By Greg Brown

Published: 3/29/2010

“Hey, Dan, check out that ’39 Chevy. It’s just like the one I owned in high school – even the same color!” Dan drives a tricked out Camaro, so I doubt he appreciated the old car’s beauty as I did. Then again, my view was burnished by memories. As we crossed the road to see it, I remembered my dad encouraging me to buy the low-mileage antique he’d spotted on a street corner. Among life’s rich lessons was when girls at the Dog ‘n Suds drive-in bypassed the muscle cars to ride in my emerald Chevy. It only did 55mph, but like puppies and babies it exuded character so the girls loved it. Best of all, the narrow front seat ensured that such passengers rode deliciously nearby. After graduation I rebuilt the engine and journeyed in the old auto from Chicago through Canada to Maine and back....

Basic Membership Required...

About This Author:

Greg Brown's love for flying is obvious to anyone who reads his stories in AOPA Flight Training, AOPA Pilot, and other publications, or who know his popular professional pilot texts, The Savvy Flight Instructor, The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual, and Job Hunting for Pilots. For more stories like this one, read Greg's book, Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane, about the colorful characters and personal adventure that make aviation such a passion for us all. Flying Carpet was endorsed as part of the Forbes publisher's recommended "summer reading" list, and led to Greg's naming as Barnes & Noble Arizona Author of the Month. His latest book, You Can Fly! details how easy it is to fulfill the dream of becoming a pilot, regardless of one's age, education, or station in life.

A pilot since 1972, Greg was 2000 National Flight Instructor of the Year, and the first-ever NAFI "Master CFI." This column first appeared in AOPA Flight Training magazine.

Contact Greg Brown

Article Options:
	Article Archive Search the database.
	Add to My iPilot Saves this article.