Soar

Today’s guest blogger is my husband, Tex Rochester

As a little boy growing up in Jamaica, I would gaze up at the sky at the planes passing by with wonder and fascination.  I often made paper airplanes from pages ripped from my exercise book, imagining what it would be like to be floating on one as I launched it across the classroom.  During playtime, I would find the tallest bamboo tree and shimmy to the top; swaying back and forth in the wind was the closest I got to flying.

A rare trip to the airport was akin to what a kid would feel on a trip to Disney World.  I would stand next to the fence, watching countless planes take off and land.  I dreamed of boarding a flight as a passenger and maybe, just maybe, even flying one someday.

I joined the Navy after moving to the states at age 18. Even though I wasn’t eligible to be a pilot, I did the next best thing and became an aviation machinist mate (jet mechanic) fixing and maintaining aircrafts.  I was committed to my mission of ensuring that those aircrafts were the most reliable for the pilots and air crew.

After retiring from the Navy, my passion for aviation never abated.  I still dreamed of flying.  As a civilian, that was a path I could pursue on my own.  But the demands of family life kept me grounded.  I accepted a new mission, becoming a stay-at-home dad supporting my kids in their academic and athletic endeavors and allowing my wife, Charmaine, the opportunity to complete her doctorate and advance in her career.  I learned a new trade and started a mobile locksmith business that gave me maximum flexibility.  It was a delight to see all 3 of our children choose the United States Air Force Academy and a life of military service.  Even though they knew my love for aviation, none of them wanted to be pilots.  Go figure!  But that was my dream and I understood that they needed to follow their own paths.

Charmaine and I became empty nesters and a new career opportunity for her meant a move to Pennsylvania. I stayed committed to the mission to support her and the newest addition to the family – a Yorkipoo puppy.  As I explored our new town, I discovered the helicopter museum in West Chester and started volunteering my time regularly.  The dream to fly was still alive, but for now I channeled my passion for aviation into helping restore helicopters at the museum.  

Last year we moved to Lancaster, and I started researching options to learn to fly.  This time I could feel it - the dream was within reach. I enrolled in flight school and started the journey in earnest.  With diligence and lots of help from my instructor, AC, I progressed through training.  On January 25, 2022, as we sat in the hold position on the west ramp, AC looked over at me and said, “You got this”.  With that said, he exited the cockpit.  I sat for a moment, looking at the empty seat next to me.  A mixture of fear and excitement started to build.  I snapped to focus and started going over my checklist.  As I did, I was overcome with a sense of calm confidence.  I taxied out to runway 31.  Final checks completed, I got clearance from the tower to line up.  This was it.  With joy bubbling up I started singing, “Feel the rhythm, feel the ride, it’s flying time!”  I went to full throttle in the Bristell Light Sport.  Reaching the right speed, I gently eased back on the stick to feel the nose gear raise from the ground followed by the main gear and, just like that, I was soaring into the sky on my first solo flight.  I looked out the canopy and saw the ground getting smaller and there are no words to describe how I felt as I thought back to when the dream was first born.

Sometimes, the deepest wishes of our hearts are not realized in the time and way that we want them to.  But for those passions that never let go of us, don’t give up hope.  At just the right time, we’ll experience our miracle and soar.

-Tex