As part of our stay-cation in Olympia, I got to realize my Christmas present from Gloria and Skip (my in-laws). Gloria has known Gary Fasnacht since Olympia High School and he is an experienced pilot and flight instructor. So on we arrange to meet him at Olympia airport on Friday for our flight around the Puget Sound in his Cessna 150a (1950s tail dragger)
It turned out to be a spectacular day weather wise. Clear blue sky. Perfect visibility. Gary was a tremendous host pilot, and I got to sit in the copilot seat. He explained all the cockpit controls and dials. This was old school apart from the GPS unit off to one side that gave exact location. The rest of the dials were basic RPM, altitude, attitude, compass, etc. Even the vacuum based compass bearing and attitude/ horizon that didn't function on the ground as the piezo tube required air flow to generate the vacuum.
Gary started up the prop engine and went throught the preflight check. The main throttle was a small, seemingly insignificant stick coming horizontally out of the front console. Not like the large hand hold throttle you see on planes in old movies. Looked like a choke stick from a old car. But yes, that was the main power that caused the plane to move forward, and take off! I got to listen to the radio comm with ground control and main tower as we taxied to the runway and then our final flight check before request clearance for take off. 
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