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December 17, 1903
- Thread starter John Turney
- Start date
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My oldest is one degree of separation from the Right Bros.
When our oldest was 7 to 11 years old we lived at Hill AFB. There were airplanes, mostly F16s, constantly flying overhead. Thus began his fascination with flying, as you might surmise from this grade school artwork:
After Hill, we moved to Scott AFB IL where he began flying Microsoft Flight Simulator constantly. He was addicted to it. For his 13th birthday we bought him a ride in a helicopter over St Louis and he was hooked..
We eventually moved to New Mexico where he joined the Civil Air Patrol and, at 14, went to a two week CAP glider encampment down in Hobbs, NM where he took glider lessons and solo'd a glider. After the encampment, he was the only one of the group who continued with lessons, eventually earning is Glider License. This is where the Wright Bros connection comes in. It turns out, his instructor was a very old guy named Al Santilli (who also swore him into the Air Force when he commissioned). Anyhow, Al had been flying gliders since he was a young man and, as it turns out, Al's glider license was signed off by Orville Wright.
Shaun flew KC-135s in the Air Force (still in Reserves) and now flys 737s for a cargo carrier. From an early age we knew he would end up doing something involving aviation.
When our oldest was 7 to 11 years old we lived at Hill AFB. There were airplanes, mostly F16s, constantly flying overhead. Thus began his fascination with flying, as you might surmise from this grade school artwork:
After Hill, we moved to Scott AFB IL where he began flying Microsoft Flight Simulator constantly. He was addicted to it. For his 13th birthday we bought him a ride in a helicopter over St Louis and he was hooked..
We eventually moved to New Mexico where he joined the Civil Air Patrol and, at 14, went to a two week CAP glider encampment down in Hobbs, NM where he took glider lessons and solo'd a glider. After the encampment, he was the only one of the group who continued with lessons, eventually earning is Glider License. This is where the Wright Bros connection comes in. It turns out, his instructor was a very old guy named Al Santilli (who also swore him into the Air Force when he commissioned). Anyhow, Al had been flying gliders since he was a young man and, as it turns out, Al's glider license was signed off by Orville Wright.
Shaun flew KC-135s in the Air Force (still in Reserves) and now flys 737s for a cargo carrier. From an early age we knew he would end up doing something involving aviation.
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Very cool connection to some real history your son has Bas.
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That is very cool to be able to attend that commemoration. Bet you have some great pics.
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We have one of their 1910 engines on display. Apparently the first to have a cast aluminum block. We cranked it up on Dec 17, 2003, for a few demonstrations. No carburetor, no throttle, fuel pump, or spark plugs. Used off-fuselage batteries to get the first spark.
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Unfortunately, I was in uniform and shooting it as a job for the Department of Defense. THEY have some great pictures.
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Department of Defense? The Wright Flyer does not make a dependable weapons delivery platform.Unfortunately, I was in uniform and shooting it as a job for the Department of Defense. THEY have some great pictures.
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Paul, I love the blunderbuss, the dog lock is especially cool.