

Vix

While it hurt to be told I couldn't fly for the Army (or any commercial aviation) I understand why. The lights are usually based off the 'Red-Green-Amber' system we see at intersections. While I can easily identify them when they're together in a tree... when they are alone is when I have my issues. Those single 'flashing' intersection lights. They can be either Red or Yellow but when they're alone like that, I cannot tell you which is which. So I simply treat them all as Red and save myself from trouble. In most cockpits, the green and red lights are so bright they almost look as if they're white and are very hard to tell apart. How to get around that? Easy for me. I simply put a bit of transparent red colored tape over the red ones to give them a bit more definition. That and I know their positions anyways.

*chuckles... there are always ways...

Vix

Amen. Problems are meant to be solved. :D

That was most enjoyable. And having Grandpa leave something for Junior to find was both touching and practical. Gotta keep Quality Control on their toes!

*hug*

*smiles and gives him a hug back...

Vix

Nobody gets everything right all the time, which is why I suppose pre-flight check-lists are also so important. Also, you taught me what a cotter-key is, I've used them but never knew what they were called.

btw I was reading about the Flight 19 Bermuda Triangle mystery, a lot of books and analysis written over what was almost certainly a simple navigational error.

*chuckles... when they were looking for the Challenger after the accident, they thought they had found them. They had some nice underwater pictures and all of them looking like they had ditched together. Turns out they were aircraft dumped over the side after the war.

and... at one con I had to walk out of a panel of aviation types. It was put on by young pilots, and they were laughing about an instructor telling one of his students not to bother with a pre-flight inspection. Sorry... I couldn't take that. If that's the way they all felt about flying, then they were dead men walking.

Vix

Bravado, poor advice and social pressure has got a lot of people killed. And I didn't know that about the Challenger, there have been rumours that one or more of the planes have been found but I don't think its been confirmed.