Celebrate Winter--12-08-04
There's no sense in letting a few bad days spoil half our year!

Free--11-10-04
Enjoying an easy stretch on the road of life. Includes four pictures.

Hollow Victory--10-20-04
Cruising in friendly air on a dark winter's night. Includes a picture.

Terror Instrument--10-13-04
Another sermon that won't be heard beyond the first pew.

Too Pretty for a Picture--10-06-04
Fifty thousand cubic miles of sunset cannot be captured on a mere photograph. includes three other sunset pictures as a consolation!.

Soft--09-28-04
Preparations for winter are cast aside to enjoy a soft autumn day. includes four pictures.

Breakfast in the Garden--09-21-04
Flying, like walking in the garden, is best done in the early morning. includes four pictures.

Circus of the Monsters--08-18-04
Mechanical monsters whoop and roar, to the delight of the smaller machines below.

August Mooned--08-11-04
Maybe we have been mooned this summer. includes four pictures.

Warm Raspberry Pie--07-21-04
A slice of heaven is found just down the road from a country airport. includes two pictures.

Dogs--07-14-04
Old pilots, old airplanes. Not fast but faithful. includes a picture.

No Sweat--07-07-04
Through the days of our lives, there are lots of things to "sweat"; this summer's temperatures are not one of them. includes a picture.

A Salute to the Farmer--06-23-04
An hour spent admiring the work of our farmers brightens a dull week. includes four pictures.

Morning's Glories, Evening's Worries--06-16-04
A glorious showing of morning clouds warns of thunderstorms for the evening. includes three pictures.

Summer Vacation--06-09-04
I'd like to do lots of flying on my vacation. I'd like to fly someplace different... includes three pictures.

Sunday Services--06-02-04
We can't hug a perfect day and hold it forever, but I've kept the memory of this one. includes three pictures.

A Short trip to Paradise--05-19-04
This airpark has lost none of its charm in the thirty years since I first saw it. includes four pictures.

Hurrah for Dull--05-12-04
A dull day means that nothing bad has happened. includes three pictures.

Consolation Prize--04-28-04
A winning day despite rain, cold, and mud. includes two pictures.

A Parallel Universe--04-07-04
Two pilots, two airplanes, and two completely different ways of having fun. includes two pictures.

Crickets in the Basement--03-30-04
Lots of strange things show up to ride on cargo planes. includes two pictures.

Fools--03-20-04
Rambling along on one of the first springtime evenings.

Leap Day--03-13-04
A day when everything went well. includes two pictures

From My Front Porch Lookin'In --02-25-04
The sky and the hills are forever, but little kids grow up so quickly! includes two pictures

Trapped--02-18-04
Hopelessly snowbound, but rescued by memories. includes two pictures

Romance--02-11-04
A sign from above, just as hope was fading. includes a picture

The Briar Patch--01-28-04
Often the gray weather on the ground results in a lovely flight. includes two pictures.

Thank- You, Mr. Paperwork--01-14-04
I fly for free but earn my paycheck by doing all the paperwork.

Airshow--01-07-04
Feeding a flock of seagulls provides cheap entertainment on a slow day. includes three pictures.

Hello Nick--12-24-03
Farewell to a friend and mentor.

Oh Yes, I Had Breakfast Too.--12-21-03
I "discover" a delightful grass airport that had been waiting for me all my life. includes three pictures.

Little Victories--11-14-03
Amidst a salute to simple pleasures, an apology for not writing any Plane Talks since mid- summer. includes a picture.

Places and Names and Places--07-16-03
After two years of looking down at Syracuse, I enjoy a day of touring.

Thanksgiving--07-02-03
People far and wide pause on a perfect summer evening. includes a picture.

Nothing New Under the Sun--06-25-03
An unplanned trip through unfamiliar territory produces no new nuggets of wisdom. includes three pictures.

Thousands --06-18-03
Thousands of images flood my eyes on a trip down the St. Lawrence River. includes three pictures.

Bob --06-11-03
A pleasant flight, a quiet town, and a nice conversation. includes three pictures and a link to three more.

