At least you had the option at 18. As much as I wanted to, my eighteen year old self could never attain those heights (literally) due to asthma, colourblindness and severe long-sightedness requiring corrective lenses of the jam jar bottom variety. Much better to let someone else fly the aircraft.

That does tend to get in the way, sorry.

I could, of course, become incredibly rich and do it that way

That's the main reason I'm reluctant to do an introductory flight lesson - I know that once I do it, there'll be a rather large amount of money being spent!

The old adage; What makes planes fly? Money and lots of it!

Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choc-ice...or something like that. There's certainly times I wish I could go back...1984...what a year and I wasn't flying then

I'd quite like to revisit 1997 again myself, advice regarding my future career choices notwithstanding. Quite a good year all round.

Okay. Not a Plane. Was passing by one of our local Hospitals, this afternoon and took some photos of this "Air Care" Helicopter, as it was leaving for University of Iowa Hospital, in Iowa City, IA.


Jim.

Some photos today for the Aviation Enthusiasts, from Reagan National Airport across the River from Washington DC.


Jim

Very cool. I like those wee Embraer RJs.

And a few more.


Jim.

That first photo, a Sea King variant I believe?

Put a certain individual on it, does it not the become Marine 1?

It was Marine 1. It had just taken off from the White House, on Friday Morning, when I took the photo. I was parked alongside the Washington Monument.


Jim.

Hmm. You might have ended up flying Jaguars...

One of the more memorable drinking songs we had on the squadron (every squadron I guess, except the Jag squadrons) was called "Don't bend down when there's a Jag mate around...". No smoke without fire?

Talking of drinking songs...I recall going to an end of exercise party held by the squaddies (Army of course) in West Germany 1989 and they did the 'Deck of Cards'. When it got to the Ace of Spades it went something along the lines of "and this is the Ace of Spades which reminds us of all the civvies who've made a pile on subsistance for the last 6 weeks" Loud cheers/jeers all round and all eyes turned to us. I looked at my mate (another civvy) and we decided it was time to make a hasty exit!

Yes I did make quite a bit on that trial which supplemented my meager MoD pay at the time. The nice thing was getting 8.50ph (pounds) for flying in the helos. I had to do some aerial filming, quite a lot actually, some 20+ hours in the end.

Well a plane's a plane