Sunday, March 11, 2007

Please Welcome Paul McDonald

I am a new member of NCSA, having joined on February 10, 2007. I'll attach two images that may explain my interest in soaring.



In the first, taken on February 23, 1980, a thrilled fourteen-year-old is at the controls of a Schweizer 2-33. I experienced my first and only glider lesson that day, in N2476W out of Sky Sailing in Fremont.



The second image shows me, older and grayer, more recently. I have been fortunate to fly a wide variety of aircraft in that twenty-seven year span, but never did fulfill the early dream of flying gliders. At the time, I could not understand why my father would not let me ride my Schwinn Stingray along the Nimitz Freeway from Alameda to Fremont. I would have done it!


I am excited to finally be able to pursue the training, and I look forward to learning as much as possible about soaring from the staff and membership of NCSA.


My non-aviation interests include guitar and SCUBA diving. I live in Pleasanton with my wife Charissa, and our two boys, Ryan (11) and Michael (8). They all enjoy the rural nature of C83, and I hope that they will accompany me out to the gliderport occasionally.

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