I started flying in the summer of 1967 when I graduated from high school, got my private ticket and passed the commercial written, started pumping gas at our local FBO and collected hours in more small aircraft that I can now remember, I have a little stick time in probably 20 or so different aircraft most single engine fixed gear with some twin time in Aztecs, Twin Comanches and a Cessna 310. The most memorable of my short hops was about an hours time in an old WW II Taylorcraft spotter plane still in war paint & markings, what a fun time, as I recall it only had three gauges, a tach, an oil pressure gauge and a turn and bank indicator, the fuel gauge was a glass tube under the wing you had to look out the window to see. What a blast!! The good life came to an abrupt end in late 1968 when my draft notice arrived. I was absolutely crushed to find out that neither the Air Force or the Navy was willing to turn me loose in their F-4 Phantoms even with my high school diploma and impressive amount of hours (about 200) so I had to settle for being an Air Traffic Controller in the Air Force, a tour at Kelly AFB in Texas and at U-Tapio in Thailand with SAC and the B-52's. I was there for the Christmas bombing in 1972 and saw the POWs come thru there on their way home after being released in March 1973, went to work for the Federal Aviation Admn. when I got out and enjoyed all that aviation had to offer until President Reagan fired me in August of 1981 for going on strike. I have never been in an aircraft since but can often be found in the skies of Aces High in my B-17, "The Heifer"
OldBull