How I spent 9/11/2021, twenty years later

Digitalpilotnm

Hello fellow aviators!
Twenty years ago aviation was used as a tool to cause mass destruction and death in our country. It was a sad day for all of us and has had a lasting and profound impact on our ability to fly. While that day robbed us of many things, it robbed our youth the ability to come out to the airport and "hang out" with airplanes, aviators, maintenance folks and the like. It robbed our youth the ability to explore, to touch, to feel, to smell, to hear, to see, to participate in and learn more about aerospace. I remember going out to the airport as a kid and the freedom to wander around looking at airplanes. 9/11 made sure that can't happen anymore!

So today, I chose to donate my time to our local EAA Chapter 179 and participate in Young Eagles. Today was a great day! Our chapter flew 31 young people today. I flew 5 of them in a Cessna C-172 that I rented from our local FBO (Bode Aviation). It was awesome, the energy, the excitement of both kids and parents, the ability to help our local youth have a first hand experience with aerospace / aviation.

I had the honor of flying two young people, a brother and a sister, who's flight with me today was their very first time ever above the ground. Yup, these two had never been in any form of a "flying machine" before. Today they got to see our big blue marble from several thousand feet AGL, and even control the aircraft a bit. They were amazed at how small things looked from up above.

I also had the honor of flying a young man who was a bit nervous at first, but by the time we landed, and after he had taken the controls, he exclaimed "Mom, I LOVE AIRPLANES"

While the above might sound like me tooting my horn, I hope that it actually is inspiration for all of us Aviators here. Go out, be active and participate in EAA's Young Eagles, help a local scout troop earn their aviation badges. Each and everyone of us is an ambassador of General Aviation. Go Promote!!

I chose to spend the day showing the positive of aviation to our youth.

Have a great weekend.

Scott Sherer

That's noble thing you did today. I did the same thing at EAA chapter 838 in Racine, Wisconsin today. We had about 30 kids today, too, with five pilots and their flying machines. Altogether, we have flown over 4,500 kids.

Resq5hvy

I took a different approach, I got a sun burn watching my kid ride my/her horse is a local fun show. I watched planes from below and was surprised every company plane that flew over the show was CE-680A coming into KCMH.
Then of course a Piper Arrow flew overhead and 4 people at once asked where my plane was. At least I now have a plane, safely on the ground 150 miles away.
September 11 has always been tough for me, this was the best yet, away from the office. I am a former member of the USAF, a retired Police Officer and 18 years as an Air Craft Dispatcher, brother is a Fire Fighter EMT/P, USA SF. I have it covered on 4 sides, every profession that day hurt I have a link.
I can never forget, never forgive.
On September 11, 2001 I was driving home from vacation, Jeeping is southern Colorado Northern NM. The rig I was driving was 20,000 pounds over weight so 60 mph was top speed, it took forever to get home.

johnsouthworth

20 years wow. I was having my first holiday in a while staying at this great place called The Chateau in NZ. I was 34 and just finished a role when the business closed globally 6 or 700 staff (unfortunate really) where I was NZ Head of Institutional Equities, good for a young guy. NZ was relatively small in the biz.

I started getting calls early, turned on the TV and truly struggled to grasp what I was looking at. When I did I jumped in the car and headed to my office in Auckland, I had my own trading room setup. Started shorting insurance etc. My book was pretty clear due to the holiday. Sad to say but that is what traders do in those events despite the tragedy.

Within the next 12 months I had re-joined the army reserve(was in during uni), commissioned 3 years later(2nd oldest at that time to complete that program). I ended up overseas with the army(wife left before that) and I am just bowing out of that really today with some man bling(medals) but more importantly service completed.

The service has made no material difference to me financially but probably cost a family. But that is choice and life. And choice is what I served for.

Resq5hvy

@johnsouthworth
Thanks for standing up. Only a few do, you are to be respected.
I too have man bling, at least someone noticed what you did. For me everyone remembers when I broke into an old ladies house to tell her that her neighbors house was on fire, she should come out and watch. It was also winter, white death covered the ground. No one remembers what you did to get the bling but they never forget that 1 window.