Jay Honeck
Touchdown! Greaser!
It is fashionable, of late, to criticize pilots as being "arrogant" and self-centered. All the threads about "jerks in the pattern", and the occasional story about folks who misuse courtesy cars (ahem) would tend to make one believe that aviation is populated by some of the biggest asses on the planet.
This thread is different. I want to talk about some of the most amazing acts of kindness and generosity, all from pilots, all for the sake of aviation. Bear with me...
As most of you know, Mary and I started our first aviation-themed hotel basically on a whim. We had ZERO experience in hospitality, and barely knew which end was up when we first opened. To create the pilot ambience we wanted, I turned to the aviation community for help -- and got it, in spades.
This help went well beyond mere advice and opinions (God knows we pilots have enough of THOSE). Mary and I have received help in so many ways, from so many people -- and they need to be recognized.
Let me tell you about a few of these amazing acts of kindness...
The Connie Crew
In 2002, right after we opened, the crew of the MATS Constellation were some of our first guests. These guys didn't have a pot to pee in -- they were scrambling just to keep those enormous radial engines happy and fed -- so we comp'd them a couple of rooms for a few days, in exchange for rides.
But they went way beyond merely giving us rides. We were each given right-seat instruction time with Frank Lang (in a Constellation!) and the crew donated so much artwork and memorabilia from the "Golden Age of Airliners" that we simply HAD to have a "Constellation Room". It remains one of our most popular rooms.
Bill Fox
Then, in 2003, after we got some nice national press coverage, the phone rang. It was a fellow named Bill Fox. He had heard what we were trying to create, and wanted to help.
It seemed that Bill had worked at Lockheed for 32 years, had been the head of Area 51 at one point in his career, was instrumental in the design and testing of the SR-71 Blackbird, and was retiring from Southern California to Iowa. He was moving from a 4000 square foot home to a 1500 foot condo, had boxes of "junk" (as he called it) from his years at Lockheed -- and wanted to know if I wanted it!
Needless to say, I offered to fly anywhere in the country to pick it up. He just chuckled, and said, "No, I'll bring it by in a couple of weeks." After he hung up, I realized that I had not gotten his phone number. I figured I'd never hear from him again...
Two weeks later, to the day, an older gentlemen pulled into the lot in a brand-new Cadillac. He stepped out with his girlfriend, popped the trunk -- and there, inside, was more priceless artwork and memorabilia from the SR-71 then I had ever seen outside of a museum.
He gave it ALL to us. And, thus, the "Blackbird Room" was born.
Bob Morgan
The following year, I was up on a ladder when Mary called me to tell me that "the wife of the Memphis Belle pilot is on the phone for you!". "Right", I thought. Which one of our friends was effing with me now?
Well, it turned out to be Linda Morgan - wife of Bob Morgan, the pilot of the Belle. Alarms started going off in my head, since we had not asked to use the name "Memphis Belle" and I thought maybe she was going to bust my chops for doing so.
Not at all. It seemed that Bob had caught wind of what we were trying to create, and wanted to help! Within weeks, several containers of autographed Memphis Belle artwork arrived, which now grace our "Memphis Belle Room".
(And, the following year, we had the joy of meeting Linda and Bob in-person. They were both utterly gracious, and I am so glad we got to meet them before Bob's untimely passing later that year.)
The Reno Air Race Association
Fast forward a year. We're attending the Reno Air Races, intending to acquire enough "stuff" to decorate a "Reno Air Race Room". We're having the time of our lives, but are getting terribly frustrated that we can't find enough authentic "stuff" to decorate the room.
So, Mary decides to look for the race organizer. Figuring that he would be the guy doing the least amount of work, she sauntered up to a fellow lounging on a golf cart, watching the airplanes fly by. He had his hat pulled down low over his eyes, and might have been dozing, for all we knew.
Bingo! He turned out to be the head cheese! Mary and I told him what we were trying to build, and how each room was a different era of aviation history, and how we really wanted something AUTHENTIC for the Reno room.
He looked thoughtful for a moment, and just said "Hop in!"
We drove and drove. He drove us all the way to the other side of Reno-Stead Airport, while the races were going on, to a big, old warehouse/hanger building. He unlocked the doors, and took us inside to a giant storeroom, which was absolutely LOADED with Reno Air Race "stuff". Everything from that year's trophies (not yet awarded), to posters promoting races in the '70s, were in that room.
