By this time last year I had flown 3 times in January, 4 in February, and 5 times in March. It's now April 7th and the last time I flew was November 29th! I guess Mother Nature rules and when she decides it's time to fly I shall......

Just got my new MegaSceneryEarth Illinois for FSX. These are some screen shots! From top to bottom: Koerner Aviation my home feild 159th in Chicago where I used to work Fitzpatric Jurasic Landings

Last WARM day of the year!!

Lately I've given up on waiting all day for the winds and the bumps to die down. Besides that I'm retired... so I get up at 6:00 am, take a cup of coffee, head out to the hanger and go flying 'bout 7am when it's nice and cool, smoooth, and just fly around watching the town wake up. Best time to fly!!!!

Well after missing last year's safety seminar, I think I'll show up at this one on March 3rd. Be good to see the friends I only see at the seminar. In fact I think I might head up to the one in WI on the 17th too.

Wow! I finally got a hotrod computer and now FlightSimX really boogies!

Before I was lucky to get 12 frames per second... now it's 65fps or more!!!

In 1999, from left to right, Pat Merrick,early riser footlauncher, Larry Mauro, the designer of the "Easy Riser, Joe Raymond,riser pilot, Bill Lishman, Father Goose, Chuck Slusarczyk, Who flew his Riser accross Lake Erie in 1979 and developed reduction units and landing gear, Mike Loehle, who designed a tail for the Riser, me, and Jerry Golner, early ultralight pilot, declared me as the highest time (1295 hours) pilot in the world. The only historical guy of note who wasn't there was John Moody.

This was shot from my Easy Riser in '87 the last time that U/L's were allowed to fly 18/36 at Oshkosh. It shows the old U/L runway that ran parallel to 18/36 and was about 1/2 mile further north than where it is located today. If you look closely you can see my "wingman" Rich Bryant landing his Easy Riser on 18/36.

This was also before they lengthed 18/36.

Erie Challenger Flyin 2011

Me, Dave Goulet and Karen at the 2011 Challenger Flyin at Jim and Sue Robinson's field in Erie Illinois.

Roy and Jim

I was cruising the web today and I came across Roy Beisswenger and Jim Sweeney talking about the IUAC Safety Seminar February last year and mentioned me and some of the early years of Safety Seminars for Ultralights. I thought it was nice of them to remember me.

I did in fact help create U/L safety seminars also in KY, WI, and IN.

http://www.psfradio.com/impodcast/2011/02/15/psf110215c.mp3

Cut and paste in your browser

I found a letter I wrote to Sport Aviation in 1982..

My history

A video of my last Illinois Safety seminar where I shared some of my ultralight history with the audience. 2010. I found it accidently on the web but I have no idea who shot it and published it.

My ChallengerII that I fly in Flight Sim X in the winter when it's too cold, snowy, and the fact that my hanger doors are frozen shut :>(

The "Foote"

Chuck S. sterilizing the FOOTE with MuzzleLoader prior to the ceremony!!

Fly the 'Dactyl

'98 Mark's niece flying the 'Dac!
She was 11 and flew well....

History

Me in my Riser getting ready to bounce on a Lazair 1984

History

John Chotia's Weedhopper

1978-79

A Mitchell Wing either Richard Avalon or Steve Patmont's 1978-79

History

Claus Hill's "Hummer"
1977-78

History

1977-78

Ed Sweeny twin Chrysler 820 set up for hang gliders

1977 Quicksilver "A" model
Power Chrysler West Bend 820

In 1997 EAA Chapter 990, my local chapter, gave me the opportunity to fly in
EAA's B-17 "Aluminum Overcast". What an absolute thrill of a lifetime.

Yes I was one of the last permitted to fly it from the left seat.

It was a priviledge that I will never forget.

Flying a new hobby

I've gotten myself into a new hobby, indoor micro r/c helicopters.

It's a blast, these things can really scoot and get out of control before you even have time to think about it.

The one on the left is really twitchy while the other being a "coax" (two rotors) is a lot more stable. Gotta fly something and these are just a hoot whilst waiting for spring!!

O M G

Looky what I found!?!?!?!?

This shot was taken at UltraLight Oshkosh '82 if I remember correctly. Mary Jones was a rookie journalist back then.

On the left is Dave Goulet, center Chuck Hamilton, and on the right is me.

Boy were we young then ;>)

Finally legal after all these years

It was a monday after Bob signed me off for the flight exam, that I was sitting at my desk and decided to take the afternoon off from work and accomplish 2 things.

