Well, continues anyway Always wanted to fly airplanes. I was obsessed when young. Built models. Built control-wire and R/C airplanes and flew them. But when I couldn't get a slot at Navy flight school and was unwilling to accept a back-seat, the dream almost died. I worked my ass off on my first ship, and when I got my SWO qualification, I applied for a transfer to the aviator track. It was a longshot, 'cause you don't even try unless you have straight 'A' FITREPS (recommended early promotion, and with all the appropriate code words and phrases in the writeup). I had all that, plus glowing written endorsements from my department head, XO, CO, all the way up to the 3-star running 7th Fleet at the time. But it doesn't matter about all that unless there is a need for pilots in training beyond what the Academy, NROTC, and OCS are providing at the particular time the application is submitted. There wasn't. Shot down again. The rejection letter was very nice and conciliatory, though. Some consolation. Earlier, when I'd first gotten to SWO school in San Diego (three days after my commissioning ceremonies), I decided I might start flying lessons....