Gino's Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award

It was really nice to get a call from Bill to come out to the Clearwater Airpark and have a piece of cake to celebrate Gino's award from the FAA ... Bill drove down from New York especially for the event! (He helped his daughter move, too)

Ed and Bill flew over from Wellington for the festivities and we attended a catered luncheon at Big Fred's House of Boeuf right up the street.

Of course the first comment went along the lines of "who put the Monkey in 'Monkey Wrench'"

All kidding aside, there aren't too many of these given out. The award is named, of course, for the Wright Brothers' mechanic. Gino says he (Gino) taught him (Taylor) everything he knew. I can vouch for his workmanship after he wrought a miracle in Butyrate on my Cub. Rumor has it he knows how to fly, too.

Fortunately, somebody took a picture of the cake before I got there ... there wasn't much left.

The price of annual inspections just went up.

New Year's Day 2010

What could be better on a New Year's Day than to go flying with a friend?
Craig and Stu launch the Cub for a spin about the patch, so to speak.

Then, what to their wondering eyes should appear but Bill and the Bird! The same Bill who complains that the downwash from the upper wing goes right down the back of his neck in 80 degree weather, goes flying with ICE on the Great South Bay! Note: the front cockpit is EMPTY.

Steve and the Fleet were flying too but I don't have a picture as evidence.

The outer shoreline - no sun worshippers today.

There are stories of intrepid airmen who have landed on ice that forms in the bay but it didn't happen in the 14 years I was there. Global warming, I guess.

My hat's off to these guys who celebrate the fun of flying as often as possible, even when it's a bit chilly.