bookmaker
New member
Last Saturday I received a letter with a return address in southern California. In the envelope were a letter and 2 photographs. One was a photo my wife had taken of me on approach in my Citabria, and it is on the internet. The other of a pre war English biplane.
What was on the letter was a real eye opener. The gentleman said he had started flying lessons and soloed in my plane, N 2523F, in 1967. He was 16. That was the beginning of a commercial aviation career from which he just retired. He found me by looking up the N number on the FAA site and found it was current. He seemed so excited the plane was still flying. He also cleared up a question I had about it's history. I have documents indicating the rear seat was removed at one time and a fuel tank mounted in its place. I had no idea why. In his letter, he said the last time he saw the plane it was sitting on an airfield looking worse for wear and it had a fuel tank in the rear for fish spotting duty. Oh, that's why it was there!
I thought his name sounded familiar and I found that we have actually chatted on some replica aircraft sites (I am building a Nieuport 17) and sort of knew of each other. We have corresponded more and I have sent some photos and links to You Tube videos I posted. He has sent me copies of his first logbook showing his flying in N2523F.
Oh, the biplane is his. Maybe one day I can get out to southern California and get him to take me for a ride.
Small world.
Dale
What was on the letter was a real eye opener. The gentleman said he had started flying lessons and soloed in my plane, N 2523F, in 1967. He was 16. That was the beginning of a commercial aviation career from which he just retired. He found me by looking up the N number on the FAA site and found it was current. He seemed so excited the plane was still flying. He also cleared up a question I had about it's history. I have documents indicating the rear seat was removed at one time and a fuel tank mounted in its place. I had no idea why. In his letter, he said the last time he saw the plane it was sitting on an airfield looking worse for wear and it had a fuel tank in the rear for fish spotting duty. Oh, that's why it was there!
I thought his name sounded familiar and I found that we have actually chatted on some replica aircraft sites (I am building a Nieuport 17) and sort of knew of each other. We have corresponded more and I have sent some photos and links to You Tube videos I posted. He has sent me copies of his first logbook showing his flying in N2523F.
Oh, the biplane is his. Maybe one day I can get out to southern California and get him to take me for a ride.
Small world.
Dale
