First Flight

by Captain Wayne (Rusty) Baker

 “Life doesn't get complicated until you land.” 

Patty Wagstaff 

My love of flying began a few years prior to my first flying lesson. Delbert Baker, or “Doc”, as we all called him, was my father’s first cousin, took me up.

I always dreamed of being a pilot, even before I'd ever been in an airplane. I finally got my opportunity to go up one summer evening when I was about 13 years of age. We were visiting my cousins who lived on a farm only a few miles from ours. Doc Baker, kept a Taylorcraft in his machine shed. It was a perfect evening, and Doc decided it was time to get the airplane out. I don't remember if he invited me, or if I took the initiative and asked for the chance to go along. I do remember the excitement, the sense of anticipation that I felt. My mother was apprehensive, and she insisted that I call home and ask Dad if it was okay with him.

Fortunately for me, my dad shared my enthusiasm for flying – he had actually been up in airplanes a couple of times and loved it. He granted permission, and within minutes we were taxiing to the north end of Doc's grass strip.

Photo credit: hangaronekits.com 

He did a run-up, pointed the T-craft south and we were rolling down the runway. I remember the exhilaration, the sense of wonder as we cleared the fence at the south end of the runway and scattered the sheep that had been moments before peacefully grazing in my grandfather's pasture. I marveled at the sight of the green fields, the fencerows, the lakes and ponds, and the beauty of it all. I had never been more at peace.

We climbed to about a thousand feet above the ground and turned southeast. Minutes later, we were circling my family's house, getting a bird's eye view of our farm. 

Doc brought me back in for a smooth, uneventful landing. He moved up in stature in my eyes that day. He was not just a cousin, a farmer, he was a pilot and I had gone up with him!

Doc passed away a few years ago. He always enjoyed talking flying with me, asking about the airplanes I flew, and the places I had been. I know that he took pride in seeing me progress in my career, flying turboprops and eventually jets. "I was the one that got ya started!" he would always say. Seventeen thousand plus hours later, I just want to say "Thanks, Doc!"