My anniversary present after 44 years with the same lovely, loving woman. A Glider flight!

Well Sir, t'day, the 18th of December, 2010 is the 44th wedding anniversary of "Mrs Cookie" and myself. God only knows how me beautiful Irish lass of a wife managed to stick it out so long with this cantankerous old Navy "Bubblehead and Seabee, but she did.

























Today she gave me a wonderful anniversary gift and I'd like to share my excitement and elation with Y'all.

As most of y'all who follow my blog with any regularity know, Cookie loves to fly, and although I have had the privilege of flying many various aircraft over the years, there is one type of aircraft Cookie has never had the opportunity to get my hands on the controls of one of these beauties, a Sailplane! That's right, a glider!

Today, my wonderful wife Elaine gave me one of the best anniversary presents she ever could, a lesson and an hour and one half glider flight.

What has always attracted me to flying a glider is the silence of the flight with only the sound of the wind to keep you company (and/or the sound of the instructor screaming in terror in the rear seat).


I imagine I'll set up the appointment for June or July so as to catch the best rising air currents (Thermals).

Other planes I have been fortunate enough to have flown/or flown in.

B-17 "Flying Fortress"



In fact, learned to fly in this vintage J-3 Piper Cub having flown out of the old Cicero Airport in Cicero, NY. I began flying lessons at age 12 and had me first solo at age 16. Would have solo'd much earlier but FAA law said you had to be at least 16 to solo.



The T-6 Texan Fighter/Trainer



B-24 Liberator



A "Texan".



P-40 "Flying Tiger"


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