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Leisure Travel ENJOYING LIFE WITH YOUR PLANE
Logging Memories In The Air
Pilots log flight time in a logbook, diligently capturing the time, aircraft type, conditions of flight, etc., for use in documenting their experience. Those who have flown for years can flip through the wrinkled, sometimes faded pages and recall everything from an instrument proficiency check to that hairy landing in a stiff cross-wind.
But flying isn’t just about the act of moving the airplane from point A to point B. It’s about the journey-the places you’ve been to and the memories you have of them.
Airplanes are ideal family memory makers. Even non-pilot family members can recall trips to “exotic” locations that might have been a nearby field with a good restaurant, or a trip with family and friends to a great vacation destination.
So why not capture those memories in a flying family log book? It’s an easy project to start, and one that will collect years of fond memories for your children and grand children as they grow older.
Find a sturdy scrapbook, one that will survive being pulled out time and time again, preferably a loose-leaf type that can have pages moved around. For each trip, create a “log page” that includes the starting point and destination for each leg, the elapsed time, who was on the flight, and even the “conditions of flight.” We’re not talking about wind and weather here, but rather anything that’s special about your time in the air, from the turbulence that spilled your coffee to the time little Johnny got sick all over your garment bag.
You should leave space on the page for each family member to write something about the journey from their unique perspective. This will help freshen
memories years later.
On pages after the initial log page, you can insert photos from your trip, as well small souvenirs, post-cards, even receipts from places you ate at or stayed. Anything that will fit on a sheet of paper is ideal for your family flying log book.
Collect as many journeys as you can in a single book, then date the books for easy
reference later. You’ll find the data, photos and comments bring back the special memories of each trip, even after years have pushed the trips to the back of your mind.
If you’re looking for something just for kids, a commercial product is called My First Log Book, from Joyce F. Logan. The book, which combines a children’s flight log book with activities that will keep the child engaged during the trip, can be purchased online for $9 to $15 from myfirstlogbook.com.
Whether you purchase a book for your children or decide to create one for the whole family, recording your adventures is as important for you and your family as it is for the pilot. With a little forethought, and some paper and glue, you can create a record of memories that will last a lifetime.
—Sean Fulton
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