Karoline Amodeo and AOPA President Craig Fuller (left)
A Few Words from Piper Archer II Owner Karoline Amodeo
When I first discovered that I won the airplane, I was floored. Never in my wildest dreams would I even for a second think that I would win an airplane. That's one of those "It will never happen to me" ideas. On the ride back from atlanta I didn't really know what to think. I couldn't imagine keeping the airplane, but I couldn't imagine selling it either.
When I got back to Richmor, Lisa followed me into the bathroom, and said quietly amid all the chaos and excitement still reeling at the Richmor facility "Karoline, I have some ideas...you're going to be able to keep the airplane..." and so it began...
I was invited by AOPA to Sun 'n' Fun in April 2009 and flew down to LAL with one of their pilots, who by then had become a friend, and on the way back AOPA's chief flight instructor, JJ Greenway, who knew I was working on an instrument rating and I was running out of time before I had to report to FAA's training academy in Oklahoma and when we landed back in FDK, half jokingly said to me, "Ya know, if you just stayed here for the week, we could fly everyday and I would have you an instrument rating by next monday."
I flew back to POU the next day, thinking about what JJ had said, and the next day called him "So...how would this whole thing work if I came down there for a week..." Hesitating for no more than a second, he said "I'm going to make a couple of phone calls and get right back to you." Thursday, I was on my way back to FDK and we began flying twice a day everyday, and by the following friday, I had my instrument ticket. But before my checkride JJ had told me that he makes every one of his students promise that after they get an instrument rating, they must use it. I told him that I would try but no promises since I was to be leaving for Oklahoma just a few days later.
After my checkride I rushed back into AOPA headquarters to check the weather, called JJ who reassured me despite some clouds coming in, that I could do it. There was a thunderstorm cell that was staying just west of the Hudson River, north west of POU that I was watching with a keen eye on my Avidyne the entire 2 hour flight to POU from FDK, I got within 10 minutes of POU and it moved right over the field. I confirmed with ATC the SWF weather and decided to divert, my first Instrument decision on my first IFR flight. I called JJ the minute I landed "I used my instrument rating JJ!! I'm on the ground at SWF, The thunderstorm moved over to Dutchess just as I got here!" "I'm so proud of you" JJ said. Needless to say he is now a friend as well.
In the past year, that Archer has served me well provided me with some exciting experiences, fantastic trips and opportunities that I never thought I would have. I feel extremely lucky to have this gift and that it has become part of my life.
Karoline |
