After that, off and on for a year or two, a buddy and I would hang out on the fence,
once in a while getting a ride in the back seat of a Tri-Pacer when someone was getting
some dual. On one of those occasions, without warning, I was treated to my first spin!
Tamiami Airport - 2nd Location Kendall Flying School
Jump ahead almost 20 years: I had my commercial ticket and was taking aerobatic
lessons from Daniel Héligoin and Montaine Mallet, known as the
French Connection Airshow.
I then realized that the woman in the picture was world aerobatic champion Mary Gaffaney!
Around that time, on one of the trips my buddy Jim and I flew from NY to Miami, we tied down
at Kendall Flying School, by then at the New Tamiami Airport. And there, in the hangar
was Mary's winning aircraft...
New Tamiami Airport - 3rd Location 1972
I understand N6W has been overpainted black, but the current owner says
December 18, 2017
In about 1958, my mom took me to
Brown's Airport
for a birthday surprise: my first
small airplane ride, a Piper Tri-Pacer. I was about 13 years old. I loved it!
I remember seeing a picture on the wall of the owner of the FBO, Kendall Flying School.
The photo was of a woman standing next to a Bell 47 helicopter.
Mary's markings can be seen in the right light.
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