Going solo

Zach continues to show increasing independence, and this year, established that independence by proving some mastery in the command of two very different types of vehicles.

----------------------------------

On May 26 of this year, Zach completed his first solo flight in a fixed-wing glider.

After a couple of practice runs along with a few simulated emergencies, Zach was ready to do his first solo flight.

Zach went round the aircraft doing his external checks. He then climbed into the front seat, (no-one climbed into the back), he did his pre-flight checks, closed the canopy, asked his ground crew (me!) to connect the cable to the awaiting tow-plane, and with a wave of my flag, away he and the tug plane went.

He trundled down the runway and was up into the air - a little sooner than normal because the glider was lighter. No-one in the back.

By the time he was 2000 feet up in the air, I was over the moon.

After doing a few lazy turns, Zach returned to the field, entered the circuit, another glider landed first, so on final, he had to adjust his plans to "land long", and I was there to meet him in the tow-vehicle.

Zach is a fairly silent, calm type (nothing like his mother or I), but when he landed, he was a little more expressive than normal. As a parent, I know he was very excited.

And as we drove home, I had him contact his mother to tell her about his great achievement.

That was a superb day.

----------------------------------

Zach has been keen to drive since he was about two years of age (as the photo from 2004 shows)!

On December 12, 2019, Zach drove me up to Burleigh Waters licensing centre to do his car driving test.

He had a bad feeling about the test, and thought he was going to fail.

He went off to do the test and came back with tears forming in his eyes.

He had failed - he had hit the kerb on doing a reverse parking exercise, and that is rather brutally counted as a "collision." What that means is that it was an instant fail and an end to the test.

When we were able to discuss the event, we explored the meaning and value of his premonition that he would fail. Did he foresee the future? Or did he create the future? Or was his prevision meaningless, and he was just unlucky?

I'm rather inclined to the views of the car-maker, Henry Ford: "If you think you can or think you can't, either way, you're likely to be right."

On December 17, we drove to Currumbin Waters licensing centre for take two. Zach was much more positive about this time.

And again, his prevision was proved as he passed with flying colours. No mess-ups with the driving examiner even remarking that he would be happy to have Zach drive him anywhere.

Zach was ecstatic.

My own reaction was a little more mixed.

My son had made another milestone on the road to independence and so of course, I was very proud.

But I also had an extra reason for be fearful for his safety.

And disappointed because I knew that from hereon out, I would have to negotiate use of the car with my son.


As soon as we were home, Zach put his P (for 'provisional') plates on the car, and drove away.

I didn't even get a chance to get a photo of him. And I haven't seen much of him -- or the car -- since!

If you see him, tell him his Papa misses him... and the car.

Here's the last photo I have of him behind the wheel (aged three).