| Today I was going to write about the success of the | | | | my body, I said, "Wow, really? Thanks man!" |
| "Flight to Hartford" project with my church (you can | | | | Then he turned serious for a moment and said, "When |
| find it listed under my name) and tie it into the universal | | | | are you free for your first lesson?" |
| laws of attraction and giving. But something else came | | | | Thrown off balance since I didn't expect it to happen |
| up, taking priority. | | | | so soon, I said, "Well, how about tomorrow?" |
| I just learned that a man who helped me make my | | | | "Okay, you got it! " he thundered. Then he winked as if |
| dreams of becoming a pilot seven years ago recently | | | | he were saying, "our secret." |
| passed away. While I understand most of you didn't | | | | The rest was history. He was true to his word. Months |
| know him, I want to share the story of how we met | | | | of flight training with this man proved to be quite an |
| and the incredible impact he had on my life. I believe | | | | adventure. |
| and hope you'll be touched even if you're not a pilot | | | | He was best known as a jokester, even in the cockpit. |
| yourself. | | | | Now you have to picture this in your mind. There we |
| We could all learn how to give selflessly like he did. I | | | | were, me, a deaf student pilot and him, a 250 pound |
| don't know whether or not he was aware of the | | | | flight instructor with a large football frame who liked to |
| universal laws of attraction and giving but he was sure | | | | poke his elbow at me every time he made a joke. |
| a good model for someone who did. | | | | And get this...he thought everything he said was funny! |
| Here's the story. | | | | Ouch! |
| Right around the turn of the 21st century, I was still in | | | | Aside from his wry sense humor, he was one of the |
| the process of building my speaking and writing career | | | | most patient flight instructors I would ever have. Every |
| so I was looking for a part-time job to pay the bills in | | | | time we got ready for a lesson, he'd explain in the |
| between professional speaking engagements. | | | | classroom what we were going to do and then we'd |
| It was also at this time when I was already a month or | | | | go up and fly. |
| two into flight training but my original instructor was | | | | If he wanted to explain something while we were |
| offered a new job in Colorado so I was forced to find | | | | flying, he'd take control of the airplane while I read his |
| a replacement elsewhere. | | | | lips and then we'd resume the lesson. Don was one of |
| One day, I had an inspiration to visit other airports to | | | | those rare flight instructors who did not care about |
| see if I could get a job at a place where they taught | | | | building flight time for a future career with the airlines. |
| people how to fly. I thought, "Why not? Might as well | | | | He was in it for the long haul. In fact, it wasn't until after |
| shoot two birds with one stone." | | | | 50 plus years of flying and instructing that he finally |
| After visiting one or two and being told nothing was | | | | hung up his wings last year. |
| available, I decided to venture a little further out and try | | | | He truly enjoyed the fine art of teaching and it showed. |
| Oakland Troy airport, a 30 minute drive from my | | | | He never yelled at his students like some flight |
| home. | | | | instructors who think they are drill sergeants with big |
| It was nestled among a fast growing metropolitan area | | | | egos. His students were his prized possessions and he |
| (Troy, Michigan, USA) complete with a new strip mall, | | | | treated all of them with the respect they deserved. |
| new apartments, a giant Wal-Mart and an assortment | | | | On December 3, 2000 Don had one big surprise up his |
| of other industrial buildings. The only area with open | | | | sleeve. It was a calm, sunny day. We were scheduled |
| space was a small golf course nearby. The airport | | | | to do some practice takeoffs and landings. After doing |
| was big enough to accommodate corporate jets yet | | | | three of them, he instructed me to taxi over to the |
| small enough not to require an air traffic control tower. | | | | ramp by the white terminal building where I first met |
| Pulling onto the newly repaved airport parking lot, I | | | | him months earlier. |
| noticed a small circular white terminal building up ahead. | | | | Trying to hide his delight, he said, "Let me see your |
| "That must be where I can find the personnel | | | | logbook for a sec." |
| department," I thought. | | | | Arching my right arm as far back as I could behind the |
| Upon setting foot inside, I was surprised to see only a | | | | front seats, I snatched the logbook out of my bulging |
| couple of people milling about, drinking coffee and | | | | black flight bag and gave it to him. |
| reading the paper. A jovial looking man with rosy | | | | Suddenly it dawned on me that today was "the day." |
| cheeks was pouring himself a steaming hot cup of | | | | He was going to sign me off for my first solo flight! |
| coffee. | | | | I felt an involuntary shudder. |
| Seeing that I was a new face in the place, he set his | | | | After scribbling his signature, he turned and looked at |
| coffee down and came barreling toward me at 800 | | | | me. His brown eyes were sparkling again. The smile |
| mph with an outstretched hand. It startled the heck out | | | | was even bigger than before. He was absolutely |
| of me. | | | | giddy, like a child on Christmas morning. |
| After regaining my composure, I made the mistake of | | | | "So Mr. Hopson, are you ready?" he thundered. |
| accepting his bone-crushing handshake, causing me to | | | | "Yes, Don, get the hell out!" I thundered back, half joking. |
| wince in pain. | | | | Roaring like a lion, Don heaved his 250 pound football |
