By the way, since originally posting this thread, I entered a 4-year long, slow-motion argument with the FAA over my medical certificate. All I wanted was a Class III, which is basically a doctor telling you that you're still alive, but they had issue with the heart palpitations I had a few years back. Although I had solved the issue -- low-grade work stress, bad sleep habits, too much coffee -- and although my doctors thought I was silly for even pressing the issue, the FAA didn't see it that way. Makes sense, to a point. I'm 48 years old, but I regularly run 6+ miles at an 8:30 pace, and have a resting heart rate of 45. But the FAA was making its decision based on my checking a box that said I had heart palpitations in years previous. So after faxing and sending through snail-mail 200+ pages of documentation of tests and retests and retesting tests to show that there was nothing that could be shown, they finally gave me my medical last June, and I've been flying again since then. It was over 20 years of self-imposed no-flying because it was too expensive, and I'm finally able to do what I really love. It's one reason I sacrificed the Defender. So now I'm getting back into IFR stuff, and hope to start CFI work for fun in the summers. Baby stuff compared to the pros here! But it's hard to describe the joy.
I've also started an after school aviation club at the high school where I teach. Unfortunately, the local airport is terribly neglected by local authorities, and is dominated 100% by a single FBO that overcharges for beat up Cessnas while everyplace else (everywhere else is too far for us to drive to make any sense) is moving into the 21st Century. We live in an age where there are actual shortages of pilots, aviation jobs, and mechanic jobs all over the place; but I can't get anything going for these kids because of the dead-end that this place is for aviation. Hopefully the spring weather will start turning things around, and myself and a few others at the airport are trying to figure out ways to build an aviation community for these kids, and other people who want to get into aviation. But we are having to tread lightly so as not to awake the local FBO to our plans.
I appropriated some school funds (semi-without permission) to start building a simulator, and we might be able to start some fund raisers to get some more cash on hand to buy swag, supplies, and the occasional hour of flight for students. But again, we have to wait for the local authorities to give permission. There are some schools/states/districts who go so far with their high school aviation programs that they own their own aircraft/build their own aircraft, but I think we are a long way from convincing people that aviation is an actual career path, and not just for nerds. Anyone in aviation knows that the EAA and AOPA are big movers and shakers in getting kids into aviation. But so far, the local chapters won't even answer my emails. The only way that I've been able to get these kids to be able to meet an airplane is when local individual aircraft owners have stepped up and allowed them to come to the airport for a visit.
That said, I have found a job with a local mechanic for one kid. An internship for another. And one of my students from a few years ago (before I was able to get back to flying myself) took my advice very literally, and two years later he is our resident flight instructor, teaching ground school to the club members in his free time as he finishes off his certifications.
Follow along if you want:
https://www.instagram.com/sambarlowflightclub/
I think even
Yellow Belle (Javelinadave) follows us, so we are almost going to be famous some day!