Photo courtesy of Bob Ibinez
My parents divorced in the same year I started working at Deer Park airport on Long Island N.Y. when I was 14 years old as a line boy. My only brother was away in the Navy.
When I was 15, I asked mom to buy me a 1946 Aeronca Champ for $400 that needed a complete recovering. I told her that since she had taught me to cover model airplanes, I could do it with the help of a friend I had who worked at that airport as a mechanic. That friend became a big brother to me and he is still my big brother today, an incredible 55 years later.
Mom was present for my first solo.
She was my first passenger when I got my private.
Although we had little money, mom was there to help me move up to a larger plane by taking from her pension plan.
Mom was always there for me, picking me up, dusting me off and encouraging me to press on, regardless of what life thrown in front of me.
BECAUSE of mom, I had a fantastic aviation career; flight instructing my way through college, flying for the Navy, as a corporate pilot, owning my own flight school, retiring from one of largest world airlines flying all over the U.S. and the rest of the world, and I still fly today.
Thank you Mom! I love you more than I'll ever be able to say. I can't wait to see you in heaven!
Bob
