February 2006 - American Bonanza Society

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(gerefratw~ at P/(ilty f!KawhBY CHARLIE DAVIDSON, ABS DIRECTOR Kill DEVil HillS, NORTH CAROLINAJohn Miller draws a crowd of aviation enthusiasts at lhe airport.Some of the ASS members took a four of the locol Christmas lights.A large number of ASS members turned out 10 help John Miller celebrates his 1 DOth birthday at the Firstf light Society Ball In Kilty Hawk. North Carolina.At the ABS convention in Dallas there was some discussion concerning theupcoming IOOth birthday of our esteemed member, John Miller. Let's face it. howmany organizations have members who reach that milestone and are still activelycontributing monthly magazine articles and traveling great distances to porficipalein Society actIVities?ASS Presidenl Craig Boiley, John Miller and Kent Ewing ofter theircruise over the First Flight Monument in Kent's V3SB.Ihad not seen John since his serious automobile accident inFebruary 2003. I knew he had suffered through a longrecovery with several months in the hospital. But John,being the trooper he is, was enthusiastic about joining us at theABS convention to sign copies of his book.Jack Threadgill and I arrived at Dallas InternationalAirpon to pick up John. I was concerned that we might need awheelchair. No way. As I stood watching the gate, I spiedJohn's traditional khaki shin and bolo tie bounding up the tunnelfrom the airplane. He was passing those slow youngsters infront of him. I later found John gelling his legs in shape byclimbing the 12 flights of stairs to his room each day in the conventionhotel. This man will not slow down!John's December 15 binhday comes just two days beforethe anniversary ofthe first powered flight by the Wright brothers.We discussed the possibility of ABS joining the FirstFlight Society in a celebration of flight and the centennialcelebration of John Miller's binh. This all came together in agrand couple of days, December 16-17.Several ABS members contributed to making this eventhappen. In parricular, Scott Thomas, a Baron driver fromSaranac Lake, ew York, graciously flew John and his daughterTrish Taylor to the Outer Banks from their homes inPoughkeepsie, New York.On the night of the 16th. several ABS members had a parryfor John at the Black Pelican Restaurant in Kitty Hawk, NonhCarolina. It is in the original lifesaving building where theWrights sent their message to Dayton in 1903 that they had successfullycompleted their flight I It seemed appropriate that Johnshould be in a historic place with such a significant connection tohis life's work.Joining John's private binhday parry to kick off a busy 24hours for the centenarian were ABS President Craig Bailey andwife Connie; ABS board members and their wives, Bill andPhyllis Stovall and Charlie and Patti Davidson, ABS ExecutiveDirector Nancy Johnson, a Bonanza formation group andseveral others.The next moming brought mild temperatures and a highovercast, great flying weather for the annual First FlightSociety event. The f1yover opened with the Green Beret jumpteam landing on the grounds of the Wright Brothers NationalPark in front of a crowd of a thousand spectators gathered onKill Devil Hills and near the visitor pavilion.Shonly thereafter, at exactly 10:35 a.m. (the time theWright's launched their first flight ), a lone V-tai I Bonanzacruised over the monument at 1,000 feet. At the controls wereJohn Miller and Kent Ewing, Capt. USN/ret. They were inKent's V35B that is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. CraigBailey accompanied Kent and John, followed by a formationof one Baron and three Bonanzas.Page 9460 www.bononza.org ABS February 2006
'Mi, 'lJi'('(·kJ'll!, 6J1/jfI(~ ~,rf th(, /1IIf'h((("ross th(, JJlII/III/II('1I1thid S/I/I/(Ij(J/rrlll (firi Ij,./ri/rim.rf ~y (Doflsl !fllIflY!"(lII(f/Vir bJorN' (ti'llril/('.~ (1/1,( th;,• !JOfrlr;1I g(il{r;hi·~illJlIl'/('(1/1/,Scott Thomas, ASS Executive Director Nancy Johnson and ABSDirector Bill StovallCharHe Davidson (at right) MC'd the Beechcratt flyover althe Wright Monument.The four-ship formation was made up of Scott Thomas inhis B55 and V-tail drivers Ritchie Jones and Glenn Wimbushof Burlington. North Carolina. and Bill Doty of Chapel Hil l.North Carolina. They cruised over the monument at 1.000 feetfor three passes in perfect formation. I narrated for the audience,explaining the significance of the Bonanza aircraft andits history.Next, ABS member Steve Oxman and his son Warrenflew over the park in Steve's beautifully restored Beech 18.The Beechcraft brigade led the pack across the monument thatsunny Saturday, fo llowed by Coast Guard and Air Forceairplanes and the Golden Knights jump team.John, Craig and Kent circled back and landed at the FirstFlight Airport and were brought to the crowd in much the sameenthusiastic manner as Oshko h air show performers. Johnwas surrounded by many well-wishers-adults and children.The night of December 17 is the annual First Flight SocietyBall. In existence since 1928, this Society was founded to commemoratethe Wright's achievement at Kill Devil Hills.The highlight of the evening, in ABS' eyes at least, was aPowerPoint program narrated by Craig Bailey. A pictorialhistory of John's life in aviation was displayed and examples ofJohn's ad ventures from his book, "Flying Stories" were read tothe audience.John also received a congratulatory certificate from U.S.Senator Richard Burr of NOith Carolina, a painting of Johnand his beloved autogiro, and a huge chocolate cake.As John told us at hi s party, "Chocolate is good for you inmoderation. It may even help you live to be a hundred yearsand two days old !"Many thanks fa all the ABS members who participated and to theFirst Flight Society for working with ABS to celebrate the fife of thisextraordinary aviator and genffeman.-@-John Miller and his daughler Trish at the First Flight Society Boll.WE COULDN'T USE ALL THE GAEAT PICTURES WE RECEIVED, so THANKS TO ALLTHE CONTRIBUTORS WHO SENT PHOTOS IN; CONNIE BAILEY, CHARLIE DAVIDSON,KENT EWING, AND BILL & PHYLLIS STOVALLABS February 2006 www.bonanza.org Page 9461
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Page 11 and 12: Stepping back in time for a moment,
Page 13 and 14: M~ WJSiC techniqueBY BILL COMPTON,
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Page 26 and 27: TECH NOTESTech Noles are from ASS T
Page 28 and 29: COMPRESSION CHECKS ( BOTH USUAL & U
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Page 32 and 33: INTERIORSTHE INSIDE STORYPART VIIIB
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Page 38 and 39: A BRIEF HISTORY OF PILOTTRAINING IN
Page 40 and 41: My aviation daysstatted when I was2
Page 42 and 43: THE GARMIN GPSMAP 396THE "SWISS ARM
Page 44 and 45: TRANSITION TRAININGIf you are weigh
Page 46 and 47: ~ Life Membersij , '--"I~ ...-;::"~
Page 48 and 49: FEBRUA Y10-12 - BPPP Clinic. Lakela

February 2006 - American Bonanza Society

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