AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2019 - 14

LETTERS

FROM OUR SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE

Flight of passage
For Barry Schiff and his son, Brian, flying is a family affair
I just finished reading Barry
Schiff 's lovely homage to
his son that appears in the
September issue ("Flight of
Passage"). It was outstanding
and wonderfully heartwarming. The pride and love that
they have for each other comes
through loud and clear. May
they both have many hours of
smooth air and tailwinds, and
may the number of their landings always equal the number
of takeoffs.
Walt Stepek
AOPA 913525
Titusville, New Jersey

What a fantastic article about
Barry and Brian! Their special
relationship comes through
loud and clear, and they are
both very blessed, as is Barry's
grandson.
Although not in aviation, I
had the pleasure and privilege
of working with my dad in the
insurance business for 25 years.
One of my regrets was that I
never had the chance to take
him flying in the Cessna 172,
but after showing the airplane
to him one day, I'm not sure he
would have gone!
Steve Hecht
AOPA 1344671
Grapeview, Washington

Honor flight

I just finished reading Thomas
B. Haines' article "Honor
Flight" in the September issue
of AOPA Pilot. Excellent coverage with terrific graphics.
I loved the way he told the
story between getting some of
the C-47s like Miss Montana
restored in record time in
14 | AOPA PILOT November 2019

and the owner/instructor just
laughed when it was over. No
damage-except to my ego!
Jimmy K. Walton
AOPA 10020477
Grapevine, Texas

Logging memories

BY BARRY SCHIFF AND BRIAN SCHIFF

CRUISING AT FLIGHT LEVEL 320 ALONG TRACK FOXTROT TO HAWAII,

the American Airlines Airbus A321 has just passed the ETP, the equi-time
point between Los Angeles and Kona on the Big Island. I am not sitting in the
cockpit, however. I was banished from that lofty perch by federal mandate on
the occasion of my sixtieth birthday in 1998. This is when I was forced to retire
from TWA as an ancient pelican. I am instead in the cabin along with 180 fellow
travelers, and I am certain that none of them could possibly appreciate why I
am so thrilled to be one of them. It is because the captain of this transpacific
flight is my son, Brian. This is not only his first command flight to Hawaii, it
is my first flight as his airline passenger-an occasion that should have happened much sooner were it not for the vagaries of life getting in the way.

68 | AOPA PILOT September 2019

aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 69

What a gift! Wonderful article. You both must
be very proud.

Art North
AOPA 1181874
Rochester, New York

order to be able to join the
journey and the coverage of
the events and some of the people involved. Your coverage of
That's All, Brother's restoration in previous issues was also
excellent. I was really delighted
to see you spotlight Eric Zipkin
and the Tunison Foundation as
he was the lead dog in this race
to get as many aircraft involved,
ready, and capable of making
the crossings and participating
in this momentous anniversary.
Dick Koenig
AOPA 6762765
Trumbull, Connecticut

Happy feet

Dennis K. Johnson talking
about ground loops with taildraggers ("Technique: Don't
Worry, Be Happy...Feet ")

should have added the most
important statement:
There are those who have,
and those who will.
If you fly taildraggers
enough you will experience
a ground loop. Mine was in a
Twin Seabee that I was training in. Luckily it was during
taxi and at low speed. Once
it started, we were along
for the ride since there was
nothing I could do about it

The article on Souther Field,
Americus, Georgia ("Airports:
Souther Field, Americus,
Georgia"), brought back memories of my dad's stories of
his experiences in World War
I. My dad, Lt. Clarence R.
Walker, was a U.S. Army Air
Service flight instructor in
1918 when he was ordered to
fly the route from Taylor Field,
Montgomery, Alabama, to
Arcadia, Florida, in anticipation of moving his whole unit
to Florida.
According to his logbook, he
and a Lieutenant Green, passenger, left Taylor Field early on the
morning of August 12, 1918, in a
Curtiss JN-4D Jenny. His first
stop was Souther Field to fuel
up after a flight of two hours and
two minutes. From there it was
on to Pine Park, Georgia, in one
hour and 55 minutes, and then to
Perry, Florida, in one hour and 20
minutes. At Perry he was forced
down by a rainstorm and on
his first takeoff attempt, engine
trouble forced him to abort the

How many hours do you fly each month?
5 hours or fewer
6 to 10 hours
11 to 20 hours
More than 20 hours
Aviation eBrief poll

50%
29%
11%
10%

10%
11%
29%

50%

http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2019