AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 46

PILOT BRIEFING
MUSINGS |
The thrill is back
Memories of first flights, great people, and a hope to fly again
BY ROBERT LEE ROHRER
I SEE A LOT of general aviation aircraft flying
around Davie County, North Carolina,
and last fall I found the nearby Sugar Valley
Airport. As I stood by the runway a flood of
memories hit me and rekindled my interest
in aviation.
It all began for me in 1953, on
Jacksonville Road in Towaco, New Jersey. I
was just 13 and had been working an annual
summer job on a local truck farm. It was a
couple of miles from home and my daily
bike ride took me past a small grass airstrip.
One day after work I stopped to ask the pilot
I had seen there if he would give me a ride.
He said yes, but it would cost $5.
I dashed home to get the money from
46 | AOPA PILOT July 2021
my savings and rode back as fast as I could
to get my very first ride in an airplane. I
recall my mom asking where I was going
so fast, and I think I said something like,
" I'm in a hurry, I'll tell you later! "
When I got back to the airport, I gave
the pilot the $5 and in no time, we were
taking off in what I learned was a Piper
Cub. This was a long time ago, but I think
the ride lasted about 30 minutes. It was
exciting to look down from the air and see
all the places I knew.
When we got over our house, I could
see my mom outside hanging laundry.
As we continued to circle it did not take
her long to figure out where I had gone in
such a hurry. By the time we landed she
was already there. It was embarrassing the
degree to which she chastised the pilot for
taking a minor for an airplane ride without
parental permission. She also made it clear
my dad had just passed away earlier that
year, that she was my sole guardian, and
that the pilot better never take me flying
again. He never did; he crashed that Piper
Cub some months later and died.
Then I remembered Dick Plahn, the
man who taught me to fly. I had worked
with him at Aircraft Radio Corporation, a
Cessna subsidiary in Boonton, New Jersey.
Dick was an engineer, and I was advertising
and public relations manager.
DANIEL DIOSDADO

AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021

Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011demo
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot0308
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com