What's Up?!

By Larry Shapiro

I love each month that has a theme. Some are good, and some aren’t. It seems that most have a food theme, and then I remember I write an aviation column, and I’m suppose to write about things that are suppose to make aviators happy.

It was at that point I remembered that making an aviator happy might be above my pay grade.  Then I remembered how much alike we all are… but we are polite except for a few rude ones that sneak in. I know we all appreciate the kindness and help offered to us almost everywhere when we’re trying to survive a cross-country flight.

This reminds me how few pilots ever leave their zip codes or time zones after they are sitting on their private tickets. I’m serious! I have this discussion more often than I do about ice cream. Any new aviator that works with me gets the same suggestion: When you have 100 hours, beg, borrow, or even rent an appropriate airplane, and now the “kicker,” I beg, plead, and whatever it takes to get them to do the following trip, and… to do it solo.

By Larry Shapiro

I’ve had so much fun thinking about how many times and places we see and use the word: “service.” Here are a few of my thoughts on this important word. (Please feel free to share some of your favorites and not so favorites).

I know I’ll miss some, but for starters, I was in the Service … and I’m very proud of it. How many times have you heard the word used when there is a uniform involved?

I couldn’t guess the amount of service stations I’ve used, and how I evaluated each of them. I still do. Ever wonder why they’re called “Service Stations?”

A great meal at your favorite restaurant with bad service becomes a least favorite place. On the other hand, great service at your favorite greasy spoon or drive through becomes a regular. I’ve always loved this: A good meal served badly ends up being a bad meal. Bad food coupled with good service is what you remember and will go back to.

In conversations about retail stores, hotels, and other places of pleasure, the questions of service always comes up. We can’t help ourselves; we all are aware of the “service” provided.

I know I get credit for more than my share of headaches bending your ears over my favorite subject; “No more third class medical.” I’ve shortened the words for space reasons, but I had little or no support from many of you that it might actually happen. Well, if I were a bettingman,who come to think of it I am, I believe it’s going to happen.

If you know me, you’ve probably heard me use the words, “Pilots have no common sense!” Well, in the end, I am going to be right; we just don’t have too much common sense, and I wish we had more, heck, I’d be happy if we just had some.

Keep your logbooks crossed that I’m right on this one … I have to be. It just makes good common sense.

By Larry Shapiro

Hey Lar, have an accident?  “No thanks, I just had one.”

I know, I know bad joke… But there are many lessons to be learned and shared here, and I have a chance to use some of my old faithful bad jokes to tell my story.

Since I’m running out of money, send me a dollar and a note reminding me how many times you’ve heard me say, “Pilots have no common sense, and I think it doesn’t exist in General Aviation.” Then I could buy that house in the country I always wanted.

Because I am in the middle of what some of you might call a legal situation, I’d call it an inconvenience or a contribution to my lawyer’s retirement fund. I’ve been told anything I write could be used against me… hummm, the truth could be used against me… what an interesting concept. 

Un-Controlled Airport Traffic

By Larry Shapiro

I am aware that this subject is not going to change the entire aviation world and that we’ve all got our own opinions about this stuff, but how often do you actually think about the possibility of a mistake in your choice of the active runway on an airport without a tower? Remember, it’s just a bunch of pilots like you making the calls and they are seldom if ever challenged.

I believe the rules say no straight in approaches at a non-tower airport… but then, I guess rules are still made to be broken now and then, and I’d have to line up behind those of you that have done exactly that, made a straight-in approach to one of those do-it-yourself airports. With that said, I’d like to put this on the agenda for your next hangar flying meeting. You’re a few miles out getting ready to announce to the world that you intend to land on the above-described airport, no tower, no one sitting in an airport office pretending to be a controller, and any other options I may have forgotten about. 