| Trying to hide my pained expression, I said, "Hi, my | | | | frame out of the airplane, closed and locked the door |
| name is Stephen Hopson and I'm looking for the | | | | with a loud click. Then he did something that forever |
| personnel department." | | | | burned in my mind. |
| "And I'm Don Solms," he boomed. He was still pumping | | | | Like a five-star general sending his young fighter pilots |
| my now lifeless hand. | | | | off to war, he gave me a smart salute! |
| Finally releasing his grip, he said, "Oh, you want a job | | | | I almost burst to tears. It was deeply touching. No one |
| here?" His face brightened even more, if that were | | | | ever did that to me before. Despite being more than |
| possible. | | | | ready to solo, I still felt a touch of trepidation so I |
| "Yes, do you know of any openings?" I was | | | | returned the favor with a slightly shaky hand. Thank |
| massaging my fatally injured hand, opening and closing | | | | God he was too far away to see that. |
| it repeatedly. | | | | Taxiing into position on the runway, I took a deep |
| "I think they might be looking for someone. HEY, let me | | | | breath and firewalled the throttle causing the airplane |
| take you over to the other building to Susan's office. | | | | to literally leap into the air. I remember thinking, "so this |
| She's the personnel director. COME ON!" | | | | is what everyone means when they say the plane will |
| Just before going in her office, Don thrust his business | | | | bounce into the air without your instructor!" |
| card in my hand and said cheerfully, "Good luck. Shoot | | | | Within seconds after takeoff, all the training kicked in |
| me an email later. You'll have to come over to my | | | | and it was just another exercise around the airport |
| hangar where I keep my plane. Okay?" | | | | pattern. The only difference was...well, I was alone. |
| Keeping both hands within the safety confines of my | | | | After three takeoffs and landings, the venerable flight |
| pockets, I said, "Thanks Don." I could tell he wanted | | | | instructor waved me over and gave the signal to cut |
| another hand shake. Fat chance buddy! | | | | the engine. He stood there like a proud papa and |
| Susan then introduced me to two guys named Carl | | | | motioned for me to go over to where he was |
| Barnes and Jason Zimmerman. They were both | | | | standing. Instead of shaking my hand, he wrapped his |
| young men who were in charge running flight services. | | | | huge arms around me and gave me a bone crushing |
| The interview went well and I ended up being hired. As | | | | hug. But, hey, I didn't mind. |
| a line service rep, I would be responsible for fueling and | | | | Five months later, one day short of my birthday, he |
| towing airplanes, among other things. It marked the | | | | finally signed me off to take my pilot certification flight |
| beginning of an incredible 4 years at that airport. | | | | test (i.e. "checkride") with Mary Carpenter, one of the |
| One day, Don was hanging out at his hangar where he | | | | toughest but fairest FAA examiners from the area. He |
| kept his prized Skylane. It was sunny and breezy. His | | | | and Terry Ryan (his airplane co-owner at the time), |
| hangar door was wide open, allowing cool air to swirl | | | | both accompanied me on the flight to Pontiac airport, a |
| around inside. It was an open invitation to anyone who | | | | mere 10 minutes away where the examiner's office |
| happened to come by. Spotting me in the fuel truck (I | | | | was located. He wanted to be there when Mrs. |
| was motoring my way back to the terminal after | | | | Carpenter and I were done with the checkride. |
| fueling a customer's plane), he waved me in and | | | | Two hours later, the examiner walked briskly into the |
| offered me a cold soda. | | | | waiting area, smiled and said, "Congratulations, Stephen |
| Ten minutes into the conversation, my dreams of | | | | passed with flying colors!" |
| becoming a pilot somehow surfaced. I told him that I | | | | Don roared his approval. |
| was actually looking for a new instructor and was | | | | We all went out to have our pictures taken by the |
| trying to save up some money to resume flight training. | | | | airplane and that's when he said to me, "I'll sit in the |
| Before he could respond, my vibrating pager distracted | | | | back seat on the return flight. Congratulations Mr. Pilot |
| me with a new text message. There was another fuel | | | | in Command!" |
| order and I had to get going. | | | | It was the greatest, grandest gesture another human |
| "Don, I've gotta go - they are telling me to fuel another | | | | being could ever have bestowed upon me. I'll never |
| airplane. See ya later!" | | | | forget it. He was that kind of man. Don believed in me |
| As I got up to leave, he grabbed my arm and gave it a | | | | so much that he was literally the only person at that |
| powerful squeeze. My mind did a quick flashback to | | | | airport who believed I would one day become the |
| that day in the terminal. This time his eyes were | | | | world's first deaf instrument rated pilot. |
| sparkling like stars. And he was grinning stupidly. | | | | Six years later, I did it, defying every naysayer in the |
| I was in no way prepared for what he was about to | | | | aviation business. In February 06, I became the world's |
| say next. | | | | first deaf instrument rated pilot. For that I salute Don |
| "I would be honored to be your flight instructor and I | | | | Solms for believing in me. |
| won't charge you for my time. All you'd be responsible | | | | Here's to you Don! |
| for is the cost of renting an airplane." | | | | Food for thought: Have you considered the power of |
| My God, an angel was in my midst and I knew it. | | | | the law of giving and helped make someone else's |
| Absentmindedly rubbing my arms to stem the tide of | | | | dream come true this week? |
| goose bumps that was spreading like wildfire all over | | | | |