The last of the first three people at Creve Coeur has passed away.

Jack Onck died this week. He was 85. I was acquainted with him but hadn't seen him in a couple years. I had always wanted to have a "sit and talk" about Creve Coeur with him as he was one of the first three tenets back when the airport was founded in 1956. I never got the chance to do that.

OT: Boo asked us if she could rake the back yard...

 

Boo asked if she could rake the yard...

 

 

She was doing a good job....

 

And then the fun began....

 

Nice picture of the Boo

OT: Typical Sunday at my house.

Now that things have slowed down out at the airport with the weather turning colder, I spend most of my Sunday afternoons watching football between Boo doing gymnastics in the living room.

New Ground School Instructor in the Making!

I recently had an interview and as part of that had to give a 5-10 minute presentation. I used my family as an audience to practice for that.

 

Lindsay loves to play teacher. She had her first Spanish Club meeting at school this week and came home wanting to teach us what she had learned. I think I have a future AGI in my house!

 



 

Going over numbers in Spanish.

 

And colors.

 

 

Calling upon me to give an answer.

 

Explaining the difference between masculine and feminine tenses.

 

 

Close-up of a Clipwing Monocoupe.

 

Richard Smith's Clipwing Monocoupe

Monocoupe Fly-In

Cam Blazer's Monocoupe. 

Richard Smith's Clipwing Monocoupe

 

The Monocoupe Club had a fly-in at Creve Coeur airport this weekend. This is a small club with about three times the number of members for the number of surviving Monocoupes. The fly-in is held every odd year the last weekend of September. This year only two Monocoupes flew in to join the numerous Monocoupes based on the field. 

Scott Johansson preps the Waco to give a ride.

 

Scott preps the Waco QCF-2 to give a ride.

Balloon Glow

 

The rain moved off with the clouds keeping the temp down,

it was a wonderful night for a balloon glow.

 

About two dozen balloons participated.

The Great Forest Park Ballon Race's Ballon Glow

 

Going to the Ballon Glow tomorrow night.

Nice Light

 

My friend Doug Gardner was washing his Great Lakes

when I took this shot.

Blast from the Past #1-George Andre

George Andre does a vertical snaproll in his Freebird 300.

I've always liked this picture. The airplane exists only in parts now, George parted out the airplane when he sold it. I had a mount for the camera that we put on the back of the cowling to take this.

Reflecting Blakesburg....

 

Monosport off the port wing.

 

This years Blakesburg was, again, really fun for me. Blakesburg has it's own, special vibe and I like it. It doesn't have the rushed feel that I get up at OSH, it's more relaxed, leisurely. Part of it, I'm sure, is I didn't try to do as much as I normaly do because of the heat. Man, it was hot again, 101 degrees on Friday. More or less, I let the Fly-In come to me this year. We bugged out at night and went back to  the hotel for a shower and a comfortable nights sleep.

 

Things are really enjoyed about the fly-in are many. I always appreciate Hy-Vee for coming out and cooking for all of us. From the pancakes for breakfast to the Ribeye Steak on Saturday night, it was all great. For Brent, Marcie, Ben, Aaron and the gang who organize and park us, you guys did a great job, especially in the heat.

 

To my friend Richard, thanks for bringing your guitars! We have to do that again and again. It was so much fun. Thanks for letting Sky sleep in your airplane too. It was a beautiful night under the stars.

 

It was great seeing friends up there, Don and Ann, Mike, Eric, Gilles, Amy, Caroline, Jeff, Erik, David and Rachael, Mike and Penny who always has a smile on her face. To all my friends, thanks for coming and helping make Bburg special.

 

 A special thanks to the gentleman from Canada who helped me pull my tiedown stakes out of baked, Iowa clay.

 

Ed, Max and Russell-a very heartfelt nod of appreciation for giving Sky rides in your airplanes.

 

And always to my traveling companion, trusting (asleep) copilot Sky-thanks man,

Now do your homework....

Some airplanes from Blakesburg.

 

Luscombe 8

 

Alexander Eaglerock

 

My buddy Max gives another Cub ride.

 

Luscombe T-1

 

John Lebarre's Waco CSO

Friends who take the photo's-Photographers at Blakesburg

You've seen their picture, now you can see their faces.

Photographer buddies of mine up at Blakesburg.

Gilles Auliard

Eric Presten

Dave Welch

And everyone knows Amy Gesch

Cool shot #816

Highlights of Blakesburg 2013-Day 2

 

Loads of Luscombe's!

 

TJ Stegman cleans off his prop.

 

Who says the younger people aren't interested in aviation?

 

Glenn puts in 60 wt oil to help the engine fight the heat.

 

Sky holds the funnel for Glenn.

 

Great, wonderful, marvelous ribeye steak dinner!

 

Airborne!

 

Sky gets a ride from Russell Williams in his Ryan SCW.

 

Rob Stegman gets in a quick flight before sunset.

 

Three generations-Duncan, Ron and Chris Price go for a ride in the Fleet.

 

 

Jim Savage's Spartan 7W Executive.

.

 

John Swander taxies out in his Waco

Highlights of Blakesburg-Day 1.

 

Fuel stop in Monroe City.

 

Sky gets a Cub ride from Ed Lachendro.

Finaly cooled off as night fell.

Blakesburg 2013---boy, it's a hot one!

 

O-dark-thirty show and we're up and off on another trip to Blakesburg.

I really enjoy Blakesburg, it's so much lower key than Oshkosh.

Definitely has a different vibe.

 

The Monosport over Mark Twain Lake.

 

Ken Thomas pulls up alongside in his Brunner-Winkle Bird.

1920's technology at its finest!

 

It's 101 degrees here right now. Sky and I are in the hotel avoiding heat stroke. Lots of airplanes here, bunch of cabin Waco's, four Fairchild 24's, loads of Luscombe's and plenty of good friends.

Travel Air 4000

 (Click on each picture to view full-size.)

 

Andrew King stopped by Creve Coeur for lunch Sunday in this 1927 Travel Air 4000 he was delivering from New York to Texas. After lunch, he asked me if I'd like to fly along as he left and shoot some photo's. Since the plane was ready and able, I quickly grabbed buddy Ken Thomas to fly for me.

 

Andrew pulls up alongside showing off the classic Travel Air lines.

 

It's going to make a nice ride-hopping airplane.

 

So long and safe journeys!