The Gift --06-04-03
A forecast for a rainy day holds off long enough to make a quick breakfast flight. includes two pictures

Cheap Escape --05-21-03
The world's problems are put on hold while I take a breakfast flight. includes three pictures

Miracle of flight--05-14-03
Flight isn't much of a miracle anymore, but what about the stuff we carry with us?.

A Different view --04-31-03
Every spring I marvel at the work done by our under- appreciated farmers. includes three pictures

A Spectre of Infidelity --04-23-03
For a moment, the chrome is shinier on the other side of the fence.

Half- Light --04-16-03
The sights of deep evening evade the camera. ... includes a picture which offers only a hint of what cannot be captured.

A Time for clouds --04-09-03
Clouds are the seeds of our April showers, and stationary fronts have lots of them. ... includes several pictures.

A Time In- Between --03-26-03
Winter is not quite gone, but the first summer cloud is sighted. ... includes the picture to prove it.

Renewal --03-19-03
The first deep breath of spring's sweetness. ... includes two pictures

The Best- Laid Plans... --03-12-03
The cruel month of March grudgingly yields to persistence. ... includes three pictures

Left Behind--02-19-03
The other guys get to go flying, but I have to take the night off.

A Boring Flight, Filled With Delight--02-05-03
A new camera rekindles an appreciation for "everyday" flights. ... includes several pictures

Empowered--01-21-03
Making a point about having fun. ... includes two pictures

A Christmas Sleigh Ride--12-30-02
Just another kid, out playing with the clouds. ... includes two pictures

F-L-Y--11-27-02
Unusual yard art leds to an interesting visit. ... includes two pictures

Wonderful Weekend--11-20-02
I really enjoyed two days of terrible weather at home. ... includes a picture of nothing, as viewed through the windshield

Grandpa, What Did the Sky Used to Look Like?--11-13-02
The old goat chews on a favorite tin can.

Hurtling--11-06-02
More thoughts and observations in my continuing fascination with flight.

The Iceman Cometh--10-30-02
An autumn cold front brings a steely flash from the ice man. ..includes three pictures.

Black Velvet--10-2-02
A reverie of night flights that were smoother than the distilled beverage of the same name.

See the USA in Your Chevrolet--9-25-02
A long drive proves much more enjoyable than an airline flight.

On A Midsummer's Eve--8-11-93
This story was written more than nine years ago, but the flight seems like yesterday.

The Hot Rod--8-28-02
A simple little ditty about different planes filling different missions.

Dolgeville--8-21-02
A town where even pilots can have a ball on their playing fields. ..includes pictures.

Old Men Drag their Tails...--8-14-02
A lumpy summer day chafes the bond between an old man and his old airplane. ..includes two pictures.

Idyll Wandering--7-24-02
A few pleasant surprises on an aimless flight. ..includes two pictures.

Perspective--7-17-02
A tale of flyin' here, and flyin' there. ..includes a picture.

A Splendid Bounty--7-10-02
Strawberry shortcake is only one of the reasons to go flying in our area.

"Kumo ni Noritai--7-31-02
"Riding on clouds"... This column was posted out of sequence because of the four pictures attached. There are also links to other cloud pictures.

"Hooked--6-15-02
There are a couple of reasons why I fly; This essay prety well describes one of them. ..includes three pictures.

"Glorious Springtime--6-1-02
Thanksgiving should be in the springtime, after the winter. ..includes a picture.

"Cheap Therapy--5-24-02
Flying is expensive, but less so than psychotherapy.

"Castaway--5-10-02
Stranded alone in my hangar with a broken airplane while the world flies by, unaware... includes a picture.

"The Iron Man, Revisited--4-26-02
Wilbur is surprised to find everyone is celebrating his 80th birthday when he arrives at the airport. includes a picture

"Timing is Everything--4-19-02
The Company provides me a beautiful ride along the seams of the weather.

"Heartbreak Hill--4-5-02
"Mudded in" on a beautiful springtime morning.

"The Luck of the draw--3-27-02
Really bad weather is hard to find.

"The Miner's Canary--3-13-02
Aviation holds ominous hints for everyone's future.

"Serendipity, the Key to Contentment"--3-6-02
Often, the best things are found when you aren't looking.

"Thwarting the Rule of Dull"--2-27-02
Anyone carrying a breifcase more than 50 miles from home is an "expert".

