Flight Training - August 2021 - 6

ALWAYS LEARNING BY KOLLIN STAGNITO
Vice President of Publications/Editor
KOLLIN STAGNITO will be moving
to Frederick, Maryland, in August. He
looks forward to expanding his circle of
aviation friends and great places to fly
and plans to visit Chicago often.
kollin.stagnito@aopa.org
Now firmly hooked again, I thought,
" if I need a flight review anyway, I might
as well do it in a tailwheel airplane. "
Learning to fly tailwheel after a decade
on the ground was intimidating but thoroughly
enjoyable. I craved the challenge
and enjoyed the camaraderie with my
instructor. I was quickly becoming a
better pilot and eagerly bought a simple,
two-place tailwheel airplane (for the cost
of a used car) before I had completed my
tailwheel endorsement.
My flight instructor and I flew comNEW
DREAM
In a flash I had a new aviation dream: camping with my son
under the wing of our classic tailwheel airplane. Problem was, I
didn't own a tailwheel airplane, didn't have a tailwheel endorsement,
and hadn't flown in 10 years.
Like most of you, I pursued aviation with a passion when I first became
hooked. In my case, I was just finishing college. I earned my private pilot certificate,
bought a worn-out Cessna 150, and reveled in aircraft ownership and the
freedom of flight. When I needed something faster for business trips, I sold the
150, earned an instrument rating, and began renting a Cessna 182. A few years
later, I decided to build an experimental airplane, which I sold just before my son
was born. With increased time commitments for family and work I didn't fly as
much, and eventually not at all.
I still looked skyward every time an airplane flew overhead, and I never failed to
renew my medical certificate, but somehow I lost my zeal for flying.
Until a moment in time rekindled the spark. My 7-year-old son and I were sitting
under the wing of an airplane at EAA AirVenture enjoying the airshow. We were
among a sea of antique and vintage airplanes-mostly the tailwheel variety-along
the Vintage flight line near show center. Airplane owners and their friends and families
were camping next to their airplanes in the grassy parking area. Cool airplanes,
friendly people, the world's largest airshow, and the ability to camp overnight with
your airplane. It was magical. I yearned for that experience. We understand your
yearnings may differ, so Senior Content Producer Ian Twombly offers many reasons
to get back into the air in " Rekindle the Spark, " p. 30.
6
FLIGHT TRAINING AUGUST 2021
mercially to Boston to retrieve my new
aerial ride. The two-day ferry back to
Chicago significantly increased my proficiency,
and my confidence, after being
away from aviation so long. By the time
we landed in Chicago, I had secured my
flight review, my tailwheel endorsement,
and a renewed passion for flight.
Cool airplanes, friendly
people, the world's
largest airshow, and
the ability to camp
overnight with your
airplane. It was magical.
It turns out that flying into AirVenture
with my son and camping under the wing
of our airplane for a week-while spectacular-was
not my aviation dream after
all. It was a terrific short-term goal that
reignited my lifelong aviation journey.
My son will soon be off to Purdue
University to study airline management
and operations, and my flying needs are
likely to change once more. What is my
next adventure? Seaplanes? Gliders?
Rotorcraft? I'm not yet sure, but general
aviation has many avenues to pursue to
keep us in the sky and always learning. FT
Flight Training - August 2021

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