He just started digging, and handing stuff over his head. "You'll want one of these....and one of those. And probably a couple of these." He just kept going and going!
When all was said and done, we had two dozen pieces, all absolutely original and authentic, all unavailable at any price. Our cost? Nothing! He was so taken with the idea of building a hotel for pilots, he would not take any money for the memorabilia.
(Note: About two months after we got home, we received a VERY official-looking envelope in the mail, from RARA -- the Reno Air Race Association. In it was a licensing agreement, giving us permission to use their name -- for LIFE.
Our cost? $1.00.
)
Vlado Lenoch
Fast forward another year. We're building our Mustang Room, and, again, are having trouble finding authentic P-51 Mustang "stuff". Mustangs are so expensive, that we didn't even try to find anything "real" -- but I put the word out that we were looking for ANY kind of Mustang junk, no matter how old or icky.
About a month later a huge box arrived at the hotel. It was from Vlado Lenoch, owner of Moonbeam McSwine, a Mustang that we all know from watching "Heritage Flights" with modern Air Force planes. He had gone through his hangar and found all sorts of old parts, from hydraulic actuators to an emergency radio self-destruct mechanism -- and sent them to us, absolutely free.
We ran them through the parts washer for a day, then bead-blasted them. They looked like new, by the time we were done with them, so I mounted them on a big piece of stained oak, labeled them, and hung them in the room. This piece has remained the most popular piece of "art" in the hotel -- our cost: $0.00.
Dr. Jim Kennedy
Fast forward again. This time, a fellow walks in and has a sad story to tell. His brother, Dr. Jim Kennedy, is dying of one of those diseases where your body no longer functions, but your mind is just fine. He was an F-86 jock in Korea, and flew crop dusters for decades. Throughout his life, he has acquired a grand aviation library of over 150 books.
It seemed that no one in his family wanted the books, and he wanted them to go where pilots could enjoy and appreciate them. He asked his brother to approach me, to see if we would "host" his library, forever.
I, of course, accepted this amazingly generous gift. After he passed away, the "Dr Jim Kennedy Memorial Library" lived on, and we continued to add to it. It is now over 200 books strong. (The library is currently in storage, until we finish building an expanded lobby area to house it at our new place here in Texas.)
The stories never seem to end.
Jim Weir
...There was Jim Weir, who occasionally visits PofA, who once worked on the Apollo program, and donated all sorts of priceless and irreplaceable pieces of aerospace history for our Apollo Room. (Including a lunar module flight instrument!)
Spike Cutler
In 2010, when we were first seriously considering buying the motel on Mustang Island, Spike contacted me, offering to provide assistance with incorporating and organizing a business in Texas. I didn't know Spike, and he didn't know me -- but he knew I was a fellow aviator in need, he wanted to help create a new aviation destination in Texas -- and he stepped up to the plate, and we're forever in his debt.
...Then there was the guy who brought in the unfinished fuselage from a Squarecraft S-102. We stained it up, and hung it on the wall of the meeting room.
...And the guy who donated the original weather reporting station from the Boeing/United Hangar in Iowa City.
...And the guy who brought in an original Spitfire airspeed indicator. And the old radios. And the spinner and propeller. And the Taylor Cub parts. And the Sopwith Camel carburetor.
...and the guy who donated his cherished shattered Stearman prop, that he had smashed into the taxiway on the very first day he owned his very first Stearman.
I could pretty much go on forever.
And now, just yesterday, I received a box in the mail from a fellow in this very group. I know him only as "Rich". Inside were some gorgeous lithographs of antique aircraft in flight. He had them laying around, and wanted them to go to a good home -- so he donated them to us. Out of the clear blue sky, a fellow aviator took the time to package and mail us artwork -- purely out of the kindness of his heart.
We immediately hung one of them in the Floatplanes Room, three went to the "Antique Aircraft" room, and one went into the "Barnstormers" room. Great additions, all!
So, long story short (okay, not short enough!), the generosity of the people you and I share the sky with is NOT to be underestimated. I've experienced it -- no, I have reveled in it -- for the last nine years, and it shows no signs of abating, thank goodness!
