Time for my AA meeting

[trof]

Naw, not THAT one.
Ancient Aviators of South Alabama.
Buncha old fart pilots get together the first Tuesday of every month and swap lies and war stories.
If I hear any good ones, I'll bring 'em back.
ttfn

[Bertha Venation]

1. how cool

I wonder if my dad ever attends such a thing in Orange County, CA.... hmm.

Have a blast.

[trof]

13. He should. See reply #10

for how to do it.

[arwalden]

2. "So there I was... at 80 thousand feet..."

"I was out of fuel, an engine was on fire, and my rudder had fallen off. It was dark and we were in the middle of a hurricane. Flak was exploding all around us."

(To be continued....)

[ewagner]

3. Hey!

You stole my story!

[trof]

6. Pretty close.

The standard lead in is "There I was at twenty thousand feet, on my back, minimum fuel, low on ammo, and bandits at twelve o'clock."

[commander bunnypants]

4. I was over the Rhine in my Sopwith Camel and it was 40 below

then The Baron spotted me with that dratted tri-plane.

Have fun, I know I would


DDQM

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. I thought you meant this

[trof]

7. Interesting meeting, as usual.

Congratulated one member on his 60th anniversary!
2 kids, 5 grandchildren, and 9 greats.

Speaker was a retired Navy pilot (OK, OK...Naval Aviator...jeez) who was a dive bomber in Korea.
Lots of REAL war stories.

Most interesting was a friend who handed me a manuscript to read, edit, and make suggestions about. We both flew F-84s a long time ago and he's writing his memoires about it.

Frits is Dutch and grew up under Nazi occupation. Wrote a book called "Five Years Under the Swastika", an interesting read.
http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/00874.htm

[CanuckAmok]

8. Those Montgolfier Brothers, what a couple of cards!

So, how ancient are these aviators, anyway?

There we were, floating sixty feet above the Palace of Versailles. We were concerned about keeping the baloon aloft, and had to throw one of the pigs ut of the gondola.

Just then, Icarus flew by, flapping wildly. "I've done it!", he exclaimed, as he soared skyward, up and up, ever closer to the sun and certain success.

So, how ancient are these aviators, anyway?

[trof]

10. 60s, 70s, 80s, and a few 90s.

And we ALL are/were EXCELLENT pilots because we're still alive.

I was in my late 50s when I was invited to a meeting. The guy who asked me was a little reluctant because he wasn't sure I was ancient enough. For several months I was the youngest guy there.

I don't miss flying, but I did find I missed TALKING about flying. The way you can talk only to another pilot. This sure fills that slot.

What I truly like about this organization is that it isn't one. Not in any sense of the word. The only requirement is that if you want to be there, show up at the local airport at 9:30 on the first Tuesday each month. No officers, no dues, no bylaws, no nothing. We do have a few guys who, on their own, formed a telephone committee to call the day before and remind us geezers, cause we need lots of reminders now. ;-)

Pappy is our leader, sorta. He came up with the idea, started spreading the word, so he's kind of the squadron CO. He contacts speakers. If he can't find anybody, he just looks around the group and says "OK, who wants to start?". We ain't reticent.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. Hello, my name is Trof and I am an Ancient Aviator

Reponse: Hello Trof!

*trof*: I must confess I have had to turn my life over to a higher power...the power of flight!

[trof]

11. Very good!

I may use that at the next gathering.
Thanks.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. Nice to know I will be attending vicariously :-)

[trof]

17. If you're ever in the 'hood on first Tuesday,

stop by.
Although most of us are pilots, we welcome groupies, camp-followers, hangers-on, buffs, and wannabes too.

My friend Arthur is a retired physician, but likes hanging out with aviators. I took him to a meeting and proposed that he become a member because we didn't have a flight surgeon. It was unanimous.

I then had to explain that although Arthur's area of practice was OB/GYN, he was STILL a hell of a man with a band-aid.
Riotous guffaws ensued.
;-)

[ewagner]

14. As my father used to say

(He was in Naval Aviation for 22 years)

The difference between a Fairy Tale and a Flying Story is,

...a Fairy Tale begins "Once Upon a time......"

...a flying story begins, "Now this is no shit......."

[trof]

15. Too true.

He practiced touch and goes just about 5 miles from my house.
Barin Field, one of NAS Pensacola's outlying landing fields (OLFs).
Known as Bloody Barin for the number of young student pilots killed there during the WW II years.
I can see the planes in the pattern from my dock.

[ewagner]

16. We were stationed in P-cola

when I was 10 years old.

That was Dad's shore duty assignment. He was line Chief for ATU 206 at Sherman field.

I used to watch the SNJs in the pattern around Barin Field for HOURS and always wanted to be a Naval Aviator. Later, I passed all the exams and finally washed out over a depth perception problem.

I have many, many fond memories of P-cola......but we spent most of Dad's career in Sanford, Florida with HATWING ONE. Dad was 3rd Crewman on the old AJs and later on A3s (Whales). Quit flying when a5 Vigilante joined the fleet.