- In the Chicagoland area and want to skydive? Check out Skydive Midwest. Dian highly recommends them!
- Greg helped a US soldier get his
new, furry friend safely home! He planned to use his plane to make
the trip, but weather forced him to stay on the road. A heartwarming
story! Honey,
I'm Home!
- Greg was a beta tester for Microsoft's
2004 version of Flight Sim. See what cool historical flights and
planes has been added in his review of the software: A History Simulator
- Ever gone camping with your airplane?
Greg did. Check out his article on the subject. He shows you how
to find airports that allow you to pitch a tent:
The
Cessna Sky.Camper?
- Learn how you can track commercial
and private flights from the convenience of your computer in this fun
TechTrax article: This
is Your Cap'n Speaking.
- Do you like to travel with your
pets? Be sure to check out this Travel
Pet web site where you can quickly find pet friendly accommodations
around the world.
- Looking for an affordable flying
club in Southern Wisconsin? Try these guys (Greg's club): Westosha
Flying Club
- AOPA—Aircraft
Owners and Pilots Association web site.
- Cessna
Owners Association web site.
- Cessna Pilots Association web site.
Personal > Flight Photos
On this page...
Travel Photos
Playing
in
the Clouds
(Meigs Field)
Flight Photos...and More!
Greg followed his dream several years ago and got his pilot's license. We enjoy taking video of our trips...then connect the video to the computer so we can capture those perfect shots to share. Kick back and take a few virtual adventures with us.
I never really had the desire to skydive. But after getting a chance to go up in a small plane with Greg, years ago, it just looked so cool out the windows that I felt I'd love to just fly down to the ground. So Greg gave me that gift on 08/08/08 during a time when I'd been feeling low from dealing with serious family health issues for months. It did my spirit a WORLD of good. Check out the pics and take a virtual dive with me!
For all you plane and even car enthusiasts, Greg visited a few antique/classic air and auto shows over the summer. He took lots of great pictures and has posted them as the following links for your enjoyment.
Poplar Grove British Boots n' Bonnets July 15, 2007
http://www.chappedliver.com/poplargrove.aspBrodhead Wisconsin
2007 Brodhead Pietenpol and Hatz Fly-In July 21, 2007
http://www.chappedliver.com/2007brodhead.asp2007 EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
July 27-28, 2007
http://www.chappedliver.com/2007airventure.asp
Ever wonder what it's really like to sit in the front seat of a small plane and land at a major airport? Ride along with Greg as he lands in Lincoln, Nebraska, October, 2004. Greg is N6931X (Xray).
(Note, you must have Windows Media play, version 9.0 or higher to view this video and hear the tower chatter in this video. Download a free upgrade here: Window Media Player.)
September 30, 2004—Greg and Dian Chapman would like to express their sincere sympathies to the families, friends and fellow Military Reservists of pilots from the Westosha Flying Club who lost their lives in the crash of their twin engine plane this day: Brian E. Whiteside, 37, of Lake Zurich, Ill.; Vincent M. Bobowski, 42, of Huntley, Ill.; and Henry F. Grochowske, 48, of Genoa City.
Why
Flight Service Controllers are VITAL!
Click to hear a pilot's panic call to Flight Service (not Greg!), as he believes he is about to crash...and how the Flight Service Controllers managed to help him right his plane to save him from crashing. Recording of near crash of N9815L near Burlington, WI (MP3 format)...why we need qualified humans to continue running Flight Service!
Support Flight Service Controllers!
Note "IFR" means "instrument flight rules" and "VFR" is "visual flight rules."
Photo, to the right, is of Greg and Mitch Chapman, posing with N9815L, Greg's Club plane, during a trip to Palwaukee, while flying Mitch around Chicago, including a beautiful night flight around the city. (This is the same plane being flown by the pilot in the above mayday call.)
Please help! Make a donation to help private pilots get the fuel they need to continue with rescue efforts to help storm victims get the supplies they need! Click HERE (Operation Brother's Keeper) for more information and to donate! Greg Chapman is one of these pilots trying to help!
Note! Greg has returned from his efforts to help. Read his pilot's notebook and see pics here: Greg's Hurricane Katrina Relief flights
Touring Boston
Commercial flight for business and pleasure
April 2003
Greg's HQ is in Boston, so he travels there often. I was finally able to make some time to join him. As he worked, I got to tour the city. What a beautiful, historic city! I must share these images!
