My Aviation Mentor Retires His Wings by Natalie Kelley I’M DEVASTATED. MY AVIATION MENTOR RETIRES HIS WINGS It’s been no secret that my uncle has played a huge role in my love of aviation. After over 50 years of flying, my uncle Robert has officially declared the end of his flying “career.” Flying hasn’t been his career but it’s been his passion and hobby since he was in his twenties. He is 78. He’s had several friends perish in flying accidents over the years and he has recently come to realize his own aging and mortality. He has stated that he needs to quit flying before it’s too late, before he makes a deadly mistake. Many older pilots error by continuing flight when their decision-making skills and reflexes have slowed to an unsafe level. It’s a very difficult crossroads.
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He and I have had lengthy conversations lately about his aviation life and family. It is a foreign, sad departure. He has no desire to piddle around flying in a Cessna 172. His love is with the warbird community and has always been driven by his love of formation flying and aerobatics. Anything other than that is of no interest to him. His airplane is officially for sale. He’s owned an airplane of some make and model for over 40 years. His hangar is full of tools, oil barrels, and rare airplane parts that he’s collected over his lifetime. To say this is sad for me as well, is an understatement. After our most recent and probably our last flight together, I decided to write about him, his journey, our relationship, and our shared love of aviation.