OK, Here we go again …

And

I Told You So

By Larry Shapiro

I know by now you are probably tired of hearing my song and dance routine about using “common sense.” May I respectfully request that you try and get over it! You see my fellow aviators, it continues to work and save a few lives along the way.  Admittedly I am not a CFI, I don’t play one on television and never aspired to be one, but I will admit that I love teaching and sharing the tit-bits I’ve picked up along the way to old age, not zero time students but those of you who have been sitting on your ticket long enough to be a member of AARP. 

I truly love the title of “Mentor” or King of Common Sense. I’ve begged, borrowed and threatened so many of you to give me the benefit of the doubt and join my Church of Common Sense. Day after day I cover my head, or eyes so I won’t see the silly things one sees when you spend more than half your life on an airport. Your troops do some really dumb things that you would never do in the other parts of your life, the part that pays for your flying expenses, sunglasses and silly shirts.

A Very Heavy Heart!

By Larry Shapiro

This was the first column I was not going to write. Other than one sentence that would have read something like… goodbye, Eddie, I can’t image my life without you. After losing Eddie Andreini during an airshow last month, I thought a blank column would be appropriate as nothing else seemed to be more important than the fact that Eddie was a huge influence on my life, and the hole he has left in the fabric of my life can’t be fixed. I was thinking it would be a written moment of silence.

However, after attending his funeral and visiting with other airshow heroes like Eddie and then being with Eddie’s wife, I knew he would not be happy with my feelings. He lived and died “his” way, and he would not want me to sit around my office using up a box of tissues. So, I’ll keep it simple, business as usual, hangar flying as usual, and telling Eddie stories for the rest of my life. I owe Eddie almost everything good that happened to me in my airshow life and for all the great Italian food we shared.

May Day, Actually Everyday This Month Is May Day

By Larry Shapiro

When you think about it, you May do anything you want but with that privilege comes the responsibility of doing just that.

When you’re a student pilot you need to get permission or approval for almost every flight you are about to take.  Someone else has to say okay before you jump off into the blue stuff.  I only mention this because I made a decision last month that if I had asked someone, I would have been told, “Aaaaaaah, Lar, not a good idea.”

But I didn’t ask anyone so off I went into a beautiful sun setting sky. During the entire 50-minute flight from SAC to PAO I kept asking myself if I should have stayed tied down and found another way home or just stayed where I was.

Alternatives

By Larry Shapiro

If you need a dozen suggestions, ideas and, of course, opinions, then get at least five pilots together in a ten-foot circle.   I love listening to and hearing from all those that don’t own an airplane at the moment, maybe never have or never will, but they are the resident experts on everything that includes an aviation term.

In all fairness, there are times when I hear something that actually makes sense and is a good alternative.

Here’s one I especially liked.  First the topic:  Redoing the panel on an antique, or an aircraft of historical value, to original status requiring the spending of dollars consisting of a lot of zeros.

Here was my surprise… the comment most often heard was, “I didn’t think of that!”

Fortunately that isn’t a capital offense, but it can be punishing if you choose to kick yourself in the bottom, or top, for not thinking of that. (Please don’t ask me what that is.)

The Food was Great… But How About the Service?

By Larry Shapiro

I know, you’ve never heard or said these words before, but I know better!  I can’t count the times I’ve said them.  I know that great food sometimes prevails over bad service, but more than often it’s the other way around.  Wonderful meals have been ruined by bad service.

We live in a world where the word “service” is used, and used often.  It is not only used often, but also used in so many other ways and sometimes misused.

On Sundays and other observed Sabbaths, “Did you enjoy the Service?”

Death! 

By Larry Shapiro

Hey Shapiro, is that anyway to start your column?  Maybe – maybe not. But then you probably didn’t lose a treasured friend recently and therefore aren’t feeling the loss I’m feeling.  You may have at sometime, yourself.  You might at sometime down the road. But death is just a word, sometimes a feeling, and it’s definitely part of life! 

