There are many more good men who have the desire to fly having to hang on to the little woman's apron strings than there are men flying today. Of course, these men will not admit it when you ask them their trouble and I don't blame them. It would sound bad for the head of the household to admit that he can't fly because his wife will not let him. It puts him in the little boy group and deflates his ego, and lets the world know his wife is the boss. So he grasps for such straws as "I can't afford to fly, it's too expensive" or "I am getting too old now to learn. " (He's probably only 30.)

Today, as never before, people and their problems are being psychoanalyzed. It is being found that if the cause can be discovered a cure can be effected. We know the cause already, of course it's the perfumed sweater and skirt known as the "Little Woman." Now if we can cure the cause we will be well on our way to more pilots and happier pilots, more planes and happier airport operators.

There are cases where the poor fellow buys a plane or begins flying lessons only to last a few months. His home life is so unbearable that he is forced to submit. I saw an ad in Trade-A-Plane a few years back that stated either this man's plane or his wife had to go and the airplane couldn't cook. So you see we lost a pilot. A good example I knew of was a fellow that had a morbid obsession to own a boat. Finally, after a few years, in a weak moment he bought one and hid it out at a neighbor's house. Of course, his wife in time found out about it. Of all the ranting and raving, she went from tantrums to fits (the poor fellow), only to walk out and return later with a truck load of new furniture. Then he had to sell the boat to pay for the furniture. So you see it's very important to sell the wife first.

To analyze the woman is hopeless. There are as many different types and temperaments as there are women. One woman if typed and cataloged can change completely within an hour or less. They are all like the weather, in a state of continual change. Women are the most cunning, conniving creatures the good Lord ever made. They use weapons men can't resist to gain what they want. You know, they cry on your shoulder and look so pitiful, or give you a kiss while they run their fingers through your hair telling you how important you are, or just nag and raise hell until you sign the check.

At the same time women are the most gullible creatures the good Lord ever made. The only bait they will rise to is flattery and attention. So why not take advantage of this weakness and use it to further your own cause? But it takes time. There has to be a build-up a little at a time over a period of weeks, maybe months. If you remembered your wife's birthday, bought her a present, sent flowers and told her she is pretty just out of a clear sky, she would think you were drunk or had been doing something you shouldn't have. So begin a campaign at least six months before you plan to begin flying or figure on buying a plane.

To make a start, the first thing to learn is how to lie diplomatically. Start a compliment campaign, just a little at a time and build it up. Pick out her best dish at dinner, grit your teeth (to yourself) and tell her it was unusually good. The same with her clothes and hats. (Be sure you brag on the less expensive ones.) Remember, start small and gradually build it up. Don't go overboard the first week. Gradually broaden your field of compliments without drawing attention to your real purpose. Even do one or two of the dozen of chores she has lined up for you each weekend.

Now that you have things rolling in the diplomatic field start a new line of attack.. Every day casually discuss aviation in some way such as the safety records of commercial and private planes compared to automobiles. Show her a map of the airline routes in the United States, how they make one or more trips daily on each route which adds up to thousands of miles and hundreds of take-offs and landings in all kinds of weather, day and night. On the other hand don't hesitate to point out all the auto wrecks and the thousands of people that are killed annually. Play up disasters in other fields that come out in your daily paper and comment what a shame they can't be as safe as flying. Educate her in your build-up by casually driving to the airport. Walk around the planes and explain how the controls work. Tell her how they are beefed up to withstand tremendous forces and they can be trimmed to fly themselves. Don't leave her sitting in the car, for the more she knows about flying the better for you.

Another weakness of women is jealousy. You can play this from both sides. To further your aims, drive by the golf course and you will see several girls in shorts playing, or go to the boat dock and the girls will be skiing. just mumble under your beard (so she can hear) that this sure is more interesting than flying because of the pretty girls. On the other hand don't place her in a position that she feels she is in competition with aviation or she will be jealous. I knew a man that had a couple of good coon dogs. He loved the sport and went out almost every night with his dogs. His wife hated the dogs and felt that she was in competition with them. This not only caused many family fights but finally ended in divorce. So you can see that it is important not to place your wife in competition with flying or her jealousy will make her hate it.

Become interested in your wife's hobbies and broaden your compliment campaign by telling other people to her back something nice she has done. In fact the most effective compliments are the ones that get back to her through other people, and the ones you tell at a party in her presence. Back this up with a little affection every day and don't forget a little present on birthdays, anniversaries and such.

Beat your wife to one big objection she will be sure to bring up later and that is money. Sure, it costs money to fly, but no more than golfing or owning a boat.

I personally have over 1, 000 hours' flying time that hasn't cost me a cent. After a man has his private ticket there is always a friend or neighbor who will go along and pay the expenses. I once knew a man who bought a used trainer. After he soloed his only expense was for gas and check rides. He soon had his private and went on to get his commercial and an instructor's rating. He added a few instruments and a radio, then went on to get his instrument rating. All this in less than eight months, too. A man came along and bought the plane for more than he had paid for it, He figured his total expenses had run about $2.00 an hour.

You can fly quite a bit in a year's time on the money you could save by cutting down on cigarettes, beer, coffee and extra lunch you don't need. Have the figures ready when the time comes to show the wife.

