The Other Side of the Cones
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Joined: May 2004
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From: El Monte, California
The Other Side of the Cones
To me, airshows have always been a bittersweet affair. Between the demo flights and aerobatic teams were the periods of open airspace. The airport returned to it's natural form, the circut grew crowded with ride flights and sightseers, and for a while the airport operated just like any other day. Spectators averted their eyes from the skies and headed off to forage for sandwiches, shaved ice, and die-cast fighter jets. Not me. I admired the boring old Cessnas and Pipers. A Mooney was just as interesting as a warbird. I'd watch otherwise normal people cross the sacred line of safety tape and traffic cones, out onto the hallowed expanse of tarmac, out to their airplane. The pilot would circle the plane, looking it over. A nudge here, a cap tightened there. Preflight complete, doors would open, passengers would climb in, and the engine would putter to a start. Just a Cessna, to them. To me, an unattainable dream, a Real Airplane. I'd give anything to be them. To be a pilot would be the best thing on earth. As they taxied past the static displays and tents, I'd imagine seeing all the airshow spectators from the other side. A few minutes later, the plane would reappear, airborne, passing with a buzz, then gone. I felt not just longing, but genuine jealousy. Then it was time to go home, back to my ordinary, rather boring life. I'd take home a toy plane or two, perhaps a book, but always regret. Regret that I couldn't cross the tape, climb into an airplane, and fly away. I'd think - Someday I will. I knew it when I was eight, and I never forgot. When school ends for the summer in a few weeks, I'm going to learn to fly. Nothing but an ordinary Grob 109, but more than I had any right to hope for. I only pray, that when I'm old, with hours upon hours, that I don't forget what it was like on the other side of the cones. I hope whenever you are flying the old club Arrow for the thousandth time, you remember, that someone, somewhere, would kill to be you. Enjoy it.
Rainbow Chaser
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 608
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From: At home, mostly!
Josh52104 - thank you for such a sweet reminder of how privileged those of us who can go "beyond the cones" actually are - whether we are pilots or merely folks helping out on the day! You are SO right and I am sure your sentiments can be echoed right across the globe! Best of luck with your flying training...may all your landings be soft!! 
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Anywhere
Josh
What a brilliant post. It took me back to the days of another kid who'd go to airshows when he could, watched from afar, always dreamed of being able to get close to aircraft. Nothing else mattered. He later joined the military just to be close to them, learned to fly gliders to enjoy the wonder and marvel of flight. He talked his way into flying in as many types as possible - handling the controls when he could. Still dreaming of the day when he could fly a powered aircraft himself, but never thinking it was possible.
A few years down the line - he works sat at a screen. It's round with a 'sweep' on it, symbols that show heights and positions - working the other side of the cones and the other side of the runway. I'm still near aeroplanes, I have aviation friends. I get to hang around modern jets and warbirds. It's not 'work' to me (probably never will be
), it's still fun.
The same sort of fun as when I get in my shared Piper Archer and fly to France for the day, or fly an IFR approach to minimums in a twin engined Aztec, or am sat up at 35000 in the co-pilots seat of a corporate jet.
Yes - we are very, very lucky. It's something I never forget - I often think back to when I was younger and think "Dreams can come true".
Enjoy your flying, enjoy the friends you'll meet in our global community, enjoy the feeling everytime you step in an aircraft and run through those pre-start checks. Remember with it the power of dreams - if you want something enough you can travel as far down the road as you want, achieving anything you want. The first steps you're about to take can sometimes be the hardest - but once you start - never stop!
What a brilliant post. It took me back to the days of another kid who'd go to airshows when he could, watched from afar, always dreamed of being able to get close to aircraft. Nothing else mattered. He later joined the military just to be close to them, learned to fly gliders to enjoy the wonder and marvel of flight. He talked his way into flying in as many types as possible - handling the controls when he could. Still dreaming of the day when he could fly a powered aircraft himself, but never thinking it was possible.
A few years down the line - he works sat at a screen. It's round with a 'sweep' on it, symbols that show heights and positions - working the other side of the cones and the other side of the runway. I'm still near aeroplanes, I have aviation friends. I get to hang around modern jets and warbirds. It's not 'work' to me (probably never will be
), it's still fun. The same sort of fun as when I get in my shared Piper Archer and fly to France for the day, or fly an IFR approach to minimums in a twin engined Aztec, or am sat up at 35000 in the co-pilots seat of a corporate jet.
