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Off Topic - Famous Aviators I Have Met (sort of) ...

HFS

HFS

Well Known Member
Did you know that Greg "Pappy" Boyington had an RV-3 toward the end of this flying career? Scouts Honor - I used to see him around FCH (Fresno Chandler Airport) back in the 80's once in a while. Up close and persona, it always looked like his eyes were "floating" in a pool of liquid, probably from his earlier, well known, exploits with Demon Rum. There were three -3's there then, and two of those three (not his) crashed and killed their pilots - not the airplane's fault, just stupid pilot tricks. Not nice to fool Mother Nature ...

HFS
 
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Pretty cool!

Here is the link when the topic was covered previously:

OT: Most Famous aviators you've ever met

I was talking with a couple of friends of mine and we were discussing some of the aviation legends we had personally met in our travels. Some of the names that surfaced were Gen. Robin Olds, Joe Kittinger,Bob Hoover, Harrison Ford, Kermit Weeks, Paul Poberenzy and all the guys from the book...
www.vansairforce.net www.vansairforce.net
 
RV8JD said:
Pretty cool!

Here is the link when the topic was covered previously:

OT: Most Famous aviators you've ever met

I was talking with a couple of friends of mine and we were discussing some of the aviation legends we had personally met in our travels. Some of the names that surfaced were Gen. Robin Olds, Joe Kittinger,Bob Hoover, Harrison Ford, Kermit Weeks, Paul Poberenzy and all the guys from the book...
www.vansairforce.net www.vansairforce.net
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Yes - was aware of that one, just didn't want to "dredge" it all up just for this little tidbit.

HFS
 
HFS said:
Did you know that Greg "Pappy" Boyington had an RV-3 toward the end of this flying career? Scouts Honor - I used to see him around FCH (Fresno Chandler Airport) back in the 80's once in a while. Up close and persona, it always looked like his eyes were "floating" in a pool of liquid, probably from his earlier, well known, exploits with Demon Rum. There were three -3's there then, and two of those three (not his) crashed and killed their pilots - not the airplane's fault, just stupid pilot tricks. Not nice to fool Mother Nature ...

HFS
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Didn't he have a Midget Mustang at one time?

I was in close proximity to MajGen Bill Anders once (Apollo 8 astronaut, "Earth Rise" photo). I can't really say I've met him personally, but 'I seen 'em! I volunteer at Historic Flight Museum as a docent occasionally. He and his wife, Valerie, founded it some years ago.

Cdr William "Willie" McCool STS-107 Columbia was the Operations Officer in VAQ-132 when I was assigned there. His office was next door to my broom closet of an office.

I've also fist-bumped and got my picture taken with Bob Hoover. He was already over 90 and had a great deal of difficulty getting around.

I flew an hour with Arnold Ebeneter. At 90 years old he was still occasionally providing dual instruction in Harvey's Aeronca Champ. And, I needed a warm up in something with a tailwheel before attempting my first flight in the Sonerai I purchased from VAF's own Smokey Ray.

I flew a couple of hours with pilot Don Lee, who, in addition to being related by marriage to Don Sheldon (Wager With The Wind subject), is also a very accomplished and some might even say famous bush pilot in his own right.

I've met Patty Wagstaff several times. I didn't get to fly with her, she's always getting ready for or just getting back from airshows when I'm there. But, I have had lunch and several nice chats with her.

Met Sean Tucker at the NAS Lemoore airshow more than a few years ago. Ended up taking aerobatic instruction in one of his Pitts at the King City airport before he got the Tuitima sponsorhsip.
 
I’ve seen Bob Hoover when he performed in Australia during the 90s - as in I saw his display. Major item ticked off my aviation bucket list that day! I’ve met Matt Hall - but then again everyone in Australia has met Matt Hall. 🤣 Met Van at Oshkosh and also had a brief chat with Paul Dye - I figure they’re the two most famous RV aviators around. 😜
 
Warbo said:
I’ve seen Bob Hoover when he performed in Australia during the 90s - as in I saw his display. Major item ticked off my aviation bucket list that day! I’ve met Matt Hall - but then again everyone in Australia has met Matt Hall. 🤣 Met Van at Oshkosh and also had a brief chat with Paul Dye - I figure they’re the two most famous RV aviators around. 😜
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Yep, everyone's met Matt Hall. :p

And Emma MacDonald, who is just awesome.

