Airborne: Ralph's Daughter Piloting Through Her Fears

A Cessna 152
(Image Source)

On a clear day in 2003 or 2004, Ralph’s daughter BR arrived at General Aviation in Salt Lake City, for her daughter AG (Ralph’s granddaughter), who was working toward her pilot's license, to have her next lesson with Ralph. Despite being the daughter of a pilot and having grown up flying with Ralph, one of the most experienced and careful pilots ever, BR had a terrible fear of flying. However, it had been weighing on her for some time she needed to get over her fear. So upon arrival at the airport, she said to her dad, “Can I schedule with you to go flying sometime?” Ralph looked at her and said, “Now’s perfect! Let’s get in!” Ralph probably figured it was now or never! What was the likelihood that BR would be up for going another time? They climbed into the Cessna 152, a two-seater, with BR in the left seat - where the pilot-in-command sits. They did the pre-flight and taxied out. Ralph instructed: “Take it up!” They were soon airborne, and they were flying the pattern that took them over the University of Utah and back through the canyon a little bit and out. They came across a flock of seagulls - always had to be watchful of them as a bird strike could prove fatal for all parties involved. Crisis averted. Things were going well. Then all of a sudden, BR started to have a panic attack. She was frozen at the controls and was crying. “Dad, I can’t do this. You have to take over. Please take over.” Ralph didn’t take over. But he very calmly and quietly reassured her: “You’re ok. You can do this. I’m right here.” Even though Ralph wouldn’t take over the controls, he expressed full confidence in her - he wouldn’t let her fail - and it gave BR the comfort she was needing. They continued to fly. And they flew the pattern a couple more times before they touched back down in Salt Lake City (though BR declined Ralph’s offer to land in Heber, Utah, on the other side of the mountain, to grab something to eat near that airport). “It was a wonderful experience,” she tenderly related. “I can’t imagine how many other [students] had that experience with Dad.”

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• From a phone interview with BR on 30 April 2021.
• Read the entire collection of Ralph's flying experiences here.