By Dale Mitchell, EAA 766538
I was in the middle of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh returning to my plane for a much needed break. When I got to my Cessna 175 there was a woman sitting in the grass in front of Speedy. I could tell she was crying and I immediately asked, “Amanda is that you?” She looked up and said “Yes.”
You see, right after we bought Speedy, Amanda emailed us that her uncle had been in the flying club that we bought it from.
For 10 years, starting when Amanda was 5 years old, her uncle had flown Speedy to the family reunion and taken Amanda for an airplane ride from the pasture that he landed in.
Amanda dreamed of getting her pilot certificate every year when she took to the sky with her uncle in Speedy.
When Amanda came of age and was ready to start flying lessons she had a terrible accident when a car ran her over as she was driving an ATV. She thought she would never be able to fly because of her injuries.
She so wanted to fly because her uncle had died and she wanted to remember him and all the happiness that Speedy had brought to those family reunions.
Amanda asked if she could touch Speedy again and show her young son the airplane that had brought her and her family such joy. I said, “Of course!”
Amanda and her son sat in the seats. I showed her son how to move the controls and what they did. We laughed, we cried. We communicated to those near and dear to us because of this airplane, Speedy.
Speedy has a special place in my heart as well. My wife found Speedy on Barnstormers and called to see if it was still for sale. We looked at it and bought it right away. She really enjoyed riding along in Speedy, and even after her death, she still rides with me on every flight.
Amanda was able to find some instructors to help her learn to fly and she acquired her pilot certificate.
Every airplane at Oshkosh has a history and stories to tell of the families that have owned them and the experiences they have had with each airplane ride.
If you are quiet and listen carefully, late at night when all the pilots are asleep and the night has settled in, you can hear the airplanes telling their stories.