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Father and Son Pilots Fly Together

The Lynchburg News and Advance recently featured an article about the first time that a Virginia father and son flew together professionally.

“It’s probably the high point of my career,” said Robert Middleton of the first professional flight made with his son Parker.

The father and son, both from the Lynchburg area and working for Piedmont Airlines, made the flight this past March. The three-day journey began in Charlotte, North Carolina. From there, the Middletons flew to the Tri-Cities airport in Blountville, Tennessee; then to Roanoke; then Huntington, West Virginia; and ended back in Charlotte.

“It was a very big milestone in my career,” Parker Middleton said. “I feel like I had made it to a point that I’ve been working really hard for many years to get to.”

There are actually three generations of pilots in the family.  As a young child Robert Middleton waited at New London Airport while his own father Bobby took flying lessons.  He later soloed at age 16 and obtained his private pilot’s license at age 17.  The airport ultimately was the place where all three family members got their start in aviation.  Parker soloed at age 16 and obtained his private pilot license at 17 in the same Aeronca 7AC as his grandfather did many years before.

Parker and Robert are both awaiting their next opportunity to fly together as career pilots.

Full article