By Fred Petrie, EAA 1512116, Chapter 63, Winnipeg, Manitoba
I turned 78 last April, and in July came to the decision to “hang ‘em up,” for several reasons.
I had taken up flying again in 2020, after 10 years away, and was gratified to learn I could still do it! In late 2021, I joined three others in purchasing a 1966 Cherokee 140 (my first aircraft had been a ‘67 Cherokee – full circle!). I expected to do a regular hour or two each month as well as re-doing some long cross-countries, specifically to OSH and down east (from the ‘peg), to COPA in ‘22 and to CAHS in ‘23.
For various reasons, I was unable to make either trip, either year. I came to the realization that I was just trying to relive old adventures and perhaps it was time to turn to making new ones. In June, largely unplanned, I drove across the U.S. from Oregon to Long Island – that was a new one!
I got my wings presented by my Air Force pilot father back in 1966. I passed my actual PPL and got those wings in 1976.
A second reason was “learning from the mistakes of others.” My retirement career has been as a volunteer tour guide at the new Royal Aviation Museum since its opening last May. One day last summer, I had an American couple from upper New York who were over-nighting before heading to one of our far-north lodges for some ecotourism. Over the hour, I learned the gentleman had been a long-time private pilot and he was 82, but he had hung up his wings two years previously. While not a commercial pilot, he had certainly been a professional one as an aerobatic pilot performing at air shows. It finally came out that he had crashed his aerobatic Citabria on his 80th birthday and hurt himself quite badly. I decided that I should consider his experience as I was approaching that milestone!
A footnote to the above quote “… you will not live long enough to make them all yourself.” I have lived long enough and have made them all, including engine failure, weather, and (poor) fuel management (twice!). Surviving them all I credit to thorough training, having done all the commercial and IFR requirements, not to mention five years as an Air Force navigator. Nevertheless, maybe I should learn from his mistake and hang mine up before my 80th birthday!
Finally, the clincher was that I couldn’t afford it anymore as a fixed income senior. When we got the Cherokee, the plan was to recruit more members of our “flying club” that would have provided a return of some capital that could have financed continuing operating cost to fly 12 to 15 hours a year, but that never happened. Per our agreement, my partners have bought me out.
Gerry Suski is a volunteer colleague at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada which is located at 2088 Wellington Avenue, on the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport campus. Most of my few flights this year he came along as co-pilot. He used to have an Ercoupe which he gave up some years ago.
But to close with a “never say never,” my license is valid until next summer if anyone is looking for a second set of eyes over Ripon for the fly-in to AirVenture Oshkosh!