# EAA Founder Paul Poberezny 1921-2013 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eaa-founder-paul-poberezny-1921-2013/667054 "2013-08-24T13:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eaa-founder-paul-poberezny-1921-2013/667054/1 "2013-08-24T13:42:56Z")
Experimental Aircraft Association founder Paul Poberezny has gone west > **[Paul](https://www.eaa.org/paul/)** > > Experimental Aircraft Association > **[EAA’s Poberezny dies at 91, founded organization in garage](https://archive.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/eaa-founder-paul-poberezny-91-has-died-group-says-b9981697z1-220697101.html/)** > > Paul Poberezny, who founded the EAA in his garage, died at 91, the Oshkosh-based aviation organization announced Thursday. 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 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eaa-founder-paul-poberezny-1921-2013/667054/2 "2013-08-24T16:40:12Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eaa-founder-paul-poberezny-1921-2013/667054/3 "2013-08-24T17:44:40Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eaa-founder-paul-poberezny-1921-2013/667054/4 "2013-08-24T18:57:06Z")
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] ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eaa-founder-paul-poberezny-1921-2013/667054/5 "2013-08-26T17:29:25Z")
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.