Please remember, sometimes the word “death” is used in humor as well as in, “That was so funny I almost died laughing!” How about the expression, “That’s drop dead beautiful!   We’ve all said, at sometime or another, “You’re dead right or wrong! Or, “Hey, you’re a dead ringer for that person I saw on the cover of the Goofy Things Gazette.”  I know I’ve said, “I’d kill for an airplane like that,” never mind, by now you’ve got my point.

Ditch The Anger

By Larry Shapiro

A Wing and A Prayer, PS.

Previously I wrote:  This month (December, 2013) I will once again apply for my ticket and feel confident that with the help of my doctors, and all the records I have kept organized, I will prevail as I know the FAA is there to help and I’m sure they will. If you have questions, you know where I am.

And now the PS:  Because of the holidays I delayed filing my application for only one week but it caused the following problem.  In the few days I delayed putting in my papers the FAA added one sentence to their requirements for a locally issued medical for dudes like me with Prostate Cancer… please take this seriously … they added the words” if the cancer has not left the prostate, then you may issue locally, however, if it has left the prostate then we (FAA Oak City) must issue. 

A Wing and A Prayer

By Larry Shapiro

Let me say this again, “A Wing and a Prayer!  There are not many pilots out there that haven’t heard that expression.  I wonder how many ever questioned what it meant?  I suppose one could say that if you lose a wing, you don’t have a prayer… or, if you do lose a wing then you’d better pray.  Either way I have found this expression used for many years in many ways.  I’d be interested in your take on what “A Wing and A Prayer” means to you. 

I’ve made no secret on how “prayer” has taken on a new meaning to me this past year.  As I waged my personal war and battled Cancer, “prayer” became my new friend.  Since I’m an equal opportunity prayer, I’ve prayed in different languages, cities, states and countries and I’m happy to report to you, I truly believe “prayer” works and the price is right. 

You are Now Cleared for Take Off, or Maybe Not 

By Larry Shapiro

I am now convinced that those of us that spend more than a little time at our local airport, for whatever reason, either as a pilot, a regular visitor or because the snack bar serves great breakfast or sells “must have” T-shirts… We all become very protective, we challenge every change, complain about every pothole and basically have an opinion about everything but seldom have any facts or involvement in all these “things” happening or not happening.  Hence, my herd of self appointed experts on how to run (or ruin) an airfield, here is a really simple recipe for having your cake and having it turn out the way you want it.

Involvement!

The secret ingredient is simply “involvement!”  Do you belong to your home base pilot’s group or association?  Do you volunteer for clean up day at your airport?  How about all those advertised meetings with the local “baby kissers” that want your vote so they hold some kind cockamamie get-together at the local airplane parking place with the hope of something good happening for them – not necessarily for you – but hopefully for you.

That’s Thirty …

By Larry Shapiro

This is a writing expression that I end all my columns with and in simple terms means, that’s all/finished … not the case when it comes to In Flight USA … it’s been 30 years since they turned the lights on and started getting our attention.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you how I came to find the privilege of having my column appear every month, a privilege I’ve now enjoyed for more than 13 years.

It wasn’t a life plan, it was almost an accident, and also some good luck, good timing, and as they say in real estate, it was location, location and location.

A few personal words about Ciro

I remember the shock and disbelief I felt when I heard that Ciro was in the hospital for a simple, low-end medical procedure and that for reasons none of us ever really understood, something went wrong. We lost a great publisher, husband and father.  I don’t think any of us have ever really recovered from that and we keep him alive by telling Ciro stories and making fun of some of his silly collectables still cluttering up the office.  I didn’t get to tell Ciro how much I care about him, so now, Ciro!  I really loved you and you were the man I wanted to be.

 … R O S H …

By Larry Shapiro

I know some of you might not connect the dots on this one, but I hope you will try.

