Feb 2020 My Aviation Love Story by Tenae Madeley
I’m happy to report your self-blogged “My Love Story” posts are arriving daily. February’s month of LOVE continues and so do your posts. Please keep posting away. We’re lovin’ your Aviation Love Stories!
Today’s is from lady taildragger pilot Tanae Madeley who is based at YADG, Aldinga Airport, South Australia.
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Jack and I as kids
I guess I should start at the very beginning…
When I was no more than 10 years old I made my way down to my little local country airfield and began learning to fly the CubCrafters SportCub. I had fallen in love with vintage aeroplanes from watching the beautiful Waco Classic fly over my house. It was here that I met a young lad who too was learning to fly the Cub, a few years older than I. We shared a passion for flying and this had us become fast friends. We loved all things flying and would spend hours together at the airfield chatting and learning. We had trips planned around Australia together when we got our licenses.
Still close friends years later
In the years to come our friendship continued. Jack went on to become an instructor at the same country airfield and I completed my PPL and aerobatic endorsements in the Super Decathlon. One day, it all came to a realisation for me that Jack was the one. We started dating around 8 years after our friendship began, and flying together became an even more regular part of our life. Usually, we would take the Decathlon out for some aerobatic fun!
After flying the Stearman together
The Proposal:
On the first anniversary of our dating Jack wanted to surprise me and took me to Melbourne to fly in one of our favourite aeroplanes, a Douglas DC3. I was shocked and excited to get to experience this plane. It was a night to remember and on that flight over the city that he proposed to me! I was to in awe of the aeroplane to realise what was happening at first… but once reality set in naturally the answer was yes!
After getting engaged on a DC3!
The Wedding:
Aviation has always been such a significant part of both of our lives and we knew we had to incorporate it into our wedding day in at least one way or another. So, in May of 2019, at the same country airfield where we met all those years ago we said ‘I do’… in front of two of our most loved planes, the Boeing Stearman and the Waco. It was the perfect day and like most things in aviation not everything went according to plan. As we were saying our vows an aeroplane on the airfield taxied right past! Good way to lighten the mood! It’s funny how life takes you on a journey and you end up right where you started. Aviation is not only my love, but it gave me my soulmate. and for that I am forever grateful.
Our magical wedding day
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