“Mastery is the best goal because the rich can’t buy it, the impatient can’t rush it, the privileged can’t inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status.” Derek Sivers, How to Live, 2021.
“As we took to the skies it seemed the aircraft was almost an extension of his body, carving its way over the water and through the air as if it already knew what inputs came next.” Niki Britton, describing Aaron Singer fly a seaplane over San Francisco. AOPA Pilot magazine, October 2024. It’s what good flying looks like.
“I play it just about every day of my life–not because I have to, but because it’s something that gives me pleasure. That’s what I tell kids when they ask what’s the secret to being successful in the music industry. If you’re not really passionate about what you’re doing or if you’re doing it because there are some benefits like attracting chicks, forget it, man. While you’re sleeping someone else is practicing who wants the exact same thing you want.” Herb Alpert, interview for his (fantastic) album Come Fly With Me, by KC Ifeanyi in Fast Company, 2015. “You never … Continue reading Come Fly With Me — Herb Alpert
At the end of 2019 I downloaded a new aviation documentary— and it’s gorgeous. Beautifully shot crisp HD images of general aviation flying paired with insightful interviews from a bunch of pilots, including Patty Wagstaff, Rod Machado and NASA’s Dr. Dismukes. You can download it from Disciples of Flight directly for $15, or use Amazon Prime Video. Well worth the price for the visuals alone. The movie’s 93-minutes are all about personal dedication to aviation, about really loving and living flying. There’s no narrator, just lots of hangar interviews cut with super cool flying video. Both feel personal, close, real. … Continue reading The Disciples of Flight movie review
I’m back from vacation. A highlight was getting to fly a 1930’s Tiger Moth out of an airfield in England. That’s me in the front seat. Absolutely wonderful experience. The instructor said the Tiger Moth was the perfect trainer for all WWII RAF and Empire pilots as it was “easy to fly, hard to fly well”. Well, I certainly proved that! And on reflection, his phrase is true for lots of piloting stuff.