I was thinking about what to write this month, that, aside from my computer, meant I would have to use my head.  It reminded me about the Hebrew word “Rosh” meaning head. This was the only lead in I could think of to acknowledge the Jewish New Year that will be celebrated during this month of September.  Without giving your Rosh a Rosh-ache, the two words combined together mean The Head of The Year … hence, we have the celebration of the Jewish new year beginning with Rosh Hashanah and culminating with Yom Kippur, the most scared day for those of the Hebraic persuasion and sometimes referred to as our annual confession. 

We ask all to forgive us for any and all transgressions we may have committed against them and we, in turn, forgive you for the same.  I’ll tell my closest friends (and any of my children that I’m actually talking to), that this is a good time to mess up since I will have to forgive them starting at sundown on the 4th of this month.  They’d better hurry since this special only runs through sundown Sept. 14.

I actually feel at times like it’s a spring cleaning of the clutter in my head and a chance to forgive all of you that did some really dumb things, like blowing dirt in my hangar, took too long in the run-up area, talked too much on your radio, and didn’t send me a card or gift from your last exciting trip.

A Few Final Words about July

By Larry Shapiro

Larry Shapiro (right) with his Dorado. Pictured with Eric Lundahl - known as Baja Rico, ovner of Paja Pirates Sport Fishing Company. (Roger Marshall)Wow, what a month! It was the 4^th of July almost everyday…the “Love Stories” continued like a Disney series about a little car.   In this case the little yellow Throp “Sky Scooter” we shared the story with you about. This has continued to be a celebration of friends and flying and the story only got better.

The culmination of a simple handshake in front of this little yellow beauty was one of the most spectacular trips of my life … a flight down to La Paz Mexico.  Now I don’t want to bore you with the great weather, great food, amazingly friendly and welcoming people and, most important, those darn marlin that kept eating my bait – now I’m getting even and I’m eating them – they are amazing sea creatures and I highly recommend this diet to all of you.  To describe the thrill of a 100-pound marlin flying out of the water and ending up on your boat, well let’s just say this …OMG! Now I’m hooked as well.

The Perfect “10”

By Larry Shapiro

The only thing better than a 10 is an 11 when it’s a little young man around four-feet-nothing tall and carrying the usual ton of new pilot stuff over his shoulder. When I asked him whom he was caddying for, the joke went right over his very young head and he informed with great confidence that he was not a caddy, but a student pilot and whipped out his logbook and flashed his more than a dozen logged flight hours.

I immediately fell to my knees and begged forgiveness and quickly congratulated him on being the youngest student pilot I have ever met during this current life of mine. We chatted about the wait to solo and he said it wouldn’t be a problem … he knew he’d be facing that issue and was fully prepared to do so. With that said Mr. Eleven Year Old, (Whose name I forgot to get) congratulations and many happy landings. Keep me posted when you get to the moon.

While We’re On The Subject of 10…

Larry Shapiro with Eric on moving day for the Sky Scooter. (Courtesy Larry Shapio)It was about 10 years ago that I met a little airplane called a Thorp (Sky Scooter). It was very yellow, very neglected, but very cute. It greeted me every morning when I arrived at PAO, and I said good night to it as I departed the field every evening. I didn’t know then the amazing history and story behind it and wouldn’t for another five years.

Fast-forward five years and as I arrived at the field one morning, low and behold there was some tall dude standing next to the Little Sky Scooter and he was undressing it. That led to cranking it up and making it breath again. Being the shy and reserved gent that I am, I gently slid up to the tall suntanned dude playing with the little beauty and started with a few hundred questions.

Love Story Number Two (Handshakes Are Alive and Well)

By Larry Shapiro

A few weeks ago I started a telephone relationship with a soybean and corn farmer “back home”  in Kansas. No! Seriously, I really did. That was a record breaker, then, for distance; we’ve since had these same conversations and hand shakes from as far away as Austria, Afghanistan (for the second time) and we just added Russia.

By the way, we also just completed another handshake deal way out in Missouri on an airplane we’ve never seen and it was another homerun…have faith, my friends, have faith.

