On the way home from the grocery store this evening, I got a call telling me that a friend from work was killed in a plane crash earlier today. Jerry was one of the nicest and most energetic guys you'd ever hope to meet, and one of the best stick and rudder pilots I've ever known. I talked to him on the phone just this morning, and he was his same old self – eager as ever to get back into the air. It's far too early to know what happened, but the weather all across the midwest was pretty crummy today.
In 2005 Jerry and I flew his Super Decathlon to Idaho and back, a trip of 3000 miles in a single week. We went into a lot of the back-country strips and high-altitude airports, and he taught me a lot about taildraggers and mountain flying. The memories from that trip are ones I'll never forget.
Then the next year we went to Florida together to earn our seaplane ratings, which was another unforgettable experience. He got a real kick out of flying a J-3 Cub off the water. I remember we went to this really terrible fish restaurant one night to prepare for the oral exam and checkride, and spent as much time laughing as studying.
Mary and I had planned to spend last weekend at his place in the Ozarks, but I begged off at the last minute because I was tired from getting over a cold. Now I wish I'd gone anyway, but I'm glad I at least had the chance to talk to him a couple times this week.
Jerry was a teetotaler, but you can bet I'm having a drink for him tonight. He was one of my heroes and I'll miss him.
Sorry for the interruption. I promise the next post will not be such a bummer.