Two Pilots & an LSW: Indy Exec

I woke up at 6 something this morning, and went to get Kaylee up at 7 for Band. She was up, talking, etc. Steve asked me like three times if she was up and getting ready, and I kept saying yes, last I left her she was up. I drive out to the airport for the event today, and I get a text from Steve at 7:40 that says "Your daughter was asleep in bed!" She'd gotten half dressed and fell back onto the bed and passed back out. So she was a little late to band, and Steve was too late to help me move all the planes around, but all in all no big deal. I don't blame her for being tired. I am too!

So today was the 10th annual Down Syndrome and Air Race event held at Indy Exec airport. Last year we gave rides until two hours past when they closed, but this year we only ended up giving two rides total. It was fine, though, because it was a nice day, we had lots of people come by and ask questions and look the plane over, and we had a nice time, actually. The two I did give rides to were neat and worthwhile in and of themselves. One was a gentleman whose father was a pilot who owned a P-51, and had crashed and died in it. I asked if he was a pilot, and he said no, he'd flown a lot with his dad, but never pursued it, and wishes he had, and hadn't been in a small plane since his dad died in the 70s. Ever. So today was his birthday, and he went up in the T-6 with me. AFTER he asked me how many hours I had and how many hours I had in the T-6. ;) I let him fly it, and he said it was the best birthday present he remembers having, and that it put a big smile on his face, and he was really thrilled. As I was on short final he said "You fly this thing really well." I said thank you, but I wanted to say "Wait until we're down before you say that". ;)

The second paid rider I had was a boy with Down. He was pretty quiet, but eager to go. His mom then asked if there was anything back there that he might be able to get to that could hurt the plane or us if he should "freak out". The dad kept saying "He'll be fine!" My eyebrows go up and I leaned over to one of the Justin's and asked him to pull the stick out of the back seat, please. But the young man did great. I started off easy, straight and level, said I was going to make a turn eventually, he said 'ok', I turned and he really like it. I asked if he wanted me to do a steeper turn and he said "yes", so I did a bigger bank, and he growled out "FUN!" So I did some more. I ended up cranking him around pretty good, and he was whooping and laughing and having a fantastic time. He kept saying "That's FUN!" He did have a little trouble when we landed and he wasn't able to get out right away, but he didn't have any trouble in the air, and I enjoyed flying with him.

We had lots of people asking questions, lining up and looking in the airplane, and asking us how to get a helicopter ride (the helicopter stayed super busy today). One guy, when told it was $250 for a 20 minute ride, said "I've never paid a woman $250 for 20 minutes for anything in my life!" I told him there was a first time for everything. A Mexican family came up and asked who the pilot was, I said me, and he said "YOU?" and then looked at his wife who looked at me with open mouth and eyebrows up and big eyes. I said "Yes, me." And they both said "Wow" and walked away. One guy asked me how long I'd been flying, and when I told him, he said "What, were you 10 when you started flying??" I asked if he was trying to sweet talk his way into a free ride. ;) I had a long talk with a retired ATC guy from Indy who actually remembered two N Numbers of airplanes I fly IFR. Thought that was wild. I got a hug from the first rider, who also said I had pretty eyes when I took off my sunglasses to see the phone screen to take his photo in front of the plane. Another sweet talker. The weather was nice, winds were calm, it wasn't TOO hot until the end, the food was good even if not comped this year like it was last year I think, and all in all it was a really nice day.

At the end I took one of our helpers' daughters with me in the T-6 over to Westfield to meet her dad, who was picking up his truck to pack up the tent stuff, just to make some noise, and because I felt like it. Funny girl, quiet, sweet. After I dropped her off with her Dad, I went back to Exec and got some gas, picked up Justin, and we came on home. I realized my phone wasn't on me, but assumed I'd left it in my flightsuit pocket where I had it most of the day, and I'd taken my flightsuit off. I get to Kokomo, look in the flight suit, and no phone. I dig through the plane and my purse, nothing . Bummer. Justin thinks he remembers seeing one on top of a topper on the back of other Justin's truck. I text other Justin on Steve's phone, and sure enough, it had ridden on top of his topper all the way from the airport to his house, without falling off. He had it in his hand. So Justin took the RG and flew back down to Exec to pick up my phone for me (thank you Justin) from other Justin who went back out to the airport to deliver it (thank you other Justin). I hadn't done it though. I'd left it on the table when I flew the young lady home and it got packed up with the rest of the stuff. But I'd sure forgotten where I last had it and I'd have NEVER thought of his pick up truck, since I never went anywhere near it myself. Glad the phone didn't fall off the top. All is well.

Photos from me, Justin G, one from Justin P, and Christie B.