Who Are Your Heroes?

[Upside Down Eagle]

I believe (a bit to my surprise) that there is no such thread yet. So tell me! Who are your heroes?

They can be anything. Movie characters, cartoons, actual people you know (you don't have to name them if you don't want to). Other people who got famous in their area, whether it is literature, sports, acting or something else. It could also be an anti-hero that you have learned something from. I'll get started.

• Johnny Depp for being himself through everything (although I think he throws money away like an idiot). He's remained eccentric and does whatever his heart wants. In a movie, he plays Sweeney Todd, who for me is an anti-hero that sinks too deep into his own tragedy and teaches us not to.
  
  
• Janis Joplin for the woman she was: spontaneous and a bit crazy. Same goes for Mark Knopfler, who sings songs about stew and shoes and his songs are original despite it.
  
  
• Female aerobatic pilots for their balls. They include Melissa Pemberton, Patty Wagstaff, Jacquie Warda and the women who flew spitfires during World War II (as seen in documentary "spitfire women").

I bet I can think of others, but I'll save them for later. The stage is yours!

 

[Deleted member 20280]

Believe it or Not to continue the "Duck" theme held by so many my one and only Hero as a child was Donald Duck! So much so that I actually learnt to imitate him. I visited Disney Land Paris with my children a few years ago and was in fact the only person in the Mickey Mouse Cafe that could actually speak Donald's Lingo......... My face-book Account even has me and him hugging that night in Paris

:-)

I grew up with so much suffering at the hands of family members and strangers alike Cartoons were my avenue of escapism.


Laurie 71

 

[franciemarnie]

Primo Levi.

In staying present, though removed internally, in the camps. His determination and search to find how to survive. His extraordinary writing. His determination to let no one forget. His continual search to understand. His willingness not to stereotype in spite of what he went thru. His courage. His resourcefulness. His kindness.

 

[InsideAWord]

• My mom
• Sharon Olds, female poet and former poet laureate
• Ernest Hemingway
• John Nash
• Billie Holliday

 

[Ed Norton]

I have seen Patty Wagstaff in airshows her two most impressive maneuvers are perfect rolling circles....which is the most difficult of all maneuvers and her inverted ribbon cuts just 20 feet over the runway. She also does impressive vertical roll. I used to fly and teach aerobatics, so I can say she is definitely a true master. I am glad someone here knows about her. I follow the sport very closely.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Does everyone have Heroes? Is it odd that I don't? I don't idolize anyone in general. Not celebrities. Not great political leaders. Nada.

 

[Ed Norton]

One of my hereos is David P. Davies the author of Handling The Big Jets as he took his great knowledge as chief test pilot of the UK CAA and disseminated it to regular pilots so that we can understand the different handling qualities of jets vs piston airplanes, thereby preventing many accidents and deaths. Ae jets by design have unique handling qualities. He Also showed us that flying jets is not more difficult, they are just different.

 

[Marf]

Mother Nature

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

I am glad someone here knows about her. I follow the sport very closely.

I'm just getting initiated into aviation by flying sailplanes, but my aim is to move on to motorized and then into the art of aerobatics ;-) Hence, these women -and of course men -are my examples. How cool that you taught it! You must've spend tons of incredible hours.

I forgot to name Richard Bach by the way, the author of illusions. Have you read him? It's the first flying book I got into, have got an enormous list of books on the topic I want to read by now...

Is it odd that I don't? I don't idolize anyone in general. Not celebrities. Not great political leaders. Nada.

Maybe "heroes" is a bit of a strong word :-) What I meant is actually people you admire and look up to. Depp isn't perfect, he does stuff I don't agree with as well. Neither was Joplin, she overdosed. So I don't quite idolize them, but I admire certain qualities in them, that I would like to make my own if possible.

 

[franciemarnie]

Speaking of pilots, how about the Tuskagee Airmen. Talk about perseverance, courage and expertise. I love those guys.

 

[Ed Norton]

Radise, Flying gliders and sailplanes is probably one of the best introductions to aviation, as it teaches energy management....most of the aerobatic instruction I did involved spin training for flight instructors although some went on to more advanced maneuvers such as loops, rolls Cuban 8s etc...to me all pilots should have some aerobatic training.. There is also glider aerobatics. I personally wanted to join a major airline without the craziness of commuter airlines. Best of luck with your lesson if you have any questiond you can always pm me :-)

 

[Ed Norton]

I once shook the hand of a former Tuskeegee airman, who came to speak at an airshow I was attending.