Another very important thing to remember is always to ask for much more than you really want. Then she will be more satisfied with your just merely flying or owning an airplane. As an example get really interested, in fact flip your lid over, car racing.

Go to several races and get friendly with some of the drivers, then get the idea that you would like to drive in a race or two yourself. This should really bring the house down on your head, so much so that flying will look pretty safe and mild beside a speeding race car.

By now you should have all the groundwork laid. Begin talking about when you will start flying. The wife may raise hell and cry a little but deep down in her heart she will admire your courage. I knew a man that was a professional race pilot. Just before every race his wife would cry and beg him not to fly. After the race she would hug his neck and was proud of him whether he won or not.

If having made it thus far you have bought a plane, or started flying, don't figure the battle is won and lay down your arms and ammunition. You have to sell her and keep her sold.

One of the quickest ways for her to become unsold is for you or some of your flying buddies to tell some of those hair-raising, breath-taking stories about the time you tried to do an outside loop with your belt unfastened or the time your motor quit when you were flying through the mountains one dark night. Instead of making other people think you are brave they might get the impression you have rocks in your head and that they would have rocks in their head if they let you fly.

It will be a big help to let the family know you are safety conscious. Always give your plane a good pre-flight check and follow it up in the air with all the safety regulations. Above all don't buzz your house and be a show-off. The neighbors will complain how that crazy fool is going to kill himself, and we don't want the little miss to get the same idea. Fly over your house at a safe altitude, straight and level. Then she will be proud to point up and tell the neighbors, "look, there goes my husband."

Another point on keeping the ladies sold is not to fly them in rough air or do any maneuvers that might frighten them. If your wife does not have much time in the air, don't plan long trips or stay up long at a time. Start with short hops in the late afternoon and gradually lengthen them. Ten minutes can seem like an hour if you have never flown much.

After several short hops take a few short cross countries, avoiding bad weather or in the middle of the day runs. Give her something to do and she will enjoy flying much more. Women like to feel like they are needed so let her help with the navigating. I remember a fellow that I carried on a 600 mile cross country. At first he was airsick and scared. Then he began looking at my map. He suggested holding it and I explained some of the terrain below and the symbols on the map. He made a game out of keeping our position located and sighting check points. By the time we had reached our destination he had forgotten about being scared or sick and was enjoying the trip immensely.

Let your wife take the wheel and fly some herself. I remember a lady that was making her first flight with me. I let her take the wheel after we had leveled off and she flew for a minute or so. Her first flight was a thrill but the biggest thrill was telling her friends that she had flown an airplane all by herself.

One of the biggest reasons a man is married is that his wife does not want to be an old maid and sit around twiddling her thumbs. Be sure to arrange it so she won't twiddle her thumbs after she is married and you have started flying. If she is being pleasantly occupied there won't be time for her to think up ways to part you from aviation. Encourage her hobbies and see that she has material to work with.

Flying works in beautifully with most other hobbies. Show a genuine interest in your wife's hobby and work it in with your flying if possible (provided her hobby isn't talking or spending money). Make the little spouse feel like she is a part of your activities. Then she will not compete with flying for your attention.

If you have bought a plane, the more your wife is brought in contact with it the better. The more she sees it the more common place it becomes in her mind. Lower yourself into a bargain with her for you to help wash dishes, dust or clean the house if she will help you wash and wax your plane. This is a sly way of getting her on your side, making her feel a part of your sport, getting her out of the house, in the fresh air and also getting your plane all cleaned up in the same deal.

The best flying is late in the afternoon, so why not take a portable grill and some hamburgers along? While the wife is preparing a tasty meal you can put in some nice smooth flying. The smell of those hamburgers will soon have your friends bringing their wives and grills.. Then the women will receive social satisfaction out of an otherwise stale, boring afternoon.

Have a powwow with your airport operator and fellow pilots to see if they will help you build a couple or so picnic tables out of scrap lumber. The wives and kids would get a charge out of painting them. They could be used for those late afternoon picnics or grill parties. They also would be fine for visiting breakfast hops. (Why have to carry them into town when they can cook it in the fresh air and enjoy it more?)

After your wife is a veteran of several hours' flying time all the efforts you put forth to win her over will begin to pay off. Pack your camping equipment on the week ends and fly to the mountains, lake or beach. There are many beautiful camping sites within range anywhere in the United States. The most beautiful scenery in the world will be yours while traveling to Canada, Alaska, Florida or Mexico. Your deepfreeze will begin to fill up with game, fish, sea food, quail and pheasant. Your picture album will soon be bulging with pictures that fill your neighbors with envy. The stories you tell your friends won't be something you read in a book but things that really happened to you.

Your vacations can be in some faraway fishing paradise of camping and hunting in the mountains. All of North America will be your playground. You can fly to those distant ball games, horse races or car races. Even visiting your wife's relatives can take on a new meaning if you fly.

Getting away from the job, up into the fresh pure air and sunshine, making camp beside a quiet river, eating a grilled T-bone steak to the tune of a Venezuelan waltz at sundown, all of this is yours. It's real living that can be had at less cost than the average vacation and your wife will be enjoying it too. Other couples will soon be flying their planes along with you, so don't blame me if every week-end turns out to be a ball and every vacation a paradise you will never forget.