Began Flight Training More Than 50 Years Ago In The Air Force

What started as a dream at age 19 finally came to pass at age 74 for Dr. Glenn Clark of Marianna, Florida. He received a private pilots licence at the controls of his own Cessna 152.

Dr. Clark told the Jackson County Floridian he always wanted to learn to fly. He started in the Air Force, soloing in the then-ubiquitous Piper Cub, but midway through his flight training, he switched to medical school and stopped flying. “Then of course, you get family, financial and career obligations, so it’s always been a problem finding enough time to do it, and money was a factor, too," he told the paper.

Two years ago, with kids out of school and fewer financial obligations, Clark bought a Cessna 152, and picked up where he'd left off. He fit flying in around his work schedule, Dr. Clark is co-director of radiology at Jackson Hospital, and planned his first solo as a newly licensed pilot Tuesday.

Clark told the paper he found the usual challenges in learning to fly. "I have to say that it’s unbelievable the amount of information you have to have. Learning all the facts was a pretty big job.” But when he was asked what was the most difficult thing to learn, he gave an answer that's likely been given by a lot of us.

"Landing," he said.

Dr. Clark is typical of so many pilots who start to fly, maybe even get their license, and then, for what ever reason, drift away. Clark's reasons are familiar: family, expense, time. But they (which could be read "we"), are an untapped resource for re-kindling the passion that's felt when there's chance to walk onto the tarmac at an air show, or among the airplanes at the local airport, or even slide into the cockpit of an airplane ... not walk on as a fare in the back ... that may have been lost, or at least set aside.  Something to think about the next time you hear an airplane overhead, and look up. [Tom Patton, ANN Editor]

FMI: www.beapilot.com