The next time someone cuts you off on short final, or you feel like making fun of the guys wearing big watches and mirrored sunglasses, think about this story...
This thread is different. I want to talk about some of the most amazing acts of kindness and generosity, all from pilots, all for the sake of aviation. Bear with me...
As most of you know, Mary and I started our first aviation-themed hotel basically on a whim. We had ZERO experience in hospitality, and barely knew which end was up when we first opened. To create the pilot ambience we wanted, I turned to the aviation community for help -- and got it, in spades.
This help went well beyond mere advice and opinions (God knows we pilots have enough of THOSE). Mary and I have received help in so many ways, from so many people -- and they need to be recognized.
Let me tell you about a few of these amazing acts of kindness...
The Connie Crew
In 2002, right after we opened, the crew of the MATS Constellation were some of our first guests. These guys didn't have a pot to pee in -- they were scrambling just to keep those enormous radial engines happy and fed -- so we comp'd them a couple of rooms for a few days, in exchange for rides.
But they went way beyond merely giving us rides. We were each given right-seat instruction time with Frank Lang (in a Constellation!) and the crew donated so much artwork and memorabilia from the "Golden Age of Airliners" that we simply HAD to have a "Constellation Room". It remains one of our most popular rooms.
Bill Fox
Then, in 2003, after we got some nice national press coverage, the phone rang. It was a fellow named Bill Fox. He had heard what we were trying to create, and wanted to help.
It seemed that Bill had worked at Lockheed for 32 years, had been the head of Area 51 at one point in his career, was instrumental in the design and testing of the SR-71 Blackbird, and was retiring from Southern California to Iowa. He was moving from a 4000 square foot home to a 1500 foot condo, had boxes of "junk" (as he called it) from his years at Lockheed -- and wanted to know if I wanted it!
Needless to say, I offered to fly anywhere in the country to pick it up. He just chuckled, and said, "No, I'll bring it by in a couple of weeks." After he hung up, I realized that I had not gotten his phone number. I figured I'd never hear from him again...
Two weeks later, to the day, an older gentlemen pulled into the lot in a brand-new Cadillac. He stepped out with his girlfriend, popped the trunk -- and there, inside, was more priceless artwork and memorabilia from the SR-71 then I had ever seen outside of a museum.
He gave it ALL to us. And, thus, the "Blackbird Room" was born.
Bob Morgan
The following year, I was up on a ladder when Mary called me to tell me that "the wife of the Memphis Belle pilot is on the phone for you!". "Right", I thought. Which one of our friends was effing with me now?
Well, it turned out to be Linda Morgan - wife of Bob Morgan, the pilot of the Belle. Alarms started going off in my head, since we had not asked to use the name "Memphis Belle" and I thought maybe she was going to bust my chops for doing so.
Not at all. It seemed that Bob had caught wind of what we were trying to create, and wanted to help! Within weeks, several containers of autographed Memphis Belle artwork arrived, which now grace our "Memphis Belle Room".
(And, the following year, we had the joy of meeting Linda and Bob in-person. They were both utterly gracious, and I am so glad we got to meet them before Bob's untimely passing later that year.)
The Reno Air Race Association
Fast forward a year. We're attending the Reno Air Races, intending to acquire enough "stuff" to decorate a "Reno Air Race Room". We're having the time of our lives, but are getting terribly frustrated that we can't find enough authentic "stuff" to decorate the room.
So, Mary decides to look for the race organizer. Figuring that he would be the guy doing the least amount of work, she sauntered up to a fellow lounging on a golf cart, watching the airplanes fly by. He had his hat pulled down low over his eyes, and might have been dozing, for all we knew.
Bingo! He turned out to be the head cheese! Mary and I told him what we were trying to build, and how each room was a different era of aviation history, and how we really wanted something AUTHENTIC for the Reno room.
He looked thoughtful for a moment, and just said "Hop in!"
We drove and drove. He drove us all the way to the other side of Reno-Stead Airport, while the races were going on, to a big, old warehouse/hanger building. He unlocked the doors, and took us inside to a giant storeroom, which was absolutely LOADED with Reno Air Race "stuff". Everything from that year's trophies (not yet awarded), to posters promoting races in the '70s, were in that room.
