Reflections on a Picnic Table at 1500 Hours

The picnic table in front of Magnum Aviation, E16 Airport

This rather unremarkable picnic table is tightly associated with the most challenging moment in my aviation life so far, honestly one of the most challenging in my life. While I’ve been to/from that airport countless times since, I’ve not seen this table since that fateful day. 

When I last saw this table I had roughly 480 hours in my log book and was working on my commercial certificate. I was sitting at this table as the sun went down, ego shattered, devastated, embarrassed and shaken to the core. Working to pull myself together to fly myself home from what I saw then as a huge defeat. 

Fast forward to today. 4 years and 5 weeks after that date. I have 1501.8 hours in my log book and that Commercial Single Engine Land certificate. I’m Certified by the FAA as a Flight Instructor, Instrument Flight Instructor, Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor. I’ve successfully taught people how to fly planes from scratch, commercial pilot candidates and now pilots working on their instrument ratings. I found out today one of my early students who I taught through first solo passed his check ride (woohoo!).  

I’m giving back to my aviation community and working on my multi engine commercial certificate now. Hours, certificates and ratings are all cool but what’s more important is this: I believe I am a competent and safe pilot, the pilots I sign off will also be competent and safe, and, maybe, in 20 years I’ll still have a little airport to fly in and out of that’s local to me. 

Something inspired me to snap a picture of this table today and in doing so I recalled how devastated I was that day. That made me appreciate where and who I am today. I’ve come a long, long, way from this picnic table. Am I where I want to be? Who knows…. it’s the journey that’s important.. not the destination. I don’t think I’ll ever be where I want to be. But I can be pleased with the progress I’ve made and what I hope is a positive impact on the world around me. 

Enjoy the journey folks... you never know when it will end.