UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 9, Page 3
October 28, 1993
Flying high; John and Gloria Nye travel highways in the sky

     Being dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences may keep John C.
Nye occupied with things of an earthly nature during the week, but that
doesn't mean that he necessarily has to have both feet firmly planted on
solid ground all the time.
     In fact, chances are that, on any given weekend, Nye and his wife,
Gloria, both licensed pilots, are likely to be taking off from Summit
Airfield, near Middletown, for destinations both near and far.
     "Flying over the First State gives people an opportunity to see that
Delaware, especially with its wetlands, really is a diamond " Nye said.
     The dean,, who earned his pilot's license in 1967 as an undergraduate
in the ROTC program at Kansas State University, began flying on a regular
basis in 1983.
     Gloria Nye got her wings at Purdue University, through the school's
aviation technology program while earning a master's degree in consumer
economics.
     "Having a pilot's license came in handy for going to away football
games," Gloria said.
     As a graduate student at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge,
Gloria Nye found herself flying prospective researchers to various
locations and giving them a bird's eye view of the Louisiana wetlands in
the process.
     Today, the couple logs about 100 hours of air time annually, which
works out to about one weekend per month.
     Both husband and wife agree that the main concern in piloting an
aircraft is maintaining and improving safety while behind the controls.
     "As a student, every time you fly you learn how to handle
emergencies," said Gloria. "You practice the principles of navigation while
learning how to handle crisis situations such as stalls."
     "The instructor may be present on your first takeoff," John said. "But
you actually fly the plane. You learn emergency procedures from the
beginning."
     The Nyes said there are two phases involved in obtaining a pilot's
license. In ground school students learn radio procedures, federal
regulations, flight dynamics and how to handle emergencies. A stringent eye
and health examination must then be passed before the first takeoff is
attempted.
     "The second phase is the actual flying," according to the dean. "About
half the required 40 hours are spent with the instructor, and for the
remainder you fly solo."
     Gloria said that, with a lot of hard work, it is possible for a person
to get a pilot's license in six months.
     "I started at Purdue in May of 1981," she said, "and finished by the
end of September."
     The Nyes do their flying in a Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, which seats six
and is capable of reaching speeds of 100 mph.
     "People have the misconception that flying is very expensive, and only
for the rich," she said. "A used plane can be obtained for less than the
cost of the average new car."
     The most memorable part of flying for both John and Gloria is the
beauty of the view from above.
     "Flying over the Delaware Bay and the Chesapeake Bay just gives you an
exhilarating feeling," Gloria said. "It's much different than just looking
at points on a map."
     John Nye remembers flying above Chicago in a heavy fog, with the only
visible object being the top of the 110-story Sears Tower.
     The possibility of fog and cloud conditions make it essential to know
how to read a storm scope and other navigational instruments.
     "You study the weather, and become trained in weather observation,"
said Gloria, who took several courses in meteorology at Purdue. "John and I
have probably taken enough courses to qualify as meteorologists."
     In addition to flying over such famous sites as the Statue of Liberty
near New York City and Mt. St. Helens, the Nyes use their piloting skills
to visit family and friends scattered across the country.
     "Flying has enabled us to come to Delaware and still maintain contact
with family members who live far apart," John said. "In some cases, it is
less expensive than flying commercially, and you are able to reach sites
not served by the main carriers."
     To reach these sites, the Nyes fly at a much lower altitude than the
big jets in an area known as the Victor Airways.
     "There are highways in the sky, similar to those on the ground," said
John. "It's just that those in the sky are much safer."
                                                  -Jerry Rhodes