sj
Staff member
Northwest Arkansas
I met Bill at a St. Patty's day party here on the lake this year. He had on a bright green sport coat and looked like a real interesting person so I went up and started talking to him. Boy did I hit the jackpot. I will get all of the details wrong since a number of months have passed, but Bill has led a very interesting life. His carrer was as a "master mariner" sailing freighters and passengers all over the world as a captain. I am sure he could tell fascinating stories for hours, and I hope to get the chance to hear some of them. Bill started and owned a number of businesses and is still working on a new venture as I type. He is also working on getting a PhD since he had all this success without going to college, he felt it was time to get some degrees behind him. What an interesting fellow.
He noticed at the party that I had a supercub on my t-shirt (imagine that?) and asked about it. He had soloed in a J3 many years ago and the last time he had flown a cub was over 40 years past. I told him then (on St. Pat's day) I would get him back in a cub. Well, it took me 7 months but finally today we went out in the J3 and both of us really enjoyed it. Bill did most of the flying, but left me to the mundane business of radio work and landing. I could tell that a lot of memories of interesting flights and days gone by came back to him and it was the greatest privilege for me to be the one to bring that back.
When I walked into the flight school where I instruct afterwards the smile on my face told it all. My only comment was, "THAT, my friends, is what flying is all about"...
sj
Bill Armstrong, Sept 28, 2004
He noticed at the party that I had a supercub on my t-shirt (imagine that?) and asked about it. He had soloed in a J3 many years ago and the last time he had flown a cub was over 40 years past. I told him then (on St. Pat's day) I would get him back in a cub. Well, it took me 7 months but finally today we went out in the J3 and both of us really enjoyed it. Bill did most of the flying, but left me to the mundane business of radio work and landing. I could tell that a lot of memories of interesting flights and days gone by came back to him and it was the greatest privilege for me to be the one to bring that back.
When I walked into the flight school where I instruct afterwards the smile on my face told it all. My only comment was, "THAT, my friends, is what flying is all about"...
sj
Bill Armstrong, Sept 28, 2004
