The dollar ride dollar

It is customary in IFS/UPT to give your initial IP a personalized dollar as a "tip" when they take you up for your first flight in a new plane.  Matt made his initial IFS instructor a super-hero style dollar (perhaps for tolerating--and then triumphing over--a huge amount of motion sickness).  Unfortunately, no picture of that one.  Matt recently showed me his film footage of IFS...mostly hallways and windowless dorm rooms.  No planes/flying, lol.

For his initial T-6 ride, Matt went all out.  On a side note, I am pleased with how widespread and accepted Facebook stalking has become, as I no longer feel the need to hide my own tendencies.  He looked up his IP's profile (who is not on his "Friends" list due to professional boundaries).  Fortunately, he did not block his photo albums.  Matt was able to obtain a pic of his IP's put, who he speaks of about as much (perhaps more) as Matt talks about our kids.  He found a store on Ebay that specializes in altering the faces of dollar bills, while still keeping them as legal tender and ordered this:

It was a hit!  And reaffirms my longstanding belief that just about everything you can think up is on the internet somewhere.  :o)

Facebook fashion

Matt pointed out to me the other night that just about all his FB friends in his training class have 1 of 2 pictures as their profile:

Successful solo flight during IFS:

...or...

Oxygen mask issue prior to flying planes nearly three times that speed at UPT:

Definitely underscores the "big-dealness" of the experience for each and every guy/gal out there.  :o)