Touring
Ohio
Flying around Ohio in
a Piper Cherokee Archer
May 2002
We needed to make a run to the Portsmouth, Ohio area to see Greg's folks. On the way back, we stopped at Lunken airport to visit fellow MVP, Steve Rindsberg, and grab dinner. We decided to stay the night in Mariemount at a beautiful hotel. Headed out the next morning, but were forced down by a storm, landing at Wright Bros airport near Dayton to wait it out. Skirting another storm front, we finally get clear weather back through Chicago to Wisconsin.
St.
Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Flying
around the Islands in a Cessna 172
April 2002
We took the usual commercial flights back down to St. Thomas, a favorite vacation spot for us. But this time Greg rented a Cessna to fly us around these incredibly beautiful islands! See tons of pictures from PARADISE!
If you're looking for flight pictures from our trip to Seattle, sorry to disappoint you, but the weather didn't want to cooperate!<sigh> Greg did manage to get in a checkride to rent a plane, but the weather was so unpredictable (wind/rain/fog) that we decided against it. Don't wanna run into a hidden mountain! But we still had a great time at the MVP Summit, despite the rotten weather.
Doggie
in the Woods
Cassy's first flight
to Hayward, Wisconsin with us
August 2001
If you're a dog lover, you'll enjoy seeing these pics of Cassy's first trip to the great Northwoods (Hayward, Wisconsin) and her first swimming lesson. Fun doggie stuff!
Chicago...Night
Flight!
Cessna flight around Chicago
& Wrigly Field at night
August 2001
Greg's brother, Mitch, also a pilot, came to town for a meeting and was able to get some free time to spend with us. We took him to dinner at The 94th Aerosquadron restaurant, then took him for a driving tour of Chicago in the convertible (great for seeing the tall buildings) and ended the night by taking him up to the Signature Room bar on the 96th floor of the Hancock building. But the best part, a couple nights later we took him for a ride in the Cessna around Chicago—first during the day, then Chicago at night. We even got to sneak a peak at the Cubs playing a night game at Wrigley!
Note! Since 9/11, new security rules no longer allow us to take this type of flight. Little did we know at the time, this was a very special event, so I'm glad we have these pictures to remember how carefree life used to be!
Air
Cassy!
Our dog gets her first flying
lesson.
Flying in a Piper Archer
July 2001
We're dog lovers and what's a vacation in a beautifully, romantic cabin hidden in the northwoods, by the lake, without your faithful pupster along? So, it was time to see if Cassy could handle a plane ride! See how she did!
Playing
in the Clouds
Flying in a Cessna 172
taking off from Historical* Meigs
Field
June 2001
Greg's been wanting to fly down to Chicago and pick me up at Meigs Field in downtown Chicago. So we made plans, lucked out on the weather, took off from Meigs and enjoyed a Friday afternoon playing in the clouds around Chicago.
Historical*
Mayor Daley trashed Meigs field in 2003 to avoid court battles over its operation, as he wants to make it a city park! So in the dark of night, he sent bulldozers to chop up the field before anyone could complain! Ahh, Chicago politics!<sigh> These are some of the last photos you'll ever see of someone taking off from Meigs, as this field is, very sadly, no more!
Beaver,
Ohio
Driving our Sebring Convertible
May 2001
Although we had planned to fly the Cessna down to Greg's parent's house—Mother Nature had other ideas. Memorial Day weekend, 2001, was a thunderstorm festival around the Midwest. We jumped in the car so as not to miss a little family reunion time. It was a nice visit and we captured some awesome storm pics.
Hayward,
Wisconsin
Flying in a Cessna 172
May
2001
The drive to Hayward can be a nice ride—that is if you're ready for many hours in a car. Which is one reason why we hadn't gone there in years. But now we can fly there in about 2.5 hrs! See why this area is the Muskie fishing capital of the world!
Chicago,
Illinois
Flying in a Cessna 172
April
2001
True. Traffic in a city like Chicago can be a real bear. So, thanks to Greg, we have a better way to tour the city—via private plane! From southern Wisconsin, over Lake Michigan, around the city and back again. What a wonderful ride and cool shots of Chicago.
US
Virgin Islands
Commercial airlines
July
2000
Sometimes you just gotta get away. Whether you're interested in traveling to the Virgin Islands or just love leezzards<grin>—check out these pics. We hope to go back soon, but this time rent a plane locally to fly around and tour the islands! (Which we did end up doing! See those pictures, above.)
