Taking Flight

I am not the only one still buzzing a bit after a ride in a historic airplane, the “Aluminum Overcast,” the restored B-17 Flying Fortress which graced Visalia area skies last week.

Just ask my friend Bill Flores, a Vietnam veteran Huey Helicopter crew chief whose wife, Laurel, surprised him by buying him a ride. Or ask four buddies, Dave Searcy, Larry Williams, Mickey Hogan and Mike Smith, who flew together last Tuesday how much the trip meant to them. Searcy took the flag from his father's military funeral casket with him on the trip. It was quite a way to pay tribute to his father, Delbert Searcy, who served in a motor pool during World War II.

Or ask Rich Manley and several other members of local Chapter 262 of the Experimental Aircraft Association who got “some stick time” on a trip to Hayward, the next stop on the “Aluminum Overcast” tour. Manley, along with fellow EEA members Ken Stake, Steve Dillard and Steve Southworth, all pilots, and two others came back to Visalia via limo provided by Miller Memorial Chapel. EAA Chapter 262 was the host for the Visalia stop and when possible host chapter members are taken to the next destination by the “Overcast” contingent as a “thank you” gesture.

Flores, the same guy whose 60th surprise birthday party I attended last year when he was given a surprise gift of a return trip to Vietnam, is a dedicated veteran who consistently reminds all who know him of the sacrifices veterans have made in all wars.

In an e-mail about his trip detailing the difficulties of maneuvering in the vintage bomber, Flores said, “In order to get to the bombardier's station, you had to get down on your hands and knees and crawl forward, but once you got there, the view was all worth it, trust me.”

Well pholks, I certainly do trust him on that. It was tough, but worth each “creaky knee inch” to which I can testify.
Anyway, Flores continued, “After riding in this piece of history and seeing how tight quartered it really is inside (there were ten of us without any equipment, ammo, parachutes, etc.), it makes you stop and think how the aircrews of these aircraft did almost daily in a cramped, freezing and hostile environment. And they did it with honor and pride (and I'm sure with a healthy dose of fear), knowing that failure was not an option. God bless them.”

ALSO TAKING FLIGHT this weekend at the Woodlake Airport will be dozens of youngsters who will get free airplane rides as part of Aviation Day, an annual event sponsored by the Woodlake Flying Tigers, Chapter 1292 of the Experimental Aircraft Association.

The local pilots are participating in the EAA's Young Eagles program launched in 1992 to give interested young people the opportunity to flying in a general aviation airplane. Chris Crumly, a long-time member of the local chapter, said about a half dozen volunteers will pilot their own planes giving youngsters a chance to take to the skies.

In previous years, the Woodlake-based flying club charged a small fee for rides but changes in regulations made it hard to get enough volunteer pilots and plane owners to participate.

Although there is no charge, parents or guardians must sign permission slips prior to the flights.

Miles can be reached at mshuper@valleyvoicenewspaper.com