Puer's passengers

One of the neatest things about the Jet Provost is that it has side-by-side seating as opposed to solo or tandem seating which is used in almost all other small military jets. This means that an instructor can safely fly with with passengers who are not as highly trained as would be required in tandem types (the instructor in a tandem aircraft doesn't have too much control over what the student does in the front seat). All that's needed before a normal pilot's first flight is an hour or two of orientation, safety/egress briefing, and fitting a flight-suit, helmet and oxygen mask. Being able to share the T5-A experience with fellow pilots is a great privilege.

	George Maracas after his 3rd or 4th flight in the Jet Provost. He's smiling so hard his face hurts.		Yesss!
	Paul Scott after his first flight in Puer.		A mysterious passenger.
	Jerry Greenlee, a local clockmaker who refurbished the starting timer switch for the RR Viper engine.		Jim and Gulcin Gilbert. Gulcin is a high time pilot for Northrup who is seriously comfortable at low altitudes.
	Everyone who flies in Puer Exuberans gets this patch.

Puer Æternus

Before Puer Exuberans there was Puer Æternus, an Alon A-2 Aircoupe. Puer Æternus was my first plane and I'll keep it forever -- easy to maintain, lovely to fly, lands safely on anything from an LAX runway to a Highland Park street to a Mojave Desert playa, safe (but slow), loves the dark (I have 700+ night hours in it), basically the most wonderful little airplane I've ever met. It's taken me from LA to Quebec (long damn flight) and I've used it to train a lot of friends and family (it trained me to teach). A lot like a Jet Provost, but 1450# gross with 90 HP burning 5 gal/hour (rather than 5 gal/minute!)

Puer Æternus on a frosty New Mexico morning.

Janet goes for her first Aircoupe ride.

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