From my son, Brian Stark’s journal, in his own words: “One thing I love about Ecole, our school in Switzerland, is that we welcome challenges and the experience and wisdom that can come from it. For me, running poses unlimited challenges and learning. But running is inherently a solo endeavor. As a long-distance runner, I’m […]

Five years after I was separated from the Navy, I found myself living and working in Lafayette, Indiana. I hadn’t flown since my Navy days and missed it. I already had pilot ratings for single engine, multi-engine, and an instrument license, but discovered I was eligible for the GI Bill to get my Instructor’s rating, […]

The Dilbert Dunker is a training device used to teach Navy pilots how to extract themselves from an aircraft which crashed into the ocean. The Dilbert Dunker is a cockpit mounted on rails above a swimming pool. When released it slides down the rails, flipping over when entering the water, and sinking to the bottom […]

December 10, 1978: From this day forward may you be fleet of foot, strong of body, oblivious to pain, and victorious in the pursuit of your goals and objectives. Those were the words on a telegram I received from a friend before I ran the Joe Steele, Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Alabama, my first […]

Air sickness is one thing in more than fifty years of flying I have never suffered. Paul Burnham, one of my former Navy shipmate wasn’t so lucky. And what a shame it was. Paul had dreamed of flying all his life. I imagined Paul grew up wearing a flight helmet to school every day and […]