"If at First You Don't Succeed"--2-6-02
"I learned about flying from that".

"An Unsettling Picture"--1-30-02
A Gatsbyesque mansion amid tumbledown farms makes the author wonder where we are going. ..includes three pictures.

"Circular Rainbows"--1-16-02
Faint rainbows circle an airplane's shadow as it skips along the clouds. ..includes a picture.

"Flightus interuptus"--1-9-02
A pleasure flight is frustrated by weather.

"Reprise"--12-26-01
A one- week return to the Newark run for the busy Christmas season.

"Something Old, Something New"--12-19-01
A classic airplane returns from the brink of death to fly again. ..includes three pictures.

"Purple Mountains' Majesty"--12-12-01
A company- sponsored sightseeing tour of New York State on a pretty Saturday.

"IFR at 500 feet"--11-28-01
There is a reason that low- altitude flight is addictive. ..includes a picture, but a better one will follow.

"Lucky"--11-20-01
Do not read this column if you are annoyed by people who enjoy their work. ...includes three pictures.

"Bargain Flight"--11-14-01
A short flight to a previous "home airport" proves that you don't have to fly far to find contentment.

"Spoiled Fruit"--10-30-01
The last fruit from the tree is usually a disappointment.

"Change"--10-15-01
Change is life's only constant, but the changes brought by 9-11 are difficult to put in perspective... includes a picture.

"Quality Time"--9-9-01
Taking the cure on a sparkling Sunday morning... includes two pictures.

"Doug's Second Annual fish Fry"--8-21-01
It was such a treat that we brought our wives!.. includes two pictures.

"Long Shadows"--7-18-01
An evening flight "on the clock" is almost as good as having fun.

"Hired Help"--6-14-01
Just one of the differences between recreational and professional flying

"Priceless"--5-28-01
... but lunch with old friends? priceless! .... includes two pictures

"W1 X 1/4 F"--5-21-01
Early morning valley fog can be beautiful- if you keep an open mind.... includes a picture

"Rosie's Bird Feeder"--5-14-01
Some old birds fly south for the winter, but Rosie feeds the rest of us.... includes a picture

"Presumption of innocence"--5-7-01
Its not about flying, but its short.

"Scratchin' the Itch"--4-19-01
The Commonwealth visits a few airports it once called home, and I enjoy the scenery along the way... includes two pictures and a map

"Wildlife"--4-10-01
Nature displays her creatures' adaptive ways.

"The Wright Neighborhood"--3-28-01
Its a big sky, but a small world.

"Swimsuit Edition"--3-21-01
If Sports Illustrated can brighten a slow season with flights of imagination, so can I.

"Barn Rats"--3-15-01
The quick brown rat skittered between the hooves of the lumbering bovines... oops... Boeings.

"Bad News From the Mockingbird"--3-7-01
A sullen mockingbird accurately forecasts the worst month of our winter.

"Sharp Scissors"--2-25-01
The contemporary view of risk management, and the rise of the Nanny State.

"Plan for the Worst and the Best is Easy"--2-7-01
Just another morning in Paradise.

"A Surprise Visit"--1-10-01
A good cup of coffee is found five minutes after takeoff.....includes a picture.

"A Sunny Windowsill"--1-30-01
A flight doesn't have to be unique to be memorable.....includes two pictures

"A Turn of the Tables"--1-17-01
Having the airplane on the ice is more enjoyable than having ice on the airplane....includes two pictures

"Too Cold for Ice"--1-3-01
Just like it can be too cold to snow, it can be too cold for airframe icing.....includes two pictures

"Too Much Stuff, Too Little Time"--12-20-00
Just another flight that was too beautiful to have witnessed alone....includes two pictures

"ITAWT...ITAWA...PUDYE... TTATT"--12-06-00
Whimsical sounding names fly through ATC's jungle.... includes an illustration

"Cozy"--11-22-00
The stars above, the lights below, and familiar voices on the radio are friendly companions at night.

"A Decisive Victory"--11-15-00
An Election Day jaunt in a little plane scores a victory over the week's dull routine.

"Sailing"--11-1-00
Its not the greatest job in the world, but the view from the office is great.... includes a picture

"Fuddy Duddy"--8-2-00
Real airplanes pass overhead with a soft rumble... includes a picture.

