She was the 7-year-old who was attempting to be the youngest person to ever fly cross-country. Her parents were completely supportive, saying that Jessica lived for flying and was an excellent pilot. (She was so small, however, that she needed a booster seat to see out the front and extenders to reach the pedals). She wasn't even flying alone -- her father and her flight instructor were with her. And even so, they misjudged a weather situation and all died when their small plane crashed in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
I remember hearing on the radio that they had crashed. I was amazed at the seeming stupidity of the situation, and the waste of life! All she got was 7 years, because they just couldn't wait. This story about the 13-year-old feels just the same.
I have a niece who will be 13 in a couple of months. She's tall, strong and lithe, and I suppose if she'd been sailing since she was 6, she would be an excellent sailor. But she's a KID, in so many ways. Kids lose focus. Kids get sleepy. Kids get homesick, tired or bored. What if she fell overboard while working on a sail? What if she ran into pirates? What if she cut herself quite badly? Does she have the mechanical skills to fix a gauge that breaks or the strength to bring down a sail in a storm? And perhaps even more importantly, does she have the judgment needed to know when to sail and when to stop?
I agree with Miscortes -- 13 is too young. I hope the courts rule that she should wait.
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This reminds me of Jessica Dubroff.
She was the 7-year-old who was attempting to be the youngest person to ever fly cross-country. Her parents were completely supportive, saying that Jessica lived for flying and was an excellent pilot. (She was so small, however, that she needed a booster seat to see out the front and extenders to reach the pedals). She wasn't even flying alone -- her father and her flight instructor were with her. And even so, they misjudged a weather situation and all died when their small plane crashed in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
I remember hearing on the radio that they had crashed. I was amazed at the seeming stupidity of the situation, and the waste of life! All she got was 7 years, because they just couldn't wait. This story about the 13-year-old feels just the same.
I have a niece who will be 13 in a couple of months. She's tall, strong and lithe, and I suppose if she'd been sailing since she was 6, she would be an excellent sailor. But she's a KID, in so many ways. Kids lose focus. Kids get sleepy. Kids get homesick, tired or bored. What if she fell overboard while working on a sail? What if she ran into pirates? What if she cut herself quite badly? Does she have the mechanical skills to fix a gauge that breaks or the strength to bring down a sail in a storm? And perhaps even more importantly, does she have the judgment needed to know when to sail and when to stop?
I agree with Miscortes -- 13 is too young. I hope the courts rule that she should wait.
August 31, 2009 - 9:17amThis Comment
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