BOBbing

This was too much work for one post so I kept putting it off but I gotta put it in, and put it in the right chronological order on here, because…OCD. ;)

This was going to be Morgan’s first time giving rides as a C-45 pilot. She had practiced the day before, and hadn’t done super well on takeoffs and landings. I think she got in her own head a bit, and had one landing in particular she bounced and almost porpoised, which was not confidence inspiring for her. But she had like 30 hours in there, and has always done very well, so I knew it was a fluke, a psych-out, and my only concern was that she’d stay psyched out for today. When we came in to land at Indy Metro, if she had trouble, I was probably going to have to take the rides myself and she’d have to do it another day. She was so nervous she hadn’t slept.

We loaded up me, her, Steve, and Justin H, and headed for Indy Metro. When it was time to land, she swung around and made a nice, short, good landing, and that helped. We sat on the ground for awhile with her nervous about getting her first ride, until finally I was like “We just need to rip the bandaid off and get this over with.” Fortunately a full set of riders came up at that time, and she was off on her first solo flight in BOB without me, also happened to be loaded up with 5 passengers. I felt like, basically WAS, a proud parent watching her load them up, taxi out, take off and disappear. I took videos of her first “solo” takeoff and landing, and of her pax, and her arm hanging out the window like mine does (because it’s hot in there), and it was fun. She ended up giving two rides that day, and flew us home. Afterwards I went up in the Champ at sunset to do some takeoffs and landings, because I haven’t flown it in months, haven’t flown the T-6 in months, and my feet are not all the way ‘back’ from winter yet. 

It was a good day. Will have to come back and upload photos when I get home…

I like shadows

Me and Morgan up front on the way over to Indy

Morgan's first official briefing as her first time being a rides pilot

Her first ride

BT-13 and C-45

Morgan's shaky hands after her first riders

Morgan's arm hanging out the window like mine does lol

First "solo" takeoff

Us riding around with the boys in the back

Coming in to land, serious face

These are official photographer photos from AirShow 360, or Trevor

That's MY arm hanging out as we were leaving lol

Sunset flight in the Champ