Sorry to hear of your flying friends passing.
I always say it and I mean it, I hope it was on his own terms.
I lost the friend who (many years ago) took me up for my first fixed wing flight.
There once was a single, grass strip port not too far from here. Same friend drove us out to it on a full moon afternoon.
An unexpected balloon and a couple of para-gliders happened in that same afternoon.
Got to ride passenger in an ultralight that day too.
Was a clear cool day I'll never forget!
Time and old age have now taken away my friend and the old grass airstrip and its owners.
The county fair had a local TV station running helicopter rides, so as a young kid, that was my first time off the ground though.
I've been a sucker for the whirlybird rides ever since.
My good friend Gary Austin passed away today.
