Got to tell you folks this. Then I'll stay off the air for a while.
Back in '91, I was superintendent in a small school district in New Mexico. On my first day on the job, the high school custodian/ maintenance man came into my office and introduced himself. Said he too was a pilot. Invited me out to his place, a ranch some 9 miles out of town.
I accepted.
He took me out to an ancient red barn full of old airplanes, airplane parts, Studebaker trucks, old Corvairs, and other stuff like that.
Then he showed me his latest flying machine, a tiny low wing monoplane. I remarked as to how I'd never seen one like it. He chuckled, took me over to the inside of one of the barn doors, and showed me a big working drawing he'd made of it, on a huge piece of cardboard. Said he'd built it from that.
I asked if what he meant was that was his first drawing and that he'd made plans from it. He replied, " Nope. Just that. " This old guy had built many airplanes, just by drawing a picture of them and then building them.
Some had aircraft engines. Others had Corvair engines, automotive V - 8's and 6 cylinders, and one had a "77 Toyota R - 20 engine.
As I got to knowing him, I asked him where and when had he learned to fly. His reply was, " Taught myself. "
Standing there, like an idiot, staring at him, he says, " How did you learn to fly? " When I told him I had flying lessons when I was 13, he said, " Well, If that ain't something! "
Then I asked how he learned to build airplanes. " Just started doin' it. ", was the answer.
He's passed away now. All of his life, he never had a medical or a pilot's license. One of the best pilots I ever knew. He built many wonderful airplanes.
He didn't talk much, but darned, but what he didn't make good sense.
He never could understand why the government would want him to have a license. His remark to me was, " Why do they figure a feller needs all of that anyway? "
Godsspeed my old friend.
Back in '91, I was superintendent in a small school district in New Mexico. On my first day on the job, the high school custodian/ maintenance man came into my office and introduced himself. Said he too was a pilot. Invited me out to his place, a ranch some 9 miles out of town.
I accepted.
He took me out to an ancient red barn full of old airplanes, airplane parts, Studebaker trucks, old Corvairs, and other stuff like that.
Then he showed me his latest flying machine, a tiny low wing monoplane. I remarked as to how I'd never seen one like it. He chuckled, took me over to the inside of one of the barn doors, and showed me a big working drawing he'd made of it, on a huge piece of cardboard. Said he'd built it from that.
I asked if what he meant was that was his first drawing and that he'd made plans from it. He replied, " Nope. Just that. " This old guy had built many airplanes, just by drawing a picture of them and then building them.
Some had aircraft engines. Others had Corvair engines, automotive V - 8's and 6 cylinders, and one had a "77 Toyota R - 20 engine.
As I got to knowing him, I asked him where and when had he learned to fly. His reply was, " Taught myself. "
Standing there, like an idiot, staring at him, he says, " How did you learn to fly? " When I told him I had flying lessons when I was 13, he said, " Well, If that ain't something! "
Then I asked how he learned to build airplanes. " Just started doin' it. ", was the answer.
He's passed away now. All of his life, he never had a medical or a pilot's license. One of the best pilots I ever knew. He built many wonderful airplanes.
He didn't talk much, but darned, but what he didn't make good sense.
He never could understand why the government would want him to have a license. His remark to me was, " Why do they figure a feller needs all of that anyway? "
Godsspeed my old friend.
