Well, for those of you who don't know, I'm a pilot - love to
fly.  My Dad was a pilot for USAir - actually, he started with
a few shipping companies, then moved onto Mohawk Airlines, 
which became Piedmont, which became Allegheny (sp?), which 
became USAir.  When he retired, he had over 26,000 hours of
flying time - a rediculously high number, and his license spanned two pages, listing all of his ratings and accomplishments.  He
told me that was a rare thing in the aviation world, and I'm sure
it's probably true, but he loved to hype things up a bit :-)<P>
My Dad died in August of 1998 - one of the three main reasons I'm glad the year is over.  About 10 years back, he got high blood pressure.  The medication he took for it triggered his diabetes,
which grounded him.  When he could no longer fly - the one thing that completed his life - he fell apart - became an alcoholic, and slowly drank himself to death.  His body finally fell apart in 1998 and that, as they say, was that.<P>
My Dad used to hang around the airports when he was a kid, and
watch the mechanics work on airplanes and bug them to let him help out.  When he was 16, he bought and built his first airplane for $800.  He used to use it to fly over the train station where my mother would be waiting in line to go to work, and yell out "Hey Rose!" to her.  He absolutely loved flying.<P>
I think his joy for flight was genetically passed down - and although it isn't my career path at the moment, it's a close second.  Actually, I think I enjoy the fact that I can fly for myself and not necessarily for a living.  So far, I've accumulated over 800 hours of flying time, and I currently hold my Instrument Rating.  I'm working on my Twin Engine rating, but at the moment I'm not rushing to get it - I think owning a twin is a bit further off in my future.<P>
In 1996, after working very hard for years to get my company off the ground, I treated myself to my very own plane.  It's taken me on some incredible trips - I've met some incredible people and had some incredible experiences with it.  Below are a couple of pictures of it... as time goes on, I'll add more to this
section.<P>
<BR><BR>
The outside of my '77 Piper Arrow III<BR>
<IMG SRC="plane.jpg"><BR><P><P>
The panel display... <BR>
<IMG SRC="plane2.jpg"><BR><P><P>
A picture from the edge of the wing of my Sister, her
girlfriend, Jay and Me - headed to Key West...<BR>
<IMG SRC="gang3.jpg"><BR><P><P>

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