Experimental Aircraft Association founder Paul Poberezny has gone west
I’ve only been to Airventure (most folks still just call it “EAA”) a few times, but remember well growing up in the fox valley and seeing it on the news and noticing the increased air traffic.
Brian
I was going to post the notice yesterday, but didn’t have the time.
I’ve never been to AirVenture. Up until the 1980s I thought I might build my own airplane. I lived in Lancaster, and went up to Mojave to see Burt Rutan’s factory and watch the presentation on the Long-EZ. (I ran into Burt Rutan and his girlfriend at a park one year. They were flying a kite.) My dad was 80% done building a BD-5 when the moving company dropped a loading ramp on it. Alas, I realised I did not have the money or, more importantly, the time to build an airplane.
I applaud Poberezny’s organisation, and the thousands of homebuilders it represents. He had a good life, and now he has followed the sunset.
I’ve watched Paul, Gene Soucy, and Charlie Hilliard throw planes around together since I was a kid.
They made me want to fly as much as anyone I knew, and meeting them and Bob Hoover on the same day made my year.
RIP, Mr. P.
Damn! I met him a few times, in the 1970’s. Great guy.
[sub]thought he was already dead, though. glad he got the extra years[/sub]
I had many interactions with Paul over the years as a result of my mom working for the EAA. He was a class act in every sense.