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I am sometimes told that I need to slow down and take the foot off the gas pedal a little bit. "Why do you spend so much time with Supercub.org and aviation, when you could just sit and rest a little bit?" With the time for New Holstein comes time for the New Holstein Short Field Takeoff, Landing and Flour Drop event, which is a bit of a stressor in itself. Fortunately, there are many who come forward to help with the event, making my task in coordinating the event a whole lot easier. Still, there are personalities to be dealt with and there are times when I just have to count to ten and shake my head. I leave NH, though, feeling like we have accomplished something with the STOL/FD by providing a payback to the community of NH, who have been so supportive of the Flyin for many years. I have come to know that my friends who choose to pilot their aircraft in the event also get something out of their kind participation. It isn't a show off thing for most of them. It sure isn't about a big trophy or prize money. It is about them reaching inward, unleashing their superior command of their aircraft as it claws from the soft grass of NH struggling to get into the air, and to reign in their trusty stead as it comes gently in for a landing. I have written before that I have the best seat in the house as the Shooter in that I can see the determination, the enthusiasm, the expectation, the look of a 17 year old who thinks they are on top of the world, as they push that throttle forward after my salute and signal to launch.
There is a fellow here named Jim Crane who I have heard volumes about over the past several years here at Supercub.org. Jim is a long time potato farmer from Maine, a second generation farmer I think. He has been amongst the most revered members of this group of birdmen and birdwomen, definitely a half-full kind of person whose generosity, honesty and kindness is well known to many of us. He has his struggles, but he has been able to put them to the side to continue to fly and enjoy the skies. Jim and his son, Andrew, and his daughter-in-law, Chelsea, checked off a bucket list thing by flying from Maine to New Holstein this year and it was great to see them there. Jim and Andrew signed up for the STOL/FD events and gave Young Eagle flights, as well.
This year we were blessed to have a writer/photographer, Mike Collins, from AOPA come over to cover our event. He shot photos of the participants, two of which are potato farmers from Maine...Jim and Andrew. AOPA did a nice writeup of the event and we had a great time that day, with many happy people attending and participating in the event.
Time passes by, we go about our lives...
This morning I came to my office to help couples conceive, ready to put embryos back where they belong and it has been a really busy and stressful last 10 days. When I came to the door of my office I found a large, flat box with a return address belonging to Jim Crane. My staff, and Julie, were there wondering what it was and they encouraged me to open it so they could see, so I did. Inside was the following photograph, taken by Mike Collins of AOPA...
It is a beautiful metal picture in which Mike captured the moment immediately after I had saluted Jim Crane, giving him the launch sign (the real Shooters point forward with one finger...I adapted this to use the forward signal of a gynecologist), and Jim had turned his gaze to full forward, throttle advancing to full...
...while the Shooter awaited his departure from the deck of the USS New Holstein...
While the photo will always be displayed in a prominent spot, the back of the photo was signed by none other than Jim "Night Train" Crane...
I can tell you that there was one pretty choked up Shooter when I read Jim's words, and I felt proud not only to be one of the "Sons of the Dirt", but also to have had the privilege of launching so many of you, like Jim and Andrew...
In the meantime, this Shooter is gearing up for more Cat 2 launchings, and successful recoveries, aboard the carrier USS New Holstein. What a great ship she is.
Randy the Grateful Shooter
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Originally Posted by WindOnHisNose
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