On June 29, Gary Eichhorn, EAA 63653, departed from Tampa, Florida, for his last flight as a passenger in a Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, the very same aircraft type he learned to fly in while serving in the U.S. Air Force.
Gary’s passion for flying was ignited by his older brother Adrian Eichhorn, an Army Air Corps aviator who flew in World War II, when Gary was only a young boy, playing with his toys on the living room floor. Captivated by his brother’s stories, he enlisted in the Air Force in November 1956.
Gary’s first flight in the Air Force was in a T-34, an aircraft that would hold a special place in his heart. Over the years, his dedication and skill saw him rise through the ranks, eventually retiring as a major general after 38 years of continuous service, including 20 years of active duty and 18 years in the Reserve.
The Eichhorn family has a deep-rooted tradition of military service, with a collective 180 years of dedication to their country. Gary, in particular, has always believed that being in the military is the best job in the world. “I enlisted in the Air Force because that was the quickest way to become an Air Force pilot,” he recalled. “The military was the best job I ever had.”
Throughout his career, Gary flew various aircraft, including the KC-135 Stratotanker, and his love for aviation didn’t stop with his military career. Gary joined Northwest Airlines, where he flew 747s and 727s, a role that inspired his nephew, Adrian Eichhorn Jr., known to his family as Adrian Allen, EAA Lifetime 379110, to pursue a career in aviation. “From the time I was eight years old, I wanted to fly, and the airlines were always my dream. So, when Uncle Gary went to Northwest, I thought that was the coolest thing in the world,” Adrian said.
Gary’s love for flying wasn’t limited to his professional life, as he was an avid builder of experimental aircraft, constructing four airplanes over the years. These included a BD-5B, a Kitfox 5, a Sonerai II LS, and a Skyra single-seat aircraft. “Uncle Gary is always into making, refurbishing, doing stuff like that. And that’s why he got into it a long time ago,” Adrian explained. “Always engineer technical hands-on type of guys. My father and he were right out of the same mold. Uncle Gary and my dad, they could figure anything out, and Gary could tell you anything about any airplane that was built probably from the ‘40s up to now.”
At the age of 90, Gary is dealing with health issues, but his spirit remains strong. Adrian Allen, deeply moved by his uncle’s condition, arranged for Gary to take one last flight in the T-34 Mentor, the aircraft in which he first learned to fly. “Well, now the sad news is Uncle Gary is on hospice. He’s 90 years old and he has congestive heart failure, so his health is deteriorating pretty quickly. So, I thought we got to get Uncle Gary a flight in a T-34. So, it’d be his first flight… and his last flight,” Adrian said.
Adrian’s friend and fellow aviator, Peter Wu, EAA 754578, flew the T-34, with Gary as his passenger. This flight is not just a tribute to Gary’s career but also a celebration of his enduring passion for aviation. For Gary, this flight is a chance to reconnect with the sky one last time, to feel the thrill of flight that has been a constant in his life for so many years.
Gary’s anticipation for this flight was palpable. “I’m looking forward to it because I haven’t flown myself in about four years now, and they’re going to bring the airplane right here to my hometown. The big thing is, can I crawl in it again? Yeah, yeah. I think I can. Even at my age, I’m kind of spry,” Gary said with a chuckle. It wasn’t easy, but Gary took flight one last time.
His contributions to aviation, both military and civilian, have left a lasting mark, and this last flight in the T-34 was more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane; it was a celebration of a man whose love for flying never stopped.