Flying an airplane is challenging in the best of circumstances, and Hig’s world is hardly ideal for the basic necessities, let alone airplane maintenance. However, veteran A & P (airframe and powerplant) mechanic and pilot Dana Brewer (owner of Monument Aircraft Services) assured an audience of avid readers and airplane enthusiasts Monday night that with a well-maintained airplane and some mechanical knowledge, Peter Heller’s depiction of post-apocalyptic aviation in The Dog Stars is entirely possible.
Bob Fisher, long-time pilot and owner of a Cessna 182 just a few years newer than Hig’s, described the process of becoming a licensed airplane pilot and he and Dana discussed the finer points of flying a Cessna. “It’s like a pickup truck,” Dana stated, “a real workhorse.”
Bob and Dana did a great job of expanding on the book’s depiction of flying in Colorado and the feeling of peace and freedom that being in the air provides.