For the past couple years, Jim has taken each of the boys up in the Cessna for their birthday.  He flies the birthday boy to breakfast–most often to a hole-in-the-wall diner in Janesville, Wisconsin.  

Apparently, this tradition trumps our previous one: letter pancakes made by mom.  

These photos are already over a month old, but worth sharing.  Derek has become quite experienced in both the pre-flight routine and cleaning and putting away the plane.  Jim captured this on camera after Derek’s most recent birthday flight, celebrating his 8th bday.  

Here’s Derek getting the tug into place so that he can push the plane into the hangar:

I’m seeing visions of weight conditioning for football here……

Success: