"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
           — Leonardo da Vinci

In light of recent events, these reports are rather enlightening & encouraging 
- "Nuclear Security: General Aviation is not a threat".  
- "US Nuclear Plants Can Survive Plane Attack" (Reuters) 

As a general aviation pilot, the aftershock of September 11 strikes home personally.  My rights, my freedom, are now in jeopardy.  The day after, I realized that the country had suddenly become quiet. I looked to the skies and realized that the scheduled flights over our house were all grounded, and the small planes that often practiced flight maneuvers wouldn't be flying today.  Their engines silenced, rows of  planes sat on the ground unable to return to the skies.  

Having just received my license, I had no idea when I would be able to take advantage of my hard work, time and money spent over several years.   How long would we remain on the ground?   

Before September 11, I may have had a small idea what it meant to be a United States citizen, but now I understand.  As a US citizen, our freedom is precious and comes with a great price.  Previous generations have paid with their lives for what we now enjoy, and may take for granted.  Our armed forces may be losing their lives right now for what we enjoy.  For those without liberty, you have no idea what you're missing.   

Our world is what we make of it.  Choose wisely. 

I recently took a colleague's husband on a scenic flight.  We had a great time flying around the local hills and valleys.

On the ramp at Watsonville

Moss Landing Harbor 
from the air

Cal Parker designed Jeanie's Teenie for his daughter Jeanie.  The plans were published in Popular Mechanics in 1968, which is about when this plane was started.  I rescued it from a barn in Indiana and will finish it eventually.  

Teenie on the trailer

It was a great sunny day in California, perfect for exploring our world from the air.   

On the ramp at Hollister

Hollister Airfield from 
left downwind into 24

Combining two of my favorite activities, heli-boarding is definitely one of the best experiences in my life.  Flying out of Panorama, B.C., RK Heliski provides a lift to an incredible set of peaks.  It snowed three feet the night before.  Like Warren says, if you don't try it this year, you'll only be another year older when you do.  

Ready for another flight up A view of the chopper 
after being dropped off

Living a dream of da Vinci's, one of my adventures is learning to hang-glide.  No engine, only the wing above and the ground below.   Similar to flying a sail-plane, but much closer to the air.  

Last task flight for HANG-1 Click image to see movie of flight 
(requires Quicktime) - 3.9MB

My wife and I flew over to Death Valley to meet my parents.  We had a great time near Shoshone at the China Ranch Date Farm and exploring the old mines nearby.    

Running over the pre-takeoff 
checklist		 Taxiing to the runway for 
takeoff

My first flight in a Cozy at the Hollister Air Show.  

When you can't get off the ground, simulators are the way to go:

The "jet-pack" simulator at the Tech Museum in San Jose simulates a low-friction environment.  It's one of my favorite things to do at the Tech.