Hayward,
Wisconsin
Driving our Sebring Convertible
April 2000
I spent my childhood summers in Hayward, but hadn't been able to make it back there in 20 years! It's a long drive and there was always someone who wanted to go elsewhere. But now, my incredible new traveling companion, Greg, agreed it sounded like a great way to spend a weekend. So off we drove...and back came the memories.
Anyone who has ever searched out pilot humor will have already read many of these classic stories. Are they true? Who cares...they're bound to make you giggle or even laugh out loud...
- San Jose Tower Noted:
"American 751, make a hard right turn at the end of the runway, if you are able... If not able, take the Guadeloupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights and return to the airport."
- Unknown aircraft waiting
in a very long takeoff queue: "I'm f***ing bored!"
Ground Traffic Control: "Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!"
Unknown aircraft: "I said I was f***ing bored, not f***ing stupid!"
- Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared
for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7"
Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure. By the way, after we lifted off we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway."
Tower: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff behind Eastern 702, contact Departure on frequency 124.7. Did you copy that report from Eastern 702?"
Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes, we copied Eastern... we've already notified our caterers."
- The German air controllers
at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They
not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how
to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with
some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange
between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call
sign Speedbird 206":
Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway."
Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven."
The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.
Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?"
Speedbird 206: "Stand by, Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now."
Ground (with quite arrogant impatience): "Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?"
Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, twice in 1944 -- but I didn't land."
- O'Hare Approach Control
to a 747: "United 329 heavy, your traffic is a Fokker, one o'clock,
three miles, eastbound."
United 239: "Approach, I've always wanted to say this... I've got the little Fokker in sight."
- A Pan Am 727 flight waiting for
start clearance in Munich overheard the following:
Lufthansa (in German): "Ground, what is our start clearance time?"
Ground (in English): "If you want an answer you must speak in English."
Lufthansa (in English): "I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?"
Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent): "Because you lost the bloody war!!"
- While taxiing at London Gatwick,
the crew of a US Air flight departing for Ft. Lauderdale
made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727. An irate female
ground controller lashed out at the US Air crew, Screaming:
"US Air 2771, where the hell are you going?! I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C' and D', but get it right!" Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically: "God! Now you've screwed everything up! It'll take forever to sort this out! You stay right there and don't move till I tell you to! You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about half an hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you! You got that, US Air 2771?"
"Yes ma'am," the humbled crew responded.
Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air 2771. Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her current state of mind. Tension in every cockpit out in Gatwick was definitely running high.
Just then an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his microphone, asking: "Wasn't I married to you once?"
- Captain: (after landing a bit
rough)
Ladies and Gentlemen, it's happy hour. You just received two landings for the price of one.
- A student became lost during
a solo cross-country flight. While attempting to locate the
aircraft on radar, ATC asked, "What was your last known position?"
Student: "When I was number one for takeoff".
- "Flight 2341, for noise
abatement turn right 45 degrees."
"But Center, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?"
"Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?"
- An airline pilot wrote
that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into
the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first
officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile,
and give them a "Thanks
for flying XYZ airline." He said that in light of his bad landing,
he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that
someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off
except for this little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sonny,
mind if I ask you a question?" "Why no Ma'am," said the pilot, "what
is it?"
The little old lady said, "Did we land or were we shot down?"
- Pilot - "Folks, we have
reached our cruising altitude now, so I am going to switch the
seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish, but please stay
inside the plane till we land... it's a bit cold outside, and
if you walk on the wings it affects the flight pattern."
- As the plane landed and
was coming to a stop at Washington National, a lone voice comes
over the loudspeaker: "Whoa,
big fella...WHOA..!"
- Attendant: "Last one off
the plane must clean it."
- Heard on Southwest Airlines
just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City: The flight
attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump and I
know what ya'll are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's
fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendants'
fault.....it was the asphalt!"
- Overheard on an American
Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy
and bumpy day. During the final approach the Captain was really having
to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant
came on the PA and announced, "Ladies
and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your
seats with your seatbelts fastened while the Captain taxis what's
left of our airplane to the gate!"
- Another flight Attendant's
comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain
seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
- After a particularly rough
landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on
a Northwest flight announced: Please take care when opening the overhead
compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything
has shifted."
- Pilot: Weather at our destination is
50 degrees with some broken clouds, but they'll try to get
them fixed before we arrive.
- After a real crusher of
a landing in Phoenix, the Flight Attendant came on with, "Ladies and
Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and
the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt up against
the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells
are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through
the wreckage to the terminal.
- Part of a Flight Attendant's
arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with
us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go
blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we
hope you'll think of us here at USAirways."