"Lonesome Town"--7-21-00
It's sad that more people won't expend the effort to learn how to fly.

"Fruits of Freedom"--7-5-00
A walk through a small town on the 4th of July.

"A Bad Day Fishin' is Better Than a Good Day at Work"--6-28-00
Obstacles are overcome on a pilgrimage to Lock Haven....includes a picture.

"An Opportunity is Lost"--6-21-00
Chaff clutters the information age.

"The Parade of Weather"--6-14-00
The weather changes from foul to fantastic as the morning sun breaks the horizon.

"No Place Like Home"--5-31-00
After visiting two other airports, good conversation is found at the home field.

"Different Air"--5-17-00
From thunderstorms to the early morning mists, the atmosphere has many faces.

"A trip to the Doctor's"--5-10-00
The author and his airplane both feel better after passing their annual inspections.

"Young Bulls, Old Bulls, and Airframe Ice"--4-26-00
The thrills of icing last into April

"Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?"--4-5-00
Daylight Savings Time pushes the morning flight back into darkness.

"Wilbur the Iron Man"--3-22-00
It takes a man with strong dedication to put 250 hours on an Aeronca every year.

"Fire and ice"--3-15-00
A March mixture of snow and lightning gives way to a spectacular dawn.

"Opening Day"--3-8-00
An early March warm spell hints the promise of the summer flying season

"Groundhog Day Comes Late"--2-23-00
The author sees his shadow and scurries back below the clouds.

"Morning Reverie"--2-16-00
Idyll sightseeing on an easy morning's flight.

"Afraid of the Dark"--2-9-00
Night is not so scary once you learn how to see in the dark.

"Among My Souvenirs"--1-25-00
Listening to oldies on the ADF

"Safe at Home"--1-19-00
A very satisfactory first experience flying through a big snowstorm

"Our Debt to Romantic Fools"--1-5-00
Rosie opens her airport restaurant on a beautiful new years' morning.

"Balmy in Newark"--12-29-99
A grown man is captivated just watching airplanes land.

"It's not just a job, it's an addiction"--12-8-99
One good flight always leads to another.

"Of Clouds, Silver Linings, and a Day's Work"--12-1-99
Nobody has it easy; a different job is just a different set of problems

"Life, through the top lenses"--11-17-99
A lazy trip down the river.

"Bedtime Flight"--11/4/99
An hours' flight to nowhere as the earth below prepares for its winter slumber.

"Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be Pilots"--9/27/99
After the business of aviation, a pleasure flight

Week of September 20, 1999 -- "Be Careful What you Dream For"
"...Six munce ago I cuddn't even spel "captin"...

Week of July 5, 1999 -- "Art Deco"
The Curtiss C-46 seen in a new light... includes two pictures

Week of June 14, 1999 -- "Numberbound"
Too many numbers, not enough common sense.

Week of June 7, 1999 -- "Sockology"
The humble windsock tells us many things about wind and weather, if not life.

Week of May 31, 1999 -- "Just a Can-Full of Gears"
The airspeed indicator cannot replace a "feel" for the airplane.

Week of May 24, 1999 -- "Back to the Future"
Next to a hilltop hayfield airstrip, remnants of the past... Includes a map.

Week of May 17, 1999 -- "The J-3 Simulator"
An unconventional training aid helps a student make better landings

Week of May 10, 1999 -- "Birds of a Different Feather"
Grounded by honey-dos, the author appreciates the company of other birds

Week of May 3, 1999 -- "Riding Along on a Carousel"
A clever man shows the world how every communal hangar should be.

Week of April 19, 1999 -- "Donuts for the Navigationally Dysfunctional"
GPS at its final frontier, guiding pilots from the FBO to the donut shop.

Week of April 12, 1999 -- "Aircraft Radio: The Victory of Style Over Substance"
I say again: radios are an accessory, not a necessity

Week of April 5, 1999 -- "Our Gang"
A rambling discourse on learning to fly.

Week of March 29, 1999 -- "The Quest"
Sometimes you have to work very hard to discover how simple your task really is.

Week of March 22, 1999 -- "A Springtime Funk"
A 1946 Funk is restored in a Tyrone, NY basement.

