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Gene, and getting older made me want to tell this story. When I was 10 years old I got a brand new Schwinn Stingray. I was hanging on a airport fence and watching the planes taking off and landing. I would some times race down the perimeter road as fast as I could peddle and pretend that I was taking off. One day while I was there hanging on the fence, an old guy came by, he must have been in his forties. He said hi, and asked me if I had managed to get my bike into the air. Why no I told him, but I told him some day I would fly! He laughed and started to walk away. Then all of the sudden he stopped and turned around, and asked me if I wanted to go flying with him. I said I had never been before, and he said if I wanted to I could go with him. Well I parked my bike and walked over to where he was standing. He asked me to be careful and to follow him. He had a beat up looking plane that needed washed real bad, but he showed me around the airplane, pushing this and pulling that, then he said, ok lest go! I was sitting in the front seat, and putting on a seat belt. I had never worn a seat belt before, and wasn't sure how to put it on. He helped me figure it out that the metal tab slides into the buckle, then he got in. Funny, I do not remember much about the flight itself, I just remember after that, all I wanted to do was fly! When we landed, the old guy parked his plane and walked me back to my bike. I asked him if I could help him wash his plane, to thank him for the ride, he said "No thanks and walked away". He stopped all of the sudden, looked at me and smiled, then he yelled, "If you see a kid hanging on a fence someday, give them a ride". Sure will, I yelled back. At the time I thought he was being funny. That was 35 Years ago this week, I have given over 300 first flights, and yes a lot of those were given to kids just hanging around the airport. I just figured out that I am "the old guy" now. I am 45 this week, I fly an old Piper that needs paint more than a washing. I still tell every one I give a ride to, "If you see a kid hanging on a fence someday, give them a ride". It is GREAT to be alive! Ron Burke Ercoupe lover, and Cherokee Owner. > Hello Everyone, > Just wanted to let you all know that we have fly'ins in the "Great North > East" too. :) Saturday was an absolutly great day for flying. The gathering > was at a very pretty airport nestled in the Green Mountains of Vermont > called Rutland. It took me about 40 minutes to fly from Schenectady,N.Y. to > Rutland with about a 10 knot tail wind. When I arrived there was about 10 > 'Coupes there including a very pretty white and yellow Alon. The iceing on > the cake was that I had my nephew with me for his very first flight. He is > 11 years old and had alot of questions. I let him fly the plane for about > 10 minutes and he was so excited. I think he will always remember this and > reflect back on it many times. I hope you weekend was as good! Bye for now. > > Gene '36H > > ================================================================== > TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm > > > > ================================================================== TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm
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