MESA, Ariz. — After more than 5 decades of flying civilian and military aircraft, an army veteran takes his final flight in Mesa before retiring this weekend.
“This month marks the 52nd year I’ve been flying Cobras… it’s been a great long career,” said Mark Metzger, chief pilot for the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation’s Arizona chapter.
Metzger has decided to finally stop flying after more than 50 years of taking to the skies.
“I got to make my living staring out the window, and it’s time to end that now,” he said.
Metzger remembers how intense his very first solo flight was.
“The only thing I remember from that was just absolute intense concentration to do exactly what I was supposed to do and nothing more,” said Metzger.
And as you can see, it worked out well for Metzger. That solo flight was the first of more than 50 years of flying.
“I made it,” he said.
“He became an army experimental test pilot,” said Bob Sullivan, Metzger’s flight instructor in the 1970s. “After he retired, he went to work for Boeing across the street… Mark has had quite the career.”
Metzger chose Sullivan to be his passenger on his final flight in the foundation’s AH-1 Cobra, which only carries a pilot and one passenger.
“Mark is one of the best pilots I’ve ever known,” said Sullivan.
“We started it together; we’ll just end it together,” said Metzger.
“It’s kind of momentous in a way, to be able to able to fly with a gentleman that I qualified in the aircraft over 50 years ago… on his last flight as pilot in command in the same aircraft,” said Sullivan.
As this final chapter comes to a close for Metzger, he reflects on how safety measures have changed over the past 5 decades.
“We’re significantly safer than we were back then,” he said.
The technology has changed a lot too. Now pilots can do so much on a smartphone.
“For backup, I have an iPad,” he said.
But it’s the memories Metzger shared with friends like Sullivan that mean the most.
“You’re just enjoying the flight… you’re just enjoying the beautiful surroundings that you have and the freedom of flight,” he said.
There were some memories he’d like to forget.
“…Where you’re terrified for a bit,” said Metzger. “…But that works itself out… we have selective memory as pilot.”
But it’s the beautiful memories he will hold close to his heart forever.
“Those moments are just precious,” he said.
Metzger’s best advice for a young pilot just starting out?
“Fly anything you can get your hands on, not just one thing,” said Metzger. “You’ll be a better pilot and you’ll enjoy yourself more.”
For more information on the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation’s Arizona chapter, go to: https://armyav.org/Southwest.html
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