My First Love...

[birdguy 3,943]

My First Love doesn't sound like a topic for a flight simulator forum does it?  But it happened when I was in the 5th or 6th grade.

It was love at first sight.  It was an afternoon and I was walking down Van Ness Avenue in Francisco to a school chum's house when I first saw her.  Van Ness Avenue at the time was where al the car dealerships were.  And we boys at the time knew all about cars.  We never talked much about airplanes.

But there in the middle of the showroom floor in one of the dealerships she sat.  She was beautiful.  She was irresistible.  My friend could wait.  I had to meet this girl.

She was a Luscombe 8A.  Brand new.  I walked in and looked at her.  I shyly walked up to her.  The door was open.  I peeked inside.  She was mysterious and beautiful on the inside too.

One of the car salesmen walked up to me and asked my if I would like to sit inside her.  Did I!  I climbed up and sat n the left seat.  I moved the stick around.  I looked at the instruments, wondering what they were for.  We were getting acquainted.

Every day after school I would go to the dealership and sit in that beautiful airplane.  I learned what the instruments were for.  The owner would sometimes com down from his office and explain to me how the stick worked.  I was becoming quite familiar with my new love.  When my friends started talking about cars I talked about airplanes.  I knew quite a bit by then.  I had done a lot of reading about airplanes.

Then one afternoon I made my trip to the dealership and she was gone!  My love had left me!  I was devastated!  But, as with all first loves, the memory lingered and I never forgot her.

Fast forward about 12 years.  I was 22 years old and just out of the Marine Corps.  I went back home to live with my folks in Mill Valley, just north of San Francisco.  I had gotten job as a file clerk for the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Francisco.  And every morning when I took the bus to work, and every afternoon when I returned home on the bus I passed a seaplane base not far from the folk's home.  And tied up on the dock was my first love.  But she had sprouted floats.

I walked down one Saturday afternoon too look at her.  One of the flight instructors came down and asked if I would like to learn how to fly her.  He told me the GI Bill would pay for it...or at least most of it.

So I finally went to bed with my first love and learned how to fly her.  I soloed with her.  I did my cross-countries with her.  We almost became inseparable.

I had to leave her when I joined the Air Force and my flying days were over for a while.  But I later started flying again in Cherokees and Cessnas and even an Aztec.  But then age crept up on me and I had to do my flying on my computer.

Then when I was going strong with FS98 Bill Lyons gave me back my first love with his Luscombe 8A.  It has graced every flight simulator since.  I have never been without her.  FS98, FS2004, FSX, P3Dv1-2-3-4.  They have all been homes for her.

And now, as they say, for the rest of the story.  She flies well on P3Dv5 too.  I just tried her out this afternoon.  Bill Lyons outdid himself when he created her.  And since P3Dv5 is most likely the last simulator I will ever buy I can truly say to my beloved Luscombe...till death do us part,

Noel

 

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

Aaah. ❤️

Noel, does this aircraft still exist? If so, what is the registration? There seem to be a lot of them still flying.

Edited May 10, 2020 by Ron Attwood

[HighBypass 2,339]

That is a lovely story, Noel! Might I assume that you had the same paintjob on the sim Luscombe as was on the real one?

[birdguy 3,943]

I don't know if the plane still exists or where it might Ron.  I don't even know the registration number.  Back in that day the plane had no lights, no radios, no starter, so I never called ATC or any towers.  You had to hand prop it.  Try propping the engine while standing on a float in the middle of Clear Lake.  I filed no flight plans.  I just told the chief pilot I was going to Clear Lake or San Luis Reservoir.  The year was about 1956-57.

Noel

[flyingleaf 31]

Beautiful story Noel. Lovely "Love story". Thank you for sharing.

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

1 hour ago, birdguy said:

I don't know if the plane still exists or where it might Ron.  I don't even know the registration number.  Back in that day the plane had no lights, no radios, no starter, so I never called ATC or any towers.  You had to hand prop it.  Try propping the engine while standing on a float in the middle of Clear Lake.  I filed no flight plans.  I just told the chief pilot I was going to Clear Lake or San Luis Reservoir.  The year was about 1956-57.

Noel

What? You don't have a log book? Sheesh! I was ready to do a paint for it.

[birdguy 3,943]

That logbook was lost decades ago Ron.  The paint is one that comes with Lyons' collection.  The green one (looks blue).

Noel

 

[Victoroos 205]

Love it ❤️ 

[HighBypass 2,339]

Noel, whilst you yourself has many aviation stories, I spotted this one about a young lady and her Luscombe. Thought you might appreciate it. 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?20618-A-Luscombe-Story/view/1

[birdguy 3,943]

People who have flown Luscombes love them.  Lucky young lady to have found one that was just restored.  The paint job looks great!.

It's a slow bird for sure.  I doubt I ever got over 90 knots.

All of my experience in the Luscombe was on floats.  Crosswinds are no problem.  Read the water for wind direction and head into it.  Glassy water landings are the toughest.  Maintain power all the way down because it's difficult to judge how far you are off the water then it's smooth.

If course once you're down you are driving a squirrely boat.  

Noel

Edited May 11, 2020 by birdguy