Celebrating 50 Years of Flight

Several years ago, I worked with a group of little kids and posed the following question:

 "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

One little boy said he wanted to grow up and drive his sisters yellow mustang. When I questioned him further, he assured me that was his only life goal. Certainly not what I expected.

But this little boy, who happens to be my "hairy half," piped up at Christmas time when he was 6 years old and stated without any hesitation that he wanted to be a jet pilot. His folks weren't entirely sure where that came from, but he wouldn't be swayed. 

A determined 6 year old

When he was 14 years old and hadn't let go of that life goal, God put him together with a Sunday School teacher named Frank Ritchie. He had an airplane of his own and took it upon himself to take this "little boy" up to see if flight would really be for him.

14 years old and on the move!

Mr. Ritchie, who had been a Navy pilot, saw great promise in this 14 year old kid and so asked his folks if he might "perpetuate his occupation" in their son. A week later, on April 18, 1970, the boy took his first official flying lesson. When Frank  Ritchie took him on, he assured his folks that he'd solo by his 16th birthday. Before he even got his drivers license, that's exactly what he did.

I ended up marrying the man who this little boy became, and have had the pleasure of being a part of the growth in his skills and career as he went from small private airplanes to small jets and then to larger jets. He's flown in the military, enjoyed a career in the airlines, and now flies corporate jets. He has  spent his career doing what he has always loved to support himself and our family. 

Mission Aviation Fellowship
A "Family Affair"


A huge thank you to my husbands parents and Mr. Ritchie, as well as the others who encouraged and enabled the realization of a little boys dream.

A Captain at U.S.Airways

Over the last 50 years, he's experienced sitting in the front seat of one airplane or another witnessing stunning scenery, countless sunrises and sunsets, all kinds of weather and the challenges caused by it, like lightening strikes,  high winds, ice, snow, and wind sheer. Other challenges have come in the form of in-flight emergencies like lost engines and gear issues, broken windscreens, bird strikes, air traffic controllers who are impossible to understand, and a "schedule" that has been unlike any schedule you might imagine outside of a career in aviation.

Tours go better with cupcakes

He's done this countless times. Notice "Departures" in the background?

Some of the grands get a look at Grand Dudes new ride

And yet the benefits have been amazing. He's often told me that even on the most difficult day, when he's in flight, he's still stunned by the fact that he gets paid to do what he does. At times his "office window" has provided an unobstructed view at over 50,000 feet. He's been able to enjoy the best seat in the house in 14 different jets.

In the 50 years that he's been flying, he's had the privilege to fly faster than the speed of sound, tight formation, acrobatics in a supersonic jet, and landing while I sat on the ground, literally right beside the runway, and watched him do it. 

Watching him land "up close and personal"

Flying tight formation

You can see the smile even with an oxygen mask on

Some of the very best


He's been a part of setting a worlds record for flight in bacterial warfare gear, flying a laser research mission in concert with the Space Shuttle, and even transporting groups ranging from "secret" to starving artists. 

World's record setting crew


But one of his most memorable trips was being a part of a 24 ship airdrop mission over Egypt that included 2 air refueling connections and a tight ballet of logistics in making it happen. That's right. His favorite thing was to push people and things out the back door.

In his 50 year career, he's provided med-evac all over the world, transported cargo, heavy equipment, mail, animals,  caskets and hundreds of thousands of people. He's circumnavigated the globe countless times, and spent just short of 20,000 hours looking out the windscreen, serving people he'll never know, and meeting others who have become life long friends. 

Bringing home a brand new "bird"

Career in a box

It's been an honor for me to be a part of his support team and I'm so proud of this humble man. Whether you've met him or not, there is so much more to him than is initially evident. 

Congratulations to my better half on a long career. It's been an amazing ride!

Though youths grow weary and tired,

And vigorous young men stumble badly,

Yet those who wait on the Lord will gain new strength;

They will mount up with wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,

They will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40: 30-31




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