WooooooW!!!!

But….. I didn't see any of the Ohio boy's in this one.

That video is so Poignant. If I ever had the opportunity to raise children. I would make it my best effort to raise them to never to know fear, and to believe in any dream they may have. For whatever passion they wanted to pursue, to go out and find a successful financial avenue to make any dream possible.
It sucks, that I will never have the opportunity to get at the controls of a p51 or fly an f16. Man, I would kill to get in the seat of one of those birds. I would eat those machines for breakfast. If It was possible to go back in time, back to the late thirties or early forties, that was a golden time in aviation, an opportunity for the ordinary man. Now, the only way, is if you have had been brought up in a positive environment and taught how to use the opportunities that our capitalist society provides, and make money!! That is the only thing that is important. Fuck everything else. With unlimited financial resources, the sky is not the limit. Shit, 20 million will get you into space. There's no true pilot that could hold back the tears looking down at the earth from that altitude. It sucks to make do with what you got.
Make it a point to build a legacy, that, see your kids having the opportunity to fly those planes, if they show that interest at an early age.

Nice video!

Sidewinder,

I have a couple of wealthy friends (one co-founded a company that sold for 10 billion in the 90's). Both are down to earth good people. I asked each their definition of wealth. One said, "Wealth is 25% more than what you have.". The other, the *very* wealthy man said, "When your basic needs are met and your income exceeds your expenses".

I like that last one.

I came to America as a child with almost nothing, Step dad left Mom with 5 youngsters to raise mostly with no child support - - this was back before all the welfare BS and "safety nets". We all worked 'cause we enjoyed being able to eat. That was then. I'm now most fortunate to own several aircraft. If I had none, I'd still be happy as long as my basic needs were met and I could enjoy friends, family, and nature. Happiness doesn't come from material things (though it sure's hell helps c).

BTW, a friend gave me a ride in his P-51 . . . way cool. Wife cleared me to buy one 15 years ago but I didn't have all the cash and decided I didn't want to borrow to buy a "toy" - - with P-51 appreciation, that turned out to be a missed investment opportunity I reckon. As current P-51 owners get old and "start falling off their twigs", I was hoping the bottom would fall out and I could buy one on the cheap, though by then I might be a little shaky on my twig.

bumper

"Zoomies," we lowly Army helicopter pilots called them. My buddy, Billy Jackson, would give them the finger as they taxied by with their oxygen masks hanging down. I just felt sorry for those who had to fly so high they seldom saw anything interesting.

bumper wrote: "When your basic needs are met and your income exceeds your expenses".

that works for me

bumper wrote:I came to America as a child with almost nothing, Step dad left Mom with 5 youngsters to raise mostly with no child support - - this was back before all the welfare BS and "safety nets". We all worked 'cause we enjoyed being able to eat.

Putting aside for a moment the question of whether a society in which people have a shot at starving to death is a noble one, you must have just barely missed the welfare "BS". Two of the most important welfare programs, unemployment and AFDC were created in 1939 during the great depression. That's 75 years ago.

bumper wrote:The other, the *very* wealthy man said, "When your basic needs are met and your income exceeds your expenses".

I like that last one.

Yeah, and that's a scientifically proven principle too. Studies show that happiness increases *dramatically* from zero dollars in income all the way up to about $50K (about what it takes to raise a family these days). Then happiness pretty much levels off. It goes up a little between 50 and 75, but really once your basic needs are met your happiness is genetics and decision making rather than money.

contactflying wrote:"Zoomies," we lowly Army helicopter pilots called them. My buddy, Billy Jackson, would give them the finger as they taxied by with their oxygen masks hanging down. I just felt sorry for those who had to fly so high they seldom saw anything interesting.

Were you in the Zoom Reserve?

Yes, very limited. Meybe four or five of Patrick's potatoes.

One potato - tail up! - two potato three potato - lift-off!