I caught the flying bug from my Father who once owned a Taylorcraft BD12. Early on he had to sell it to support his growning family. As a teenager, I had a opportunity to fly with a local fellow and his Piper L4. It was a great tailwheel airplane and I flew many hours from MZZ to local grass fields. He liked to fly about 3000 AGL and I wondered how we ever got anywhere as the relative motion to the ground was a bit slow. But what a view! And the flying bug was well set. Life sometimes is slow to allow you to come back to a former dream, but as I entered my 42nd year I began my flying with a Ultralight (CGS Hawk). This was great, but my love of the Classic tailwheel aircraft sent me looking for one. I soon found an 1947 Aeronca 11AC Chief in, not award winning condition, but solid and dependable. Two weeks later it found it's new home in my Hangar at MZZ. I hope to someday soon begin a restoration and return it to better than new condition.
This summer I met the son of the man who bought my plane new. The son told me he did his first solo in it at 16 years of age. I now know the color scheme of the original paint. I've met others too who were familiar with 4019E. It's as if we don't really own the plane, but are only allowed to use it for a while before it moves on to another pilot.
Recently have begun to get my instrument ticket and have found that my appreciation of the flying characteristics of the Chief has increased. Everything I need to know about the flight attitude in the Chief I can sense with my eyes, ears, and seat. There's joy in it's simplicity.
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