Doug and Linda’s world

Sunday turned into a beautiful day in Muscatine (well at least until dark.) with sunshine and a high temperature pushing 60.  I spent the day flying “Young Eagles” around eastern Iowa.  Young Eagles is an EAA program designed to introduce kids (Young Eagles) to the joy of flying.  So, anyone 8-18 years old, can come out and get a free airplane ride.  The EAA talks about it being targeted toward the kids but I probably get a bigger kick out of it than the kids do.  

My RV-7A is a two seat plane so the kids are right up front with me and get to take it all in.  I encourage them all to fly the plane themselves (just one rule, if I tell you to let go of the stick, you do J).  It is a hoot to see these kids get out of the airplane grinning from ear to ear.  I’d love to hear the stories they tell to their friends about getting to fly the plane.  It is some of the most enjoyable and rewarding flying that I have ever experienced.  There are always at least a handful of the kids that you get to fly with that really enjoy it, that are easy to talk to and are so appreciative of the opportunity to fly that you’d like to spend all day with them.  Sunday I flew 7 kids.  All were different.  All were a blast in one way or another.

With the weather warming up Sunday most of the snow and ice that was still around was melting away.  Even the Mississippi River was clearing up.  Really weird to see the ice breaking up and floating down river in small sheets.  Anyway, a great way to spend a couple of hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon (even if it did turn back to freezing rain and snow by midnight).