Category Archives: History

The Master Birdman

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Joe Clark

Ninety-nine years ago today, America lost one of her most cherished heroes. Pioneer aviator Lincoln J. Beachey, died when the aircraft he was piloting at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco on March 14, 1915 suffered structural failure. He … Continue reading →

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I Hate Yesterday

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Joe Clark

Yesterday, we started a new season of Daylight Savings Time (DST). I have survived another passing of the start of DST, but I remain just as vexed by the change today as the first time I experienced it many years … Continue reading →

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Model 299

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Joe Clark

In 1930, aviation remained in the beginning stages of development. Pilots were few, airplanes fewer, and almost every aircraft was small with inadequate performance. Most airplanes were of the biplane design with some sleeker monoplanes starting to come off the … Continue reading →

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Six Days in Space

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Joe Clark

In 1968 over the Christmas holidays, three Americans orbited the moon for the first time. It is the incredible story of Apollo 8 crewed by Commander Frank Borman, James Lovell serving as the Command Module Pilot, and William Anders piloting … Continue reading →

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The First Lady Lex

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Joe Clark

Eighty-six years ago today, the first aircraft carrier to bear the name Lexington was commissioned. The USS Lexington was the first of her kind and consequently she became the lead ship of her type, the Lexington-class. Of the class, there … Continue reading →

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Amazing Grace

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Joe Clark

As with many mornings, I woke a little after 5 a.m. and began working. When I turned on the computer, the Google page lit up with something that referred to the age of 107. I had a hard time thinking … Continue reading →

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Hurricanes and Emergency Diverts

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Joe Clark

Thirty years ago this month, I checked into my first operational squadron in Gitmo. They gave me the “gouge” about flying in the Caribbean, including divert/bingo information for any reason when we could not return to Guantanamo. I gathered up … Continue reading →

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Planes and New Pilots

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Joe Clark

A long time ago when I was a little kid, every Sunday evening I watched a wonderful television program called Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color. All of us watched programs that were varied and entertaining. I am sure this … Continue reading →

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From Cropduster to Airline Pilot – a new book

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Joe Clark

We have published a new book, a very interesting book. It is the biography of LeRoy Brown, cropduster, National Airlines pilot, and retired of Pan American World Airways. As things happen, one of my colleagues at work, Dr. Leo Murphy, … Continue reading →

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Praise and Insults by Hemingway

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Joe Clark

I am writing again about writing pilots or flying writers. Sometimes it is difficult to decide which are adjectives and nouns when it comes to describing writers who are capable of flying, or pilots who can actually write. On my … Continue reading →

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