Recently, a group of friends was discussing how US pilots get their training. I noted that most commercial big-jet pilots get their training "for free" from the military. In fact, two childhood friends of mine did this.
Their dad was a multi-talented man who had several successful careers, ultimately rising to 2-star (or maybe 3-star?) General and head of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. His name was Bob Harris, and they just don't make dads this cool anymore.
Until an epic battle with cancer made him too weak, he still made physicals and kept up all his flying certifications, even though he had tremendous administrative, military, and publicity duties. On summer Thursday afternoons, when he knew his kids were playing with us at our mountain pond in Pennsylvania, he would buzz our house in a giant, C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. Alas, cancer took his life too early, but he lived more in five decades than a dozen ordinary men could in eight.
Their dad was a multi-talented man who had several successful careers, ultimately rising to 2-star (or maybe 3-star?) General and head of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. His name was Bob Harris, and they just don't make dads this cool anymore.
Until an epic battle with cancer made him too weak, he still made physicals and kept up all his flying certifications, even though he had tremendous administrative, military, and publicity duties. On summer Thursday afternoons, when he knew his kids were playing with us at our mountain pond in Pennsylvania, he would buzz our house in a giant, C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. Alas, cancer took his life too early, but he lived more in five decades than a dozen ordinary men could in eight.
Question
Our discussion skewed, as it sometimes does, and one friend asked if Bob Harris was cooler than BatDad? BatDad is a dorky youtube video of a guy in a head mask. This was my answer.
Answer
Oh, I don't know. A C-130 Hercules can takeoff and land on 3,000 feet of beach (or on a freakin' AIRCRAFT CARRIER!), with several trucks on board, while looking like this:
General Bob Harris talked about landing a C-130 on a beach as if he were parking a Cadillac on a lawn. Speaking of which, he kept a mint 1958 Cadillac convertible, in a conservative rural area known mostly for Amish buggies.
In case you think I am kidding about the giant brass balls on these aviators, enjoy this demonstration.
In case you think I am kidding about the giant brass balls on these aviators, enjoy this demonstration.
When he buzzed our pond in the summer, I crapped just a little. Also, he would wag the wings for us and spiral in towards us at high bank angles.
Once a year, he would get us "general's seats" for the Blue Angels jet show. This consisted of an aluminum bleacher, setup 300ft from the runway on the open Tarmac. This definitely caused brain damage.
Oh, and he used to have a magic show on TV before he became a general. Just for giggles, he was a tournament level bridge player and a filthy comedian.
Teensy bit cooler? Or is it just me?
:)
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