Landon - I'll miss you
For those of us who flew with him (me included) – consider yourselves ‘cyber-hugged’.
I’m sure he’s in all our prayers.
My first instructor Mike Conti – back in 2009 – had organized a lesson for me with Landon. Landon had organized the lesson, _not_ at KISP (Islip, Long Island) but, rather, out at Republic airport! (KFRG). Some friend of his had a brand new R-22 and I was to meet ‘them’ at some funky hangar. So I drove there, arrived at the parking lot and waited. Landon showed up in a pickup-truck and we then drove to the funky hangar. The pickup truck looked like it had gone over every mountain in the state of Utah.
I think I had about 15 hours at the time, and was very much a space-cadet at the controls. Landon didn’t mind and after he maneuvered it clear of the hangars, let me fly it out and away from KFRG – to the south shore for some airwork and some confined area ops.
This being a brand new R22 – jeebus – it was like driving a brand new car. It was tight, pleasant to fly, didn’t shake or rattle or groan – in comparison to the R-22's I was taking lessons in. As is always the case when you are flying with a new CFI -- and esp. in the narrow confines of an R-22 cockpit! -- I was very tense, but HE was so relaxed (yet plainly very expert) that the lesson was an absolute pleasure. He even showed me how to hold the cyclic so that the back of my hand wouldn't go numb (which it often did.)
I remember THAT lesson like it was yesterday, and, yesterday, as I revisited the page in my logbook where that flight was recorded, when I looked at his signature – I just took a long pause, and sighed.
I have no doubt this 'event' was 'unexpected' and I've no doubt he did his effing best - right to the last second - to save the lives of his passengers.
:-(
Gerry