Airport Journals


Ready When You Are	Jan '08

By Cliff Robertson

To this writer/pilot/actor, 2007 was not a happy year. I lost my younger daughter, Heather, to dreaded cancer. She was a golden girl—bright, joyful and so full of promise. It was not as it should be; our children are not supposed to leave this cruel world before we do. Thank God, she and I shared many happy adventures in her all-too-brief life.

It started, of course, with flying. I would fly Heather, with her mother and sister, in my Baron to far-away exotic places. Cabo San Lucas in lower California. Northern California. Flights of fancy across our dear nation. Stopovers in Florida disbursed by the Bahamas. Back to New England, and ultimately, visits to potential prep schools and periodic jaunts to eastern Long Island.

My trusty Baron never missed a beat. She always seemed eager "to go," as was dear Heather and her loving sister, Stephanie. And the family golden retriever, Ginger—always ready to go. Always anxious to see the next island, the next town, the next adventure. Of course, there were adventures aplenty beyond the Baron's reach: Australia, Europe, England, Scotland, South Africa, Finland, Hawaii, the Philippines, Spain and all of South America.

Heather had a brief and beautiful life. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She wasn't supposed to go so soon. Thank God for my many friends. Thank God for aviation and my loyal friends in that firmament. Thank God for my many blessings. And thank God for Jerry and Laurie Lips and their loving family for helping this year go by quickly, though the pain is always slow.

The year 2008 is peering around the hangar. The "bird" is still ready—ready when we are. We're ready to head west, south, north and east—wherever the "bird" can take us. With God's help, we shall go. We're so grateful for those many, many trips and adventures. So grateful for our many friends encountered en route. And so grateful for friends who are a constant reminder of the fidelity of flyers. Thank you all for your constancy, your loyalty and your continued readership.

With gratitude and affection always and a happy 2008 to all.

Academy Award and Emmy Award winning screen star Cliff Robertson has owned and flown a wide array of aircraft, including a Spitfire MK IX, a Messerschmitt Me 108, a French aerobatic Stampe SV4 biplane, a Grob Astir glider (in which he still holds a distance record) and a Beech Baron 58. A holder of single, multi, instrument and commercial licenses, as well as balloon, the pilot of many thousands of hours has accumulated many aviation awards, including EAA's highest Eagle award and the AOPA Sharples Award. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and the American Veteran Association has honored him as Veteran of the Year. His columns will appear in his soon-to-be-published book. For more information, visit [http://www.cliffrobertson.info].

Caroline Courbois
March 14, 2010 18:09

Just now reading all of your articles. Sending my most heartfelt regrets to you on the loss of your Heather. My daughter is the light of my life, and I cannot imagine anything more devastating than the loss of a child. I like to believe as Shakespeare wrote that our dear ones are now stars twinkling in the sky.