By EAA
This piece originally ran in the June 2024 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
Ronald Liebmann, EAA 18367, remembers his aviation infatuation starting in kindergarten, watching Stearmans fly overhead in the Chicago sky after World War II. His uncle, Ed Seversen, an early EAA member, brought him to his first EAA fly-in convention in Rockford, Illinois, in 1960, and he hasn’t missed a single convention since.
After some life events and a couple of programs shutting down stood in the way of a career with the Navy and as an airline pilot, Ron became a firefighter in 1991. It was about a year later he got a call with an offer to be a pilot with United Airlines, but he turned it down. He had started a family and discovered the hours of a firefighter were much more family friendly than those of an airline pilot. Ron looked back at those roadblocks and considers himself lucky and blessed; if things had gone as originally planned, he likely would not have experienced the same family-man lifestyle he cherishes.
Rest assured, Ron has always found a way to get his aviation fix. Uncle Ed introduced Ron to many of the homebuilders of EAA’s early days, forming a close relationship with founder Paul Poberezny, which is where he learned many of the skills he uses as a volunteer technical counselor and flight advisor. “I was a teenager, and they were old and teaching me how to do all this stuff,” he said. “In August, I’ll be 80, so I ended up being the old man helping the kids out. EAA has given that to me.”
Ron finished building his first airplane, a Kitfox, in 1992, and applied the same year to become a technical counselor and flight advisor to help fellow EAAers build their aircraft and learn to fly new types. “I’ve got five airplanes right now that I’m working with people on in my area. It’s so much fun going to people’s garages and advising them to make sure they’re doing it right,” he said. He’s also helped restore countless aircraft, including a 1941 Taylorcraft with members of EAA Chapter 790, which is currently on display at the Wings of History Air Museum in California.
Not only does he guide fellow builders, but also Ron has created a couple of lecture programs to encourage safer flying, including one he called Green to Green. “[Pilots often] want to go from this airport to this airport in the fastest, shortest time. Me, I want to get to that airport the safest I can,” he said. Ron always makes sure he has a green landing spot in sight, and this proved vital on his daughter’s first airplane ride when the engine quit suddenly. “She panicked, and I calmed down. The airplane just turned into a glider. I had my green spot, and I put it down; no damage, no nothing.”
Ron has volunteered at the annual convention for 35 years in a row now, with many of those years being in the Warbirds area. “A buddy and I bought a WWII-era aircraft tug,” Ron said. “We painted it a beautiful Navy scheme, so whenever there’s a Navy airplane in the showplane area, they go, ‘Ronnie, get that airplane.’” Some of his favorite memories include Frank Borman personally requesting his tug services, grabbing a selfie with Bud Anderson, and towing the only existing airworthy XP-82 Twin Mustang. “I’m one of the luckiest people, being blessed to be able to make every single convention.”
Volunteers make EAA AirVenture Oshkosh — and just about everything else EAA does — possible. This space in EAA Sport Aviation is dedicated to thanking and shining the spotlight on volunteers from the community. Sadly, it cannot capture all of the thousands of volunteers who give so much to the community every year. So, next time you see a volunteer at AirVenture or elsewhere, however they are pitching in to make EAA better, be sure to thank them for it. It’s the least we can do. Do you know a volunteer you’d like to nominate for Volunteer Spotlight? Visit EAA.org/Submissions.