At OSH in 2016, I met Mike Patey early in the morning before everyone had finished waking up out in front of Draco. We had a short conversation about evangelizing to get newbies into aviation. A few minutes where he was a lot more mellow than you see on youtube.

Then later in the same day I was lined up for a hot dog and saw who was standing in front of me in the queue and went, "Oh! Mike! You again!" and he turned around and no, it was actually Mark Patey and I was just too stupid to tell the difference :)

Last year at the Pacific Airshow in Queensland I met Sean D. Tucker. Marvellous ambassador for aviation, dripping with warmth and enthusiasm.

- mark

[ pics: Mike Patey, Emma MacDonald, Sean D Tucker ]


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Rich Graham, SR-71 Wing Commander, and his Wife Pat, are good friends of ours. They live in Plano, TX.
 
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I flew a charter from Charleston WV to Greenville SC in a King Air……my passengers were General Chuck Yeager and his wife Victoria. I had preconceived notions about him and was pleasantly surprised that they proved to be false……we had time to chat for quite a while while waiting for his limo to arrive……it was a very great conversation and he was gracious the whole time! 👍🏻
 
Hey guys, I flew with an even greater hero, the year 1987 IIRC, on a demo flight outta what was still modestly called Oshkosh.
Ah yeah, his name? Dick VanGrunsven :cool:
 
Dan 57 said:
Hey guys, I flew with an even greater hero, the year 1987 IIRC, on a demo flight outta what was still modestly called Oshkosh.
Ah yeah, his name? Dick VanGrunsven :cool:
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Hey, I flew with that Guy out of KLAL in "Old Blue"
 
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My Dad has Matty Laird's signature in his log book. Apparently in late 70's or early 80's Laird was at a fly in and needed a ride somewhere. My Dad was flying his just finished Oshkosh grand champion Howard, and was thus deemed worthy.
 
Rallylancer122 said:
My Dad has Matty Laird's signature in his log book. Apparently in late 70's or early 80's Laird was at a fly in and needed a ride somewhere. My Dad was flying his just finished Oshkosh grand champion Howard, and was thus deemed worthy.
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One flight with Van in the RV4, one with Dick Rutan in the prototype Long Eze, Paul P, Bob Taylor, Kermit Weeks, Leo Laudenslager, Henry Haigh and many others from IAC. Many air show and air race pilots. Spent several weeks working on Patty Wagstaff's Extra 260. Steve Wittman and Bill Brennand The one I am most proud of was was flying Wolfgang Langwiesche from Princeton NJ to JFK in a Aztec. Many years later I acquired copies of a couple pages from Wolfgang's early logbook from the 30's. Wolfgang had a Cessna 182 and was based at Princeton when I worked there but the Aztec flight was the only time I met him. Leighton and Richard Collins and Bob Buck were at Princeton a lot but I never met them.
 
I met 5 of the Doolittle Raiders when they were doing a book signing on base; kind of a humbling moment as a young butter bar.
 
I was able to meet Jimmy Doolittle when I was a kid working a summer job. I had my PPL and we got to talk several times over a couple of days. Very gracious gentleman.
 
HFS said:
Did you know that Greg "Pappy" Boyington had an RV-3 toward the end of this flying career? Scouts Honor - I used to see him around FCH (Fresno Chandler Airport) back in the 80's once in a while. Up close and persona, it always looked like his eyes were "floating" in a pool of liquid, probably from his earlier, well known, exploits with Demon Rum. There were three -3's there then, and two of those three (not his) crashed and killed their pilots - not the airplane's fault, just stupid pilot tricks. Not nice to fool Mother Nature ...

HFS
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Boyington's RV-3 was for sale here on VAF not *that* long ago. I wonder if anyone ever asked him about flying it, and how it compared to a Corsair? :)
 
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