Long Flight

Thanks to Gordy Gillen’s drum beating, the Geneseo Father’s Day fly-in was graced by a large contingent from the Fox Valley Flying Club. I figured a lot of people would be going, but I was just worried I wouldn’t make it there at the same time. After all, the Cushing wheels-up time was an ambitious 6:45am, and the gas pumps at Clow don’t open until 8:00am. I got to Clow at 7:30, so I’d have time to preflight and be first in line at the gas pumps. While I was waiting, a man in aviator shades towed a fuel trailer over to the pumps with a golf cart. I started talking to him, and it turned out he was a medivac pilot with the helicopter operation based at Clow. Apparently they buy their JET-A fuel from A&M aviation in bulk, and store it themselves so there is a 24-7 supply of fuel available. I asked him questions until the line man showed up. After getting topped off, I performed a runup and departed.

In the air, a large posse of utralights and experimentals from the club were already en route to Geneseo: Ricky, Barry, Phil Duff, Brian Gilomen, Andrew Kellogg, and John Matula (I must be forgetting someone, since there were seven planes). Based on where they were and where I was, my trusty E6-B said we’d all be arriving about ten after nine. Apparently, the 6:45 wheels-up time was merely a suggestion. Near the town of Geneseo, I spotted the railroad tracks, followed them to the airport, and landed on 27 just after all seven FVFC planes touched down. On the ground, CAP volunteers were directing planes to parking.

It worked out well for me that everyone else landed first, because that way I got “cuts” in the breakfast line. After getting food, we found some empty tables and bumped into Tom Grimm, his wife, and Gordy Gillen.

After the usual fly-in fare of pancakes and sausage, we ambled around to check out the planes and antique cars. Checking out some gyro copters, we bumped into Greg Reliford, and Bruce and Kathy Reimenschneider. FVFC people seemed to be popping out of the wood work. Then, a man who seemed vaguely familiar asked me if anyone had mooned me lately. I was a bit confused, but then he explained he had met me at a Hartenbower fly-in when I had my Quicksilver, and that I had told him a story about how someone had just mooned me from the ground, while I was flying near Morris. His memory must have been sharp because that would been in 2000.

Shortly afterwards, we took some group photos and got ready to depart. I was heading back to Clow, and everyone else was heading over to Erie Airpark. In the air on the way back Phil Duff wished me a happy Father's Day. After such a pleasant fly-in, that was a foregone conclusion.

Notes from Brian: as Evan indicated, a whole bunch of us continued on to Erie Airpark, as is a tradition after Geneseo. Jim Robinson was an excellent host, laying out a spread of SuperDawgs -- guaranteed to have fallen on the floor at the plant for but a brief moment -- for the not-too-hungry contingent who had just eaten at Gen-Air. Sleeves our of his vest, eh? :-) It was a fun diversion for the group. Most of them stayed, but I took back to the air for the solo 100+ mile jaunt back to Clow. On the way I heard chatter from Vance and Barry who were cavorting near Starved Rock. We agreed to meet at Prairie Lakes for -- you guessed it -- more food. A great day of flying!

"Thanks to the Club and their wonderful support of the Father's Day Fly-In/Drive-In at Geneseo/Erie, as we had nine planes make the flight and at least two cars make the drive. There were many reasons that kept a number of our pilots from making the flight this year, which makes the flight of 19 planes two years ago all the more amazing! I will be sending a "Thank You" letter to Kent Johnson and the group at Gen-Air Park and Jim and Sue Robinson at Erie for their gracious hospitality.

Although I will be on the ground and not the "Air Boss," I hope the Club will allow me the privilege of promoting this flight next year."