top of page

Flying

As a little kid I loved airplanes. But I had to wait until I was in my 50s to have both the time and money to pursue my lifelong dream. I earned my ASEL (Aircraft Single Engine Land) certificate November 11, 2009.

I continued flight training, and my life was all about aviation. I scored high on my FAA Instrument written test and was working for a leading provider of private pilot training materials.

 

Then fate intervened. I tested poorly on a mandated eye exam. I knew my eyesight was declining, yet I wasn’t prepared for the abrupt limitation of my flying experience. I could have continued flying on a restricted basis, but I think every pilot should have 20/20 vision (correctable) at a minimum.

 

I returned my private pilot certificate to the FAA. That was hard, but it was the right thing to do. As long as you hold a pilot's certificate you have ongoing obligations to the FAA. More importantly, I didn't want to be tempted to continue flying when I could no longer meet my personal minimums. I was not a great pilot, but I aways put safety first. 

​

If you're interest in learning more about aviation, check out the links below. You can also check out the book I wrote about learning to fly.

​

I leave you with two things: One is a solemn reminder. The other an iconic poem about flight.

​

"Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity, or neglect."

​

  • Captain A. G. Lamplugh, chief underwriter for the British Aviation Insurance Company

 

Regarding fight safety, I've included a link below to the NTSB report of John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s accident. Sadly, it shows just about every kind of mistake a pilot can make in terms of judgment.

​

Be safe, and always keep the wind beneath your wings!

​

Ted Seastrom

​

More about aviation

tedseastrom.com

bottom of page