Family affair

Sharing aviation with the people you love

April 1, 2025 By David Tulis

Taking your family flying is one of the most important gifts that aviation can offer.

Most people say their first passenger will be their mother or father and that they hope their kids get bit by the aviation bug. Looks like these families are on track for awesome family flying adventures. Keep those photos and stories coming!

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Greg Smith with his grandchildren and his Beechcraft Duke. Photo courtesy of Greg Smith.

1972 Beechcraft Duke

I have loved flying since childhood. In the 1970s I started working in a grocery store to pay for flying lessons at our local airport. Working toward my dream I was able to graduate from Embry-Riddle and start my aviation career making it to the regional airlines before a medical event grounded me for 10 years. Even though I was forced to change careers I still had my love for aviation. Three years ago I was able to purchase a fantastic traveling machine, a 1972 A60 Duke. We’ve traveled mostly on the east coast from New York to Florida with a couple of trips to the Bahamas. We are planning a trip westward this year with an ultimate goal of flying the Duke to Alaska. There is never a shortage of willing traveling companions between my three kids and 11 grandkids. I’m hoping to impart my love of aviation to all of them!

Greg Smith
Richlands, Virginia

Austin McVey and his fiancée with his Cherokee. Photo courtesy of Austin McVey.

Piper Cherokee PA–28-235

I bought the airplane in Florida in April 2023. From there flew it to its new home in Colorado. It’s now flown countless hours on endless adventures reliably and easily, especially with its useful load. From picking up a dog with Pilots & Paws (which I later adopted) all the way to proposing to my now fiancée over Buena Vista, this airplane has made so many memories with more to come. Can’t wait for the next cross-country!

Austin McVey
Denver, Colorado

Eric Grubb and his wife and their Apache. Photo courtesy of Eric Grubb.

1955 Piper PA–23 Apache

My wife and I were looking for the perfect $100 hamburger machine, as well as something Karen could fly to finish her private training. At the cost of a new SUV, this little 1955 PA–23 Piper Apache captured our hearts. Sweet P, as we affectionately call her, has a pair of 180 horsepower O-360s and a circa-2000 panel with a redundant IFR suite. She gets 140 knots on 18 gph and attracts comments everywhere we go. I’m an ATP/CFI-MEI with 16,000 hours, and we joke that Karen will have about 200 hours multi when she finally takes her checkride.

Eric Grubb
Mt. Sterling, Kentucky

John and Jeff Scherer and their Bonanza. Photo courtesy of John Scherer.

1963 P–35 Bonanza

Identical twins John (left) and Jeff Scherer next to Jeff’s 1963 P–35 Bonanza based at Monterey, California (MRY). Jeff has owned the Bonanza for 34 years. John is a retired C–5A/B pilot, and Jeff is a retired radiologist and Navy flight surgeon. Both have CFII certificates and are FAA Master Pilot awardees.

John Scherer
Monterey, California

Michael Knippen with his children and his Cessna 182. Photo courtesy of Michael Knippen.

1982 Cessna 182R

Fantastic airplane! Wife and two kids, full tanks, short grass strip, no problem! I love flying this machine. I learned to fly in a Skylane and have been a fan of them ever since. Plenty of power, easy to fly, and good handling characteristics, very forgiving airplane. This one has been in the family for 18 years.

Michael Knippen
Fort Jennings, Ohio

David Tulis

Senior Photographer

Senior Photographer David Tulis joined AOPA in 2015 and is a private pilot with single-engine land and sea ratings and a tailwheel endorsement. He is also a certificated remote pilot and co-host of the award-wining AOPA Hangar Talk podcast. David enjoys vintage aircraft and photography.

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