Sound like a great guy and I agree, the best of days.
Got my Pvt in 1965,
had the rest by 1968 including instructor
then in 71 I dropped the instructor so the reissue was in 1971.
Stopped flying commercially in 1998 so when I got new issues, that was 2010, They left off multi & instrument as I had not been current in over a few years.
Got a tub of $$$ and Bi-anual with a twin & instrument check = I would get all my ratings back.
But at 73, on SS, I don’t see that happening. Maybe the wife will get a winning lotto and then I can go play. Need to hurry, getting a bit wobbly already.
Those raggedy pieces of paper rode through some real adventures. The stories they could tell …
I was sorry to see the paper licenses go since the blue credit cards don’t show the wear. Although I do like the pictures of Saints Orville and Wilbur on the back.
OTOH, in my biz you get a new one every 5 years or so with a new type rating. So they never have a chance to get real experienced like yours did before they become obsolete.
I wish I had the time & $$$ back in those days to get a DC-3 type rating and seaplane ratings. My just older sister got an ATP, all the seaplane ratings and worked for Flying Magazine for a some years as a one of a lot of second tier editors. Younger brother is an aeronautical engineer out of Purdue Uni.
My parents log books are interesting to me. Dad had a Funk with an inverted converted Model B Ford engine.
They did Mexico City to Tulsa in one jump with his Comanche 260B, average ground speed = over 200MPH. They were having so much fun they did not stop & refuel or clear customs. Bawahahaha
I was flying with Dad before I was even born. If you did not play ‘Bridge’ or do airplanes, boats or were a relative, you did not join in much family fun.
I had two Uncles who were Catholic Priest and they had a Cessna 140 that they would fly up to the strip cut in the grass across from a cabin on Ft. Gibson Lake, then leave right into a big TWR storm to go back to Dallas after claiming that being priest, they would have big time protection. Bawahahaha They both made it to old age without bending an airplane. Dad never let them borrow one of his. They never did understand why not.