Birds of a Feather

(Larry Shapiro)For those of us who actually walk around when we do a “walk around”  during the ceremony called a “pre-flight inspection,”  we’ve been told that during certain times of the year we should be aware of pieces of grass or straw, and other non-descript items, in or around our cowl openings. I can honestly say I’ve done it once or twice and have never hit pay dirt until last week when I took a closer look under the bonnet and low and behold…Yep! There it was, or maybe I should say, here it is.

Manners May Be Free… But…

By Larry Shapiro

They do have value. I must say thanks to all of you that took some of your valuable time to express your appreciation and offered comments on my “Love Stories” in last month’s issue of In Flight USA. Wow, I was knocked off my “throne” and I am truly humbled by your response. I was amazed that my love stories made it all around the world (I’m blushing) so, here’s a few follow up reactions to share.

A Love Story…A Real Love Story (Continued)
 
More keys – shock, that’s the only word I can think of. Two more heroes came forward to talk about giving me their keys. One has already done it and the other is still saying farewell and hugging his airplane good-bye. Wow! Bravo, not to me, but to them. I’m so sorry I didn’t finish medical school so I could prescribe some ice cream and candy for them. Come to think of it, I never even started medical school.

A Love Story…Not the Movie, a Real Love Story

By Larry Shapiro

I’m going to try and break away from my usual feeble attempt at providing you with a small dose of humor and instead share with you not one, not two, but three “REAL” love stories and I’m starring in at least two of them. I have to give credit for one of them to a much more deserving person, and one of my new heroes…you’ll see why if you are still reading this column, and haven’t put your copy of In Flight down. It won’t matter, but you’ll lose and I won’t like you any more.

The Smell of Plastic…Love Story Number One

While basking in the wafting aroma of the “new plastic” ticket I was sitting on, flying from SoCal to NorCal, an emotional thought crossed my mind. I was flying alone for the first time in years  – not by plan, but by circumstances – I was flying solo instead of with other pilots that just happened to be there on previous flights.   I know there was a tear or two on my face as I realized that this was my first real solo flight since the FAA stripped me of my flying privileges.  Wow!  Really amazing thoughts and feelings zoomed in and out of my head and heart, but that’s the way it was and should be.

Little Things Mean a Lot

By Larry Shapiro

And that’s not just the name of a song. Favors always have a cost and sometimes that cost is actually money. Low-end airplanes (the inexpensive type) cost a lot of money to sell, and in my business you always lose some of those dollars – it’s just the nature of the beast. For those buying or selling low-end airplanes, it takes the same amount of time and work but its like lawyers that won’t take cases that won’t make them rich, especially medical cases. There are now limits on compensation they can win and they don’t want to bother, win or lose.

The same is true with commission sales on entry-level airplanes… but if you are honest and accept the responsibility of providing that service to our community, then that’s just the way it is. This is especially true when dealing with donations and free airplanes that folks want to give away. It soaks up time, and other than the personal reward of knowing I did something good, I just suck it up and do it. Okay, so sometimes I get cookies. 

Off to a Great Start with a Sale on Day One of 2013

By Larry Shapiro

As many stories often begin: It was a dark and stormy night (day) – and this time it actually was. My BFFL and I thought we should pay a token visit to our office and pretend we are actually business owners with a token amount of responsibility even on New Year’s Day. You may quote me on this, but I’d rather you don’t. We assumed we’d be the only ones there and we weren’t very wrong. Our home base could best be described as, “cold and alone.”

We of course turned on the lights, cranked up the heat, put water down for our dogs (I never leave home with out them or my AMEX Card), and opened my email. Here goes, (I’m clearing my throat), the first and only messages read, “I’ve got money now, if you still have that airplane, I want to do a deal today!” We did and we did!

2013 started off the way we wish every day would. The airplane was delivered and four people were very happy: the new owner and future pilot, the friend that referred the buyer to us, my wife for all the “wifey reasons,” and of course me. Life was good!