Chronicles...

To the left:  Holly celebrates her successful private pilot checkride with instructor Richard Aldridge on 04/05/97.  Below:  Matt and instructor Mickey Downard try to look non-chalant after Matt's first solo in N6187G, a 1967 Cessna 150, on March 8, 1996.  Mickey is now a captain for Mesaba Airlines (Northwest Air Link) flying the BAE146 (BAE stands for "bring another engine"...  Or is that the airplane with 5 APUs all flying in formation?...   Just kidding Mick!).

Above:  Matt and dear friends Andy and Pete Squire go for a trip from Tucson to Mesa Falcon Field (KFFZ) for a visit to the Champlin Air Museum.  Aircraft is a '69 C-182, N3170Q.   (Fall 1996)

Both of us are from families with strong aviation backgrounds.  Being third generation pilots, it's a lot of pressure to grease the airplane on the runway when parents are on board!  Holly's Dad is a retired American Airlines A300 Captain , and both of Matt's parents are avid general aviaiton enthusiasts with thousands of hours between them..

Above:  Holly and Gordon (Captain Dad!) with his sweet li'l Cherokee 180, N6315J.  Just rolled it on in Ft. Pierce, FL (KFPR)  after a pleasure flight up the shoreline. 12/26/98 To the right:  Luke (Dad), Mike and Matt (brothers) chill out after flying from Borger, TX to Tucson Avra Valley (E14) one fall afternoon in November 1995.  Airplane is "21Quack", a Ce172L with Avcon 180 conversion.  Original paint from 1972!

To the right:  Uh-Oh!  Pressure's on!!!  First flight with Dad and Alice as a private pilot!  A tour of the Tucson area... must have been a good flight - Dad looks proud!  (N5408J - Summer 1997) Below:  Matt and instructor Brian Chesebro breath a sigh of relief after Matt passes the CFI checkride.  As Brian says after just about every flight, "Once again...  Science and Skill overcome Superstition and Fear!"  (N5082U - April 1998)

Above:  Matt forms up on Holly at dusk.  Two Twin Commanches winging into the sunset...  pretty cool.  One controller called us "a flight of Twinkies".   Mmmm...  Twinkies...

Above left:  Holly and Seneca II (N4159F)  Above right:  Matt and Cessna 414 RAM VII (N2743K).  These were our FAR135 birds at Double Eagle Aviation at Tucson International (KTUS).  We were lucky...Double Eagle was a great place to work.  We were always busy!