Nearly every day while quarantining became the world’s new normal, Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Peters Jr. and his 21-year-old son Luke self-sequestered in an unusual way—taking to the skies to be alone. Though a longtime pilot, Dr. Peters is working towards his instrument-flight rating and being able to spend time with his instructor son is just icing on the cake. “Stress seems to dissipate rapidly with altitude when you pilot your own plane,” he says. So, the airborne pair do a breakfast pre-brief session, then drive to the Bend Airport where Luke works at Leading Edge Aviation and Jerry’s 1966 Cessna 182 J-Model is hangared. Once at the airport, they do a pre-flight check of all mechanical systems. Then, they take to the wild blue yonder where Luke teaches his dad how to fly using only the instrument panel. “The combination is a sense of freedom and an all-encompassing demand for your attention that eliminates all distractions,” explains Dr. Peters, who maintains rigorous personal minimums, including a yearly flight review. When not spending time high above the High Desert, Dr. Peters (MD, FAAD, FACMS), alongside his wife Antonia, a registered nurse, and a staff of 12, runs Peters Dermatology Center in Bend. He moved to Central Oregon because he believed he could help protect our high-risk, outdoor-loving population from skin cancer. At the clinic, they focus on Mohs micrographic surgery, early detection and prevention. Though he has flown to Eastern Oregon for outreach clinics in the past, the clinic now offers telemedicine access. Both sons in the Peters’ family are commercial multi-engine pilots, with their youngest son Jake, 19, living in Phoenix and currently focusing on college. When not teaching his dad, Luke spends his time as an Apex flight instructor for Leading Edge. He earned his Instrument, Commercial, Multi-engine, and Certified Flight Instructor ratings at the Phoenix ATP Flight School and is currently finishing his B.S. in Aviation Sciences through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. However, Luke inherited his love of flying, and got as his first introduction to it, from his mom and dad. Dr. Peters grew up in Central California and eventually followed in his father’s footsteps in both career (dermatology) and hobby (flying). He eventually joined the U.S. Air Force, serving as a flight surgeon during Desert Storm, and became fascinated with hyberbaric medicine and how humans and machines operate at high altitudes. The U2 aircraft, and the pilots with whom he served, ignited Jerry’s own desire to fly. So, when he got back to Northern California’s Beale Air Force Base, he took advantage of inexpensive air time and free instruction from his U2 instructor friends. During this period, Jerry met USAF nurse Antonia. They married, started a family, and moved to Central Oregon 15 years ago. A native of Boise, Antonia introduced Jerry, Luke and Jake to the wilderness backcountry of Idaho where they still enjoy flying and fishing. Dr. Peters relates though, “My favorite flying is with Luke, learning advanced techniques from him, in the same cockpit where I first taught him the basics of flight.”
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Photography by Pete Erickson
Originally published in Bend Lifestyle