ABOUT STEVE

Welcome to my website about flying. Please enjoy the content.

These are stories about flying. Stories of my own that I want to share and by sharing these things that happened to me flying might encourage someone to learn to fly and enjoy the magnificence of flight. Also to share the things that were not so pleasant so that it may not happen to someone else.

I will include some history of our predecessors and some stories from other pilots that I’ve known.

I invite my contemporaries to join this conversation and share their experiences.

My primary intent is to teach what I know and by doing so hopefully, some people might engage in learning to fly. Or continue with their aviation training. There is always something new to learn.

The content of this site will be for all pilots, student pilots through airline transport pilots. Perhaps beyond.

Perhaps some of my stories will inspire young people to become involved in this wonderful aviation business.

I will be more than happy to help anyone that has an interest and answer your questions, I’ll help you find a good flight school. I’ll give you ideas about who to use as an instructor.

My fascination with aviation began when I was a young man. Very young. About the age of 5 or 6 when I discovered how cool airplanes are.

My initial training in an airplane started in Helena, Montana at Morrison Flying Service owned by Jeff Morrison who had been on that airport most of his life as his parents had run the airport before him.

I knew at that time that somehow I was going to be able to make a living flying an airplane no matter how many obstacles I had to overcome. It took many years and lots of frustration to finally become a commercial pilot.

Most of all I’m a pilot and now I’m telling the story about it.

I am an airline transport pilot and a certified flight instructor with a type rating in the Boeing 737 I have flown everything from the Cessna 150 up to the 737. My experience involves venues from pleasure flying, corporate flying, airline flying, and flying for a few rich guys that own aircraft.

A little bit more about me

I was born and raised in northwestern Montana at the doorstep of Glacier National Park. Other than times when I was forced to be gone because of a job I’ve lived here and been a resident all my life. It is in my estimation one of the most beautiful places on earth. That was a plus for me in aviation because I learned how to fly in the mountains. That is something that seriously intimidates some people. But like anything else you just follow the rules.

During my searches on the web for flying stories, I found very little content about real pilots telling real stories about flying. So I’ve decided that I should share my knowledge with others who may want to partake in the experiences aviation offers.

Aviation has changed

The main thing that changed is the lack of well-experienced pilots getting into commercial airliners in the right seat. My peers told me that many of these new First Officers have never been in the left seat except for training and building enough time to get considered for a job.

I personally prefer the guy who spent some time out flying in the real world in real weather. In my estimation, that’s the best way for any pilot to gain experience and truthfully that’s where a lot of the pilots used to come from. That is simply just my opinion.

When I began flying the jobs were all going to the guys that came back from Vietnam and rightfully so. They had the experience so the competition was intense even for a flight instructor position.

Lots of pilots get their time being flight instructors which is damn honorable. That’s something I really recommend since if you are gonna teach it you gotta know it.

I have seen so many changes in aviation over the past 50+ years of hanging around the airports. All of the new technological advancements in performance and avionics have created greater challenges for students learning to fly. The opportunities of the future are almost unfathomable to me with all the possibilities. I can only imagine what the new arena of spaceflight will create.

I intend to give helpful instruction and guidance in the pursuit of an aviation career and hope that this website can become a place where people can comment on their own experiences and help create safer skies through education.

Perhaps my experience will make a difference in someone else’s decision-making process. I would be very pleased if my stories inspire current and future pilots. If no more than to learn from my mistakes.

” It’s a beautiful day and we’re flying high” Will Rogers

MY GOAL

It’s all about flying.
If you ever need a hand or have any questions, feel free to leave them below and I will be more than happy to help you out.

All the best,

STEVEN MEDLEY BENNETT ATP CFI