He just started digging, and handing stuff over his head. "You'll want one of these....and one of those. And probably a couple of these." He just kept going and going!
When all was said and done, we had two dozen pieces, all absolutely original and authentic, all unavailable at any price. Our cost? Nothing! He was so taken with the idea of building a hotel for pilots, he would not take any money for the memorabilia.
(Note: About two months after we got home, we received a VERY official-looking envelope in the mail, from RARA -- the Reno Air Race Association. In it was a licensing agreement, giving us permission to use their name -- for LIFE.
Our cost? $1.00.
) Vlado Lenoch
Fast forward another year. We're building our Mustang Room, and, again, are having trouble finding authentic P-51 Mustang "stuff". Mustangs are so expensive, that we didn't even try to find anything "real" -- but I put the word out that we were looking for ANY kind of Mustang junk, no matter how old or icky.
About a month later a huge box arrived at the hotel. It was from Vlado Lenoch, owner of Moonbeam McSwine, a Mustang that we all know from watching "Heritage Flights" with modern Air Force planes. He had gone through his hangar and found all sorts of old parts, from hydraulic actuators to an emergency radio self-destruct mechanism -- and sent them to us, absolutely free.
We ran them through the parts washer for a day, then bead-blasted them. They looked like new, by the time we were done with them, so I mounted them on a big piece of stained oak, labeled them, and hung them in the room. This piece has remained the most popular piece of "art" in the hotel -- our cost: $0.00.
Dr. Jim Kennedy
Fast forward again. This time, a fellow walks in and has a sad story to tell. His brother, Dr. Jim Kennedy, is dying of one of those diseases where your body no longer functions, but your mind is just fine. He was an F-86 jock in Korea, and flew crop dusters for decades. Throughout his life, he has acquired a grand aviation library of over 150 books.
It seemed that no one in his family wanted the books, and he wanted them to go where pilots could enjoy and appreciate them. He asked his brother to approach me, to see if we would "host" his library, forever.
I, of course, accepted this amazingly generous gift. After he passed away, the "Dr Jim Kennedy Memorial Library" lived on, and we continued to add to it. It is now over 200 books strong. (The library is currently in storage, until we finish building an expanded lobby area to house it at our new place here in Texas.)
The stories never seem to end.
Jim Weir
...There was Jim Weir, who occasionally visits PofA, who once worked on the Apollo program, and donated all sorts of priceless and irreplaceable pieces of aerospace history for our Apollo Room. (Including a lunar module flight instrument!)
Spike Cutler
In 2010, when we were first seriously considering buying the motel on Mustang Island, Spike contacted me, offering to provide assistance with incorporating and organizing a business in Texas. I didn't know Spike, and he didn't know me -- but he knew I was a fellow aviator in need, he wanted to help create a new aviation destination in Texas -- and he stepped up to the plate, and we're forever in his debt.
...Then there was the guy who brought in the unfinished fuselage from a Squarecraft S-102. We stained it up, and hung it on the wall of the meeting room.
...And the guy who donated the original weather reporting station from the Boeing/United Hangar in Iowa City.
...And the guy who brought in an original Spitfire airspeed indicator. And the old radios. And the spinner and propeller. And the Taylor Cub parts. And the Sopwith Camel carburetor.
...and the guy who donated his cherished shattered Stearman prop, that he had smashed into the taxiway on the very first day he owned his very first Stearman.
I could pretty much go on forever.
And now, just yesterday, I received a box in the mail from a fellow in this very group. I know him only as "Rich". Inside were some gorgeous lithographs of antique aircraft in flight. He had them laying around, and wanted them to go to a good home -- so he donated them to us. Out of the clear blue sky, a fellow aviator took the time to package and mail us artwork -- purely out of the kindness of his heart.
We immediately hung one of them in the Floatplanes Room, three went to the "Antique Aircraft" room, and one went into the "Barnstormers" room. Great additions, all!
So, long story short (okay, not short enough!), the generosity of the people you and I share the sky with is NOT to be underestimated. I've experienced it -- no, I have reveled in it -- for the last nine years, and it shows no signs of abating, thank goodness!
The next time someone cuts you off on short final, or you feel like making fun of the guys wearing big watches and mirrored sunglasses, think about this story...
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