Yes - we are very, very lucky. It's something I never forget - I often think back to when I was younger and think "Dreams can come true".
Enjoy your flying, enjoy the friends you'll meet in our global community, enjoy the feeling everytime you step in an aircraft and run through those pre-start checks. Remember with it the power of dreams - if you want something enough you can travel as far down the road as you want, achieving anything you want. The first steps you're about to take can sometimes be the hardest - but once you start - never stop!
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Canada
Great post!
I have been quite myopic since age seven ... I was told that I would never be able to qualify for a pilot's license, which I believed until I was 30 years old and actually looked into it properly. In a way, I am glad that I missed out on potential years of flying: it keeps me from taking anything for granted.
Flying an aircraft (any aircraft) is a great privilege, even if it's merely a beat-up old [insert name of despised airplane type here].
I have been quite myopic since age seven ... I was told that I would never be able to qualify for a pilot's license, which I believed until I was 30 years old and actually looked into it properly. In a way, I am glad that I missed out on potential years of flying: it keeps me from taking anything for granted.
Flying an aircraft (any aircraft) is a great privilege, even if it's merely a beat-up old [insert name of despised airplane type here].
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just South of the last ice sheet
Fantastic post Josh , brought back memories of my first airshow at Swansea with my dad joking with a few young RAF pilots that their Meteor wasn't a real aeroplane like his old Halifax. You summed up the yearning to be on the other side of the fence perfectly.
Every time I fly into Swansea now (many years later) I still remember the small boy peering through the chain link fence at the "unreachable" aeroplanes.
Every time I fly into Swansea now (many years later) I still remember the small boy peering through the chain link fence at the "unreachable" aeroplanes.
PPruNaholic!
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,615
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From: Buckinghamshire
Hey Josh,
That's so cool: I think we have all felt a bit like that... Well done you for taking the next step: few of us are born with sufficient silver-spoons in our mouths to be able to do this with no sacrifice, and often times we have to wait until the right time in our lives to be able to do it (speaking as one who was nearly 40 before at last getting my PPL!), but the important thing is to make the move, put in the time and make then sacrifices required then you will achieve your dream and join the club, as it were! They say that motivation is the key to all learning: so I have no doubt you will do well!
Thanks for sharing,
Andy
That's so cool: I think we have all felt a bit like that... Well done you for taking the next step: few of us are born with sufficient silver-spoons in our mouths to be able to do this with no sacrifice, and often times we have to wait until the right time in our lives to be able to do it (speaking as one who was nearly 40 before at last getting my PPL!), but the important thing is to make the move, put in the time and make then sacrifices required then you will achieve your dream and join the club, as it were! They say that motivation is the key to all learning: so I have no doubt you will do well!
Thanks for sharing,
Andy
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 52
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From: Isle of Man
Great post
Josh
It takes me back to when I bought 'Civil Aircraft markings' and pestered my parents to 'call in' as we passed airports, just so I could tick off a few more in my book.
I never got into the military, and finally I've started my PPL at 40+.
I have wasted many years....and now it's finally happening.
Good luck, and enjoy.
It takes me back to when I bought 'Civil Aircraft markings' and pestered my parents to 'call in' as we passed airports, just so I could tick off a few more in my book.
I never got into the military, and finally I've started my PPL at 40+.
I have wasted many years....and now it's finally happening.
Good luck, and enjoy.
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 498
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From: Smurph Castle
'Scuse me, I've just suddenly felt the urge to go and fly a battered old 152..................
Josh: best of luck! You'll never be able to talk about anything else again!
Josh: best of luck! You'll never be able to talk about anything else again!
Last edited by Penguina; 14th June 2004 at 17:21.
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 453
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From: UK
What a great reminder that when you strip away all the bickering and flaming that permeates many threads on here, that flying, be it for fun or for a living, is still something quite rare and special, and is the one thing we all have in common.
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 568
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From: Swindon, Wilts,UK
Having spent Saturday helping a few youngsters get a glimpse of what it's like the other side of the cones, and seeing the smiles and grins when they came back I reckon that Josh52104's post should be made a sticky. Not just on this forum, but on all the forums. Best of luck Josh, Blue skies and Happy landings.
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,082
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From: SX in SX in UK
I've just read a post on History & Nostaligia by White Bear, about taking an old Bomber Pilot for a flight, and it reminded me of this post.
Josh52104, if you're still out there - how did you get on with your flying lessons?
Josh52104, if you're still out there - how did you get on with your flying lessons?
