RAF and dear ol dad

[StanFoster]

I took my dad up for the first time since the big storm went through Illinois on July 13th. He could not believe the trees and the crops I showed him.

He really enjoyed himself and we flew for over an hour. It felt so good to be taking him up at 83. He has been working himself too hard trying to restore his farmstead that just will never be the same. I cant get him to stop working except...."hey...lets go fly". The trick works everytime. :D

I just thank God I still have him around and even more so after his tool shed collapsed around him.

Stan

[StanFoster]

Todd...notice your shirt :)

[StanFoster]

can you spot the two deer in the shadows?

[StanFoster]

some corn and beans

[StanFoster]

lots of drainage ditches around

[StanFoster]

little woods and lake

[StanFoster]

see the almost dead soybean field at the top of the picture. That is right across from my dads farm and is the worst devastated field in Illinois I have seen. The second is my dads just across the road. The twister and the hail shaft went right through here...

[StanFoster]

last picture...this is what the shadow of a RAF2000 should look like over a soybean field that is healthy.

[Brian Jackson]

Thanks Stan. These are the priceless images that keep gyro builders motivated. Those shots of your dad were great. I hope someday to be able to share such an experience with my own father. But right now he's still kickin' ass on stage! Might be a while before I can get him in for a gyro ride.

Thanks,
Brian Jackson

[ToddP]

Great Pics Stan,

Thats got to be a great time with your dad. I'm sure he appreciates those flights more than you'll ever know.

Great looking shirt by the way :)

[KenSandyEggo]

Hey, Stan. That's great. I took a 93 year old for a ride a few years ago. Wish my dad was still around to go gyro flying. At least I got to take him up in one of my Ercoupes.

Check this out. I'm re-posting 2 of your pics that I lightened up and look at the detail in the first one and how easy it is to spot the deer in the 2nd one. It's like magic!

[KenSandyEggo]

Here are the deer...no longer hard to spot.

[StanFoster]

Taking my dad up at 83 is extra special. My mom was eagerally awaiting me to get my private piilots license so I could take her up. She passed away on Nov. 6th 1983 at the age of 63. I took my check ride on the next month..and to this day regret not having us share that experience. If I only had pursued my ticket a little harder.


Ken...after you lightened up the photos...I see more than 50 deer... :D

[birdy]

On ya Stan.
Thats one thing I never got to do.I couldn't convince my old man to git some sort of aircraft for muster'n here,we spent years bash'n through 1100 squ miles of scrub on horses and bullcatchers but he just wouldn't see the benifit of an eye in the sky.Often wunder wot he'd say now.One machine do'n wot it took 10 men to do in 4 times as long.
Me mum's still around but she won't even look at it let alon go for a lap in it.

How times have changed here.

[Dean_Dolph]

Ahh, deer mustering, that I would pay to see! What ya say, Birdy, up to it?

[Chuck Irby]

Great pics as usual, Stan. Thanks for sharing them.

[birdy]

Deer..........hmmm........... I'v mustered, cattle,camels,brumbys,roos,crows,eagles ,wild turkeys and the odd stray human.I'd have a go at deer,might have more brains than most other things,espesialy the humans. :D

[barnstorm2]

Great Pictures Stan! I like the shadow shot alot.

Birdy, does 'roo' count just for the Kanaroos or do wallabees fall under that term as well?

I have always wanted a wallabee. I wonder if anyone imports or grows them in the states... I doubt my cat would find it as amusing as I would :)

[PW_Plack]

When I first got interested in gyros three years ago, Mom was worried, and Dad couldn't bring himself to even look at the pictures I e-mailed. (Dad was very conservative...he also worried about my ham radio antennas attracting lightning when I was in high school.) Dad passed away in the fall of 2001, before I got my Private ASEL.

Mom followed in February 2003, but in her last card to me, in her by-then-scribbly handwriting, she wrote, "follow your heart and your dreams." She included a check for $10K to cover my fixed-wing training, and what I'd need later to get my Private Rotorcraft / Gyroplane as well. I hope to finish that up this Fall, and while she never got to fly with me, I think she now has the better view anyway. ;)

[StanFoster]

Dean: Deer mustering up here in the states is called...harassing wildlife :eek:



Ken: Your lightened up photo did reveal a third deer to the right next to the corn. Amazing. :)

[birdy]

Paul.I envy you mate.
My old man never would have and my mum won't.I havn't even told her bout the championship,I reckon she'd tear me hide.
Never mind,me kids love it.

Tim,yup,
"wobblys" live in the mountains and are alot smarter than roos.And they is amazingly fleet footed when you wop it up 'em.They scoot around the shear sides as if they was on flat ground.I'm sure they'v got suction caps on their feet.