First Plane Rides

3958v · Post by **3958v** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:04 am

Before starting this topic I must confess to stealing it from the 120 140 site. Just wondering how many of you remember what type of plane you recieved your first plane ride in. I got mine in the back seat of a J3 with my older brother and me belted into one seat. I remember flying about 100 ft above our barn and yelling hello to the people on the ground. Since it was 1961 I am sure that the statue of limitations has passed. Bill

Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:10 am

A 172 in the sixties. Scared as heck the whole ride and darn near ripped the arm rest of the sidewall when the pilot reduced throttle to land.

Scared of heights then and still today.

That's why I'm a professional helicopter pilot. Anything over 1500ft agl is just to dam high.

rupertjl · Post by **rupertjl** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:06 am

mine was a 1929 Fleet, I was about 8 years old...i just remember holding on the to cross bar across the front and peeking out over the edge...but man what a ride...

cessna170bdriver · Post by **cessna170bdriver** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:31 am

Mine was at age 3 in N70449, Dad's J3 (actually an L4 that he rebuilt into a J3), strapped in my Dad's lap (or maybe on one knee?). My earliest clear memory (of anything) is circling my grandmother's house (where we lived at the time).

Miles

4583C · Post by **4583C** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:55 am

My first flight was in the backseat of a Supercub my Dad had hired to spray brush with 2-4-5-T (aka agent orange). He was supposed to use one of his larger planes ( a Snow, I think) but the two of them were both down due to crash damage so he brought the Supercub. I remember not realizing we had left the ground till I looked out the window and looked down on the Angora goats running for their lives. The flight was great...the landing as smooth as the takeoff. After my ride we were treated to an impromtu airshow with the Supercub doing a number of loops probably not 100 yards from us. My memory says he was no more than 20 feet agl at the bottom of the loops! I think that was the day I was hooked. Looking back I can't believe my Dad let me ride with that guy. He sprayed for my Dad several more years after that but it was always a big yellow low wing single seater with a round engine, which probably fueled my infatuation for anything with round engines. That memory is fourty plus years old and most of it still crystal clear...and no I don't remember what I had for lunch.

Kyle Wolfe · Post by **Kyle Wolfe** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:46 am

My first flight was in a Sea Bee with my Dad and his good hunting/fishing buddy. Too young to remember. But I've got some cool old pictures of that bird.

Had the fun of giving my 4 year old niece her first airplane ride this weekend on Easter day in front of my Dad. Did a few easy roller coasters after her first ride (couldn't stop at one!) and all she could say was "Do it again Uncle Kyle - Do it again!".

Don't know who was the happiest or who had the biggest smile - my niece, me, or my Dad.

blueldr · Post by **blueldr** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:53 am

My first ride in an airplane was in a Ryan PT-22 at Morton Air Academy in Blythe, California, in 1942. My contingent of new aviation cadets arrived on a railroad siding adjacent to the flight school at about six thirty AM, and they were just starting the days flying. It got very hot in Blythe, so they started early.
As you probably know, the PT-22 was powered with a five cylinder Kinner radial engine. The exhaust collector exited two cylinders on one side and three cylinders on the other. This made for a really ratty exhaust sound, not too different from one of those old pre war John Deere tractors with a two cylindre engine.
Prior to my association with my old uncle sam, I was an engine mechanic for Lockheed Aircraft working on Vega Ventura aircraft. These beautiful
machines were one of the first airplanes equipped with the then new Pratt and Whitney, eighteen cylinder Double Wasp R2800 engine. The exhaust was collected into a single outlet on the outboard side of the nacelles. My experience called for aircraft exhaust to be a really joyous, deep throated rumble that was capable of raising the hair on the back of your neck.
Here we were unloading from this railroad car as these PT-22s were taking off and we're hearing a ragged three cylinder exhaust sound.
My very first thought was"These dirty bastards have sent me here to die!"
After my first flight, I calmed down. I could, from inside the airplane, hear all five cylinders and became reassured.
Primary Flying School consisted of abour sixty five flight hours and then we moved on to Basic flying Trainers, Vultee BT-13s.
Even as we left Primary, you can bet your sweet ass that we were all the hottest goddam pilots that ever strapped an airplans on our butts!
Damn,Boys, those were the days!!!

HA · Post by HA » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:40 am

dang Dick, that sounds like some fun. I can't compete, but I can add my story at least

my first ride was in a 172 when I might have been 3 or 4, all I remember is a few views out the side window. my first ride when I got to help fly were in an Ercoupe with the windows down, looking out at some supposed UFO landing sites (no clue what they were really, I was like 10). I remember that I couldn't hold an altitude even then, must be why I like flying around thunderstorms now

I gave a friend's kids their first rides a couple weeks ago on her 40th birthday, always great to get kids hooked on flying. now every time they see me they want to go for a ride

johneeb · Post by **johneeb** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:45 am

johneeb wrote:When I was 6 years old I went on a turn around trip from MDW to LGA with my dad in one of these. The high lights in my memory were a 360 around the Statue of Liberty and a nap in the crew lounge bunk bed that had no sheets.
Johneb

TWA Connie.jpg (12.2 KiB) Viewed 10575 times

pojawis · Post by **pojawis** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:53 pm

With my brother @ 4yrs old, me @ 5yrs old, my Dad, and his instructor in a straight -tailed 172 in 1962 from a grass strip in Central Maryland. Flew that way several times a week for quite awhile until one of us kids asked Dad, in front of Mom (who didn't approve of flying), "Hey Dad, when are we going flying again?" The next time (flying) was 1972 when all three of us began/resumed our flight training.

bsdunek · Post by **bsdunek** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:01 pm

Spring of 1946. My dad just got his private. Took me up in a Taylorcraft. I don't know what year the T-Craft was, but it was red and black.
Hooked me on flying before we even got off the ground.

Paul-WI · Post by **Paul-WI** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:26 pm

My first time was a 180. A few of us decided we wanted to go and learn how to skydive about 15 years ago. By the time we where done I had 2 take offs and 0 landings

. I still don't know to this day why I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. There is no way you could convince me to do this now - and I am still "nervous" with heights

Paul
N3458D

cessna170bdriver · Post by **cessna170bdriver** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:48 pm

blueldr wrote:My first ride in an airplane was in a Ryan PT-22 at Morton Air Academy in Blythe, California, in 1942. ...

Anyone remember the PT-22 at the Tehachapi Convention? The owner is thinning his fleet and his Ryan (and Seabee) is on the market. If anyone's interested, call or PM me, and I'll forward George's contact info.

Miles

bradbrady · Post by **bradbrady** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:00 am

My first time was with Dad and Delbert Koerner, on one of Dads instruction flights in a Piper 140. Straped into the back seat at, I think 4 or 5 years old, scared s___less.

And it didn't get any better untill I was 15 years old, And then only because of peer presure, (basicly Dad and Jim Waters forced me into part ownership of a PA-12) and if you own you should know how to fly! There's a lot more to this story but I don't want to bore you.

brad

iowa · Post by **iowa** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:30 am

1st ride
w/earnie priddy at nevada ia
when i was 16
i was hooked!!
dave