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[old wrench]

soloed in 81....  1952 Cessna 150 with the coffee grinder radio....  just me, the old plane and 15000 feet of concrete slab....got my license a year later...

in the 86, 87 time frame was VERY lucky to stumble onto a group that restored and flew old warbirds in OK, TX ..

spent my weekends in a B25, T28, T6,  BT13 and an old Globe Swift....  after that flying cessna's just wasnt the same

my partner in Memphis recently found and bought the  Swiftie....... she is now home with him

I can still pick out a B25 in the air from a LONG way away.

those were the good days

A while back I was out at the barn with my father he is 86, lives close to the airport, 2 restored Japanese Zeros came over, he was in the war. I asked Dad do those sound familiar, he said no, I asked are you sure, you could see him listen will close, his face got a grin and he said yep Zero's they just didnt sound the same with out machine guns goning off. I laughed and he said cant wait till those P51s come in after them.

 He said  the best feeling is when you were pinned down was to roll over on your back and watch those P51s do there Victory roll after they made a run and you knew the cost was clear.

[VANAMAL]

I soloed in a 1972 cessna 172. When the insructor asked for for my medical cert i knew i was in trouble. Three touch & gos around the field. Pretty exciting thing to fly alone for the first time.  Traditionaly they cut the back out of your shirt and write something corny on it ( still got mine ). I also got to fly some sailplanes. At least with them you dont have to worry about the motor quiting

[Hugh Janis]

My brother has a two seated paraplane.  It's got ONE speed.  Giving it more throttle increases altitude and decreasing throttle caused descent.  It can go faster when laden.  When at a good altitude it doesn't even seem to be moving.  The good news is, the bugs are only at the ground.

[tompen]

Got my Private in 1987. I flew with a buddy who had a Cherokee until his heart attack. FAA pulled his ticket and he never got it back. Died of heart failure two years ago while flying his new gyrocopter. I went to Indiania to get it for him, but, you won't get me flying one of those things. Anyway, too expensive for me now. No regrets though.

[BigR55]

Hey TOMPEN,
How long did your friend fly the gyro?

I have been going to Lakeland Sun-In-Fun on and off since the early 80's. Several of us took a one semester aviation flight class at Vincennes University in 1975. We flew Cessna 150's out of Lawrenceville, IL for the flight training part of the course. Afterwards, I got involved with the ultralights and have had five different configurations including a float plane. We have quit a bit of activity around here in the experimental and ultralight class planes. If you have a St. Louis sectional, look in the southwestern corner of Indiana and you will see Posey Patch and Davis Field. We have had several gyros fly in to events and I have always been intrigued by them. 

[tompen]

We picked it up in Mentone Indiana in June. He used it till his Heart Attack in September. Incidently, he was flying in the Gyro when when he died. Was about 50 feet above the runway. He was 78 years old when he died. Really loved to fly. This is what he had.

[BigR55]

Nice photo! If your gonna go, this would be the way to do it. Kind of like the movie Second Hand Lions.
I will have to dig up some photos to scan and post. Thanks again.

[tompen]

BIG R
I haven't heard anything about Second Hand Lions in years. It's a 2003 movie. I just got back from the dealer to continue the argument about the coating on the piping on my seat flaking off, sat down with a cup of coffee, and guess what is on TV. Yup-2nd hand lions. Wierd chit. Have you seen Bucket List ? Good Movie.

[BigR55]

Yes, weird indeed! 

Good luck with your seat and pipe project.

Somewhere I have some VHS footage recorded from my boat where I fly in over and next to the boat with the floats on the plane. Max speed for the plane was about 55 so the boat could actually out run it.

I had one funny story where I climbed up to cross the Ohio River over into Kentucky. Out in an isolated area I could see a car off the side of the road and some people moving around.

Upon my return to cross back over, I noticed the car had not moved. I circled around and then landed on the gravel road behind the car and just sat for a moment to observe the activity.

There was a young lady diddling with a jack, some guy sitting on the hood of the car barking instructions and another guy using one hand and his head to try and change the tire. 

When I got out of the plane and walked up to investigate, I saw that the man sitting on the hood had no legs! The guy trying to change the tire was paralyzed on one side and the young lady had no idea how to operate the jack.

So........ I changed the tire, put everything back in the trunk, got back in my plane and flew off into the sunset!

Back at the field I was telling my tale of the good deed I had done when one of the guys observed that although that was a good story, just think of what their side of the story must sound like.