Week of March 8, 1999 -- "A Midwinter's Day Dream"
Midwinter plans for next summers flying.

Week of February 22, 1999 -- "Good Days Are Where You Find Them"
There is a lot of good flying weather in the winter... Now includes two pictures, added Aug '02.

Week of February 15, 1999 -- "Gratuitous Tech"
A simple mind wrestles with questions of technology in search of practical application.

Week of February 8, 1999 -- "Let's Go Flying"
There is a lot of good flying in the winter.

Week of January 25, 1999 -- "The Real Thing"
Flying has always been man's ultimate adventure. Why settle for less?

Week of January 18, 1999 -- "Friends"
The purchase of an old plane includes lots of new friends.

Week of January 11, 1999 -- "The Himrod Round-Up"
AWOL bovines are found in a secluded hollow.

Week of January 4, 1999 -- "Form Versus Substance"
Cessna's center- mounted landing light, for instance.

Week of December 21, 1998 -- "The Gift of Flight"
A few days before Christmas, a brand new Private Pilot.

Week of December 7, 1998 --- "Theirs Not To Reason Why"
Night instruction for student pilots.

Week of November 30, 1998 --- "No Such Thing As Perfect Safety"
The up side of accidental death is that you never need depends.

Week of November 23, 1998 --- "A Picture of Perfection"
If Norman Rockwell had seen this, he would have painted it.

Week of November 16, 1998 --- "Mechanic's Helper"
Use valve grinding compound to avoid stripping screw heads.

Week of November 9, 1998 --- "Help Wanted"
A story of our CFI shortage.

First Week of November, 1998 --- "Daddy, Do I Have To Practice Stalls?"
How can someone understand flight if they fear stalls?

Last Week of October, 1998 --- "A Change of Pace"
Right- seat duty in a King Air

First Week of October, 1998 --- "How Can We Call Them Students?"
If students are so inept, howcum they are the ones with the money?

Late September, 1998 --- "Look But Don't Touch"
A local pilot cavorts among the clouds.

Mid-September, 1998 --- "Let The Rock N' Roll Begin!"
The first winter cold front sweeps through the area.

Early September, 1998 --- "Reflection Upon A Night"
The idea of landing on a narrow, sloping, and unlit runway is rejected.

Early September, 1998 --- "Tim"
Another new pilot does the old man proud.

Early August, 1998 --- "The End of Romance?"
A long but effortless trip in a real airplane might spoil everything...

Mid-July, 1998 --- "See 'Ya, Dave"
A student becomes a pilot, and the instructor bids a farewell.

Mid June,1998---"The Record of a Simpler Time"
An old logbook emerges from the attic.

Late May, 1998 --- "Talking to Ghosts"
Walking among warbirds on a dark and foggy ramp.

Mid-April, 1998 --- "Bits and Pieces"
A mind wanders while breaking in a new engine.

Late April, 1998---"Respect for Elders"
A 1938 Cub magneto has a lesson for today

Late March, 1998---"A comtempt for gadgets"
Gadgets inside the airplane detract from the simple elegance of flight. includes two pictures

Early March, 1998---"Another Withering Skill"
A tailspring repair gives insight to the springmaker's art.

Mid- February, 1998---"A Sensuous Visitor"
A cute and shiny airplane catches the author's eye, but his heart remains faithful.

Early February, 1998---"Shakedown Cruise"
The Commonwealth stretches its wings for a few hours on a sunny Sunday in February.

Late January, 1998---"I Hate Aircraft Radios"
Radios in little airplanes are expensive sources of disappointment.

Mid January, 1998---"Ben Franklin Fixes A Starter"
A few good mechanics are our last defense against the throw- away economy

Mid January, 1998---"Mystery Lady"
The more you learn about an old airplane, the more questions you have. That is why airplanes have female names

Early January, 1998---"Phil's Wisdom"
In just half a decade, you can restore an old airplane for only a few thousand dollars a year.

October 24, 1997---"Three Men and a Checkbook"
Three men go to an aircraft auction, and what do you think happens? ....Includes a photograph.

September 14, 1997---"A Change of Weather"
The author's wife consents to the purchase of an airplane while distracted by views of fall foliage....Includes a photograph.

Late September, 1994---"Danielle"
The author solos his 16 year- old daughter