1 Sign up for social-security

2 Get my Sport Pilot License

So off I go to the SS office, and waited, and waited, and waited, finally someone called my name and after answering numerous absurd questions and proving that I was truly an American born citizen, (I was about ready to deck that guy) I recieved my SS card verifying that I am truly an OLD FART.

Ok, now to head out to see Jim Leon, my DPE. He brings me into his office, has me sit down, and then starts grilling me on airspace, runway markings, sectional reading, plotting a cross country, rules and regs, you name it. Even though he knows I've been flying for over 30 years and respects my ability.

It shows that he is a professional DPE and takes nothing for granted. You had better know all that is required before you go in to see him.

Well I kept him happy for the oral and I went and got my airplane out of the hanger and picked him up. Flying was a piece of cake and I did all he asked perfectly.

After we landed he disappeared into his office and showed up a few minutes later with a piece of paper in his hand and said, "I know you've always played by the rules, but now the FAA says you are legal."

FINALLY!!!!!!!!

Well now we move up to 2008, September, I happened to see my written exam was due to expire at the end of the month!!!!

I contaced Jim Leon who had just become a fixed wing examiner and he said I needed 3 hours dual with a CFI and a sign-off before I could show up for his test.

I found an old friend, Bob Bossy, who was still active as a CFI and convinced him to fly with me. Well when he showed up at my hanger and saw that my Challenger didn't have doors on it, he got a little apprehensive. I convinced him it was truly safe and strapped him into the back seat.

We took off and I let him fly from the back seat and had to show him how to "step on the wind" for co-ordination. 3 hours later he commented that this was a nice aircraft after all!!

He took the time to make sure I was up on the latest rules and airspaces and signed me off to go see Jim for my check ride.

More to come

2495 hour student pilot

Here I am after flying 2495 hours in different ,U/Ls, after being a BFI/Examiner, after having helped 50+ people how to fly, I'm a student pilot again!!

So I went out and got the King Sport pilot course and started studying. I waited until I scored 98 - 100% on their practice tests and then I took my written FAA test.
I passed with only a 78%!?!?!?!? I called the Kings and apparently the FAA made some changes they were not aware of!!

Next, I've got to find a CFI, teach him how to fly my Challenger so that I have the rquired 3 hours of dual and a sign off to get my check ride.....

Keep you all posted.....

Oh yes, by the way this was in 2006

More to come

That's it for now, but there will be more history on it's way.

Frank "WOOF!" Beagle

How I learned how to fly

Having fun at small Airshows I anounce for here in Illinois.

Sharing the air

Just up with one of my Students Leo Richard, teaching him the finess of flying...

Flying

Flying....... isn't that what life's all about? If your answer is no, yer no aviator, ye just be a ground pounder....

War Birds

I just love this shot..... This is the Challenger II that I'm currently flying. It has been converted to ELSA N97FB, has 487 hours on it, and still looks as good as when I recieved it in 1997...

It gets interesting

When Mark and I are waiting for the action start, we get visitors from the EAA, FAA, friends, you name it...

Mark Lisitzka

I think that's how to spell Mark's last name... we met over 20yrs ago in the very early days of U/L flying. After Vernon quit doing Oshkosh with me Mark volunteered and we've been having a blast ever since...

The "Voice"

In 1987 or so the powers to be at Oshkosh handed me a bullhorn and told me to entertain the fence hangers.... so I have been at it for quite a while, this is a shot of my good friend Vernon Peckham down at Sun N Fun about 1990 or so....

Training

Then I received my Basic Flight Instructor endorsement, added a Side Car to my "Dactyl, and started teaching...

A new toy

So I purchased a used Pterodactyl, completely rebuilt it, and went out and had FUN!!

Last flight

In '93 I was convinced to retire my Easy Riser.. it had over 1000 hours on the airframe, and the dope was starting to peel off the fabric. However in 1986 it brought home a trophy from Oshkosh!

1st to fly Pioneer

In 1989 I recived a phone call from Oshkosh, Chuck Stephenson wanted me to approve the newly proposed U/L runway for the next season. So with permission from Paul and Tom Poberezny I flew from Pioneer!!

Oshkosh 85

On the runway waiting for Bob Stroud to give me the flag for take-off...

Oshkosh '81

My 1st trip to Oshkosh with no ground crew, every thing strapped on for the weeks event, took us 3 days to get there, but what a thrill!!

Sun N Fun

This was taken in 1981 at Sun N Fun. Just letting it ALL hang out ;<)

How I started back in '79

Yes , that's me in the middle, beard and all, 160lbs, what a handsome devil!