Before they were RVators

[dreed]

I'll play- First one is my first "plane"- actually my brothers. My grandfather (pilot and my inspiration to fly) built a British plane for my older brother and the red baron for me. They got a wood radial engine and prop later, so this must have been early. Actually, this could be my brother, but the writing on the photo says it's says me- we looked pretty similar as kids (he is 3 years older). so maybe 45 year ago or so.

Second is me and the famous Mr. Mike Seager a little over 2 years ago on my first flight in my plane (he did the first flight).

[SeanB]

First pic is me with my little brother, Jason. Second is me playing with our dog, Cleco, at the hangar!😀

[Mikeyb]

1962 or so. That one ride was all it took.

[Draker]

Photos are 30 years apart:


First flight in a GA airplane, family friend took me on a tour of NYC in his Centurion and then down the Jersey shore, landing at 26N.


Prepping for Airworthiness inspection

[ronrapp]

First photo: yours truly trying out the right seat in a TWA 727 after landing in St. Louis back in 1977. I think the denim suit kind of gives away the era.

Second photo: me and my son on a flight to Big Bear in the RV-6. This was his first time in the RV.

--Ron

[Roadjunkie1]

Originally Posted by DeltaRomeo

[INDENT

First picture: me as a 22 yo radical hippy with my own AIRPLANE!! My instructor said if I really wanted to learn how to fly, I need my own airplane...... HAHAHAHAHA....... I was living on my own working as a mail carrier. I couldn't afford to just go out and buy an airplane!!I thought that was something I would do eventually but way later. We found two for sale; this was the better of the two. Walked 100 miles trying to figure out if I should do such a thing. I was saving money for college and had to postpone that for a few years but bought this J-3 Cub...for $2,700! Which was big money back then. (A Corvette sold new for around $6,000!)

Oh: and I eventually did attended college....and graduate school!

Second picture: Me several years later in the same J-3 Cub! And my RV-4 SuzieQ is her stablemate!

Third picture: me (on the left) with my older sibling after my first airline ride in a Frontier DC-3 just before they converted to the Convair 580. I was already hooked......

Last picture: The Cub and I, c1972 soon after I had found her..... Check out those bell bottoms!

[azrv6]

Age 16. First solo, November 16, 1969, Donegal Airport, N71, Lancaster County, PA, in my dad’s Luscombe 8A.
I recently found this airplane, the registration number had been changed over 20 years ago. I’d like to buy it.



Age 43. First flight of my RV6, N241DC, May 26, 1996, at Danbury,CT.



Age 70. Today, September 26, 2023 after a one hour flight in N241DC. Still flies great after 27 years.

[N427EF]

1974, Switzerland, dreaming of becoming a pilot and an American citizen.
Less than a decade later, those dreams became a reality.
The destination was the ultimate goal but the journey was the real adventure.

[smokyray]

Before the internet, before iPhones, before GPS, before the F16, before the airlines, before the RV4, there was banner towing in the mighty Scout.






V/R
Smokey

*Photos taken by my South African good friend and future AG pilot/RV8 owner Johan.

[Laird]

First Image:
Early days with my Dad taking a pic of me on the Ercoupe. (Story is told that my first flight was when I was 6 weeks old in my mother's lap in the Ercoupe) My dad stopped flying our RV6 at 93. He's now 97.

Second Image:
Our RV-6 at Oskosh in '21 with over 2000 hrs on it.

Third:
Relatively recent pic of me in the race car sitting on the grid (SCCA S2000)