09/05/08

To all the friends of Cort Dickinson, (GE# 1269)
As most of you know, Cort has been bravely fighting cancer for many years.  He has had his victories and he has had some defeats on this path he has to go down.  I just recently spoke with Cort.  He is on final approach for his final grease job landing.  He has a rare form of Merkel Cell Carcinoma.  The doctors have done all they can and can do no more.  He is off all medication and treatment.  He is under Hospice care now and is being kept as comfortable as possible.  His doctors have given him six weeks to two months remaining in this world.  His attitude is remarkably good knowing his short future.  He says each day he gets weaker and is losing weight.   He does sleep a lot.  He says he is right with the Lord and knows where he is going.  His main concern is for his wife, Betsy.  He anguishes over the load he will leave her with as to the house, bills and everything else involved.  Please keep Cort and Betsy in your prayers.
Cort's intensity to work for his fellow pilots was legendary.  He was APA SFO Domicile Chairman for several years, on the APA Board of Directors and served on other Committees.  Cort was the Grey Eagles President in 1992.  Flying Copilot for Cort was a blast and the layovers were memorable.  He was one of the most competent and professional Pilots I ever flew with.
 I am sure Cort would like to receive cards and letters of encouragement from his numerous friends.   

Glenn

Send cards and letters to:
            Cort Dickinson
            42929 Cattail Meadows Place
            Ashburn, VA 20148
            E-mail   cortbetsy@comcast.net

08/28/08

08/27/08

08/23/08

Ben King (GE# 1183) had a moderate stroke at the end of last month in Ft. Lauderdale.  After a week in the hospital he flew home to Dallas via air ambulance (Lear 24). He arrived home on August 20th and will continue therapy as an outpatient.  The prognosis is good.

08/22/08

08/12/08

Two injured in Erie plane crash
 

Broomfield grandfather, grandson rushed to hospital

by Heath Urie (Contact)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Photo by Mark Leffingwell

Members of Mountain View Fire and Lafayette Police look over the wreckage of an experimental airplane, designed to look like a WWII vintage plane, that crashed in a field north of the Erie Airport in Erie, Colorado August 05, 2008. The pilot and passenger where taken to the hospital. CAMERA/Mark Leffingwell

Two people — a grandfather and grandson — were injured Tuesday morning when the single-engine, fixed-wing plane they were flying crashed in a field just southwest of the Erie Airpark.Paul Hinton, 68, of Broomfield, was piloting the plane, according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.He sustained moderate injuries, officials said, while his grandson, 16-year-old Robin Hinton, also of Broomfield, sustained serious injuries.They were both taken to Exempla Hospital in Lafayette by ambulance, officials said.The two had just taken off from the airpark and were headed south when the pilot radioed that he was experiencing engine trouble, officials said.The aircraft was a 2004 experimental-class, amateur-built plane that was painted to look like a vintage World War II aircraft. It is registered as a Flynn Van Munk model with a Fairchild engine.According to federal aircraft records, the plane is registered to Paul Hinton.Erie resident Wyatt Tackett, a paramedic in training, was among the first at the scene of the crash.“I was driving by, and I saw them do a sharp turn,” Tackett said. “It dropped, and I knew something wasn’t right.”According to Tackett, who has piloting experience, the plane “bobbed” over a self-storage facility near the field before going down.He described the crash, which he witnessed from the road, as a violent cartwheel caused when one wing hit the ground and put the aircraft into a roll — tearing off both wings in the process.“They went end over end,” Tackett said.Tackett said he ran to the victims and helped pull them out of the tangled wreckage.A passing private helicopter, piloted by a paramedic, landed in the area after the crash, officials said. The helicopter crew and Tackett provided aid until ambulances arrived.“We threw a shirt over the grandfather’s head to stop the bleeding,” Tackett said. “He was a little panicked.”Both victims were awake and talking after the accident, Tackett said.“Those guys were pretty lucky,” he said.According to Mountain View Fire Protection District spokesman Jesse Hodgson, reports came in about 10 a.m. that the aircraft was going down after suffering engine problems. The pilot radioed several “mayday” calls to the tower, he said.The plane had just fueled up at the airpark, and about 25 gallons of fuel spilled at the crash scene. Hodgson said the spill was quickly contained, and no fires broke out.The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, officials said.

08/10/08

Captain Lamb called to inform the Grey Eagles that member Captain Donald B. Anthony, 77, GE# 2625 was killed last evening in an accident on his farm in Sanger, Texas. FYI – CA Anthony’s son is a Delta pilot.
Viewing for Captain Anthony will be Saturday evening, August 9, 2008, at Deberry Funeral Home, 2025 W. University, Denton, Texas from 6 PM to 8 PM. Services for Captain Anthony will be Sunday afternoon, August 10, 2008, at 3 PM at the 1st United Methodist Church in Sanger, Texas.
The family asks memorials be made in Captain Anthony's name to either the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, Texas 75015 or to Farm Rescue, P.O. Box 1100 ,Jamestown, North Dakota 58402. The family also requests any of Donald's American Airlines pilot colleagues present at the services to wear their uniform.

update

08/09/08

08/05/08

07/24/08

 My name is William Dise. I'm an AA crew chief in Denver. Over the past ten years I have organized many volunteer trips around the world. For my next mission, I will be planning one in New Orleans with a group called the St. Bernard Project. This is an amazing group of individuals who truly need our help. Their project is similar to Habitat for Humanity, but different in the aspect that they take existing structures/homes and rebuild rather than building from scratch. Their criteria for the homes include: single parents, the elderly and handicapped that lost their homes in the Hurricane Katrina. There were 20,000 homes lost in the St. Bernard Parrish. If we could help get back even a few: "though it's a drop in the bucket, many drops will fill that bucket!"

They need volunteers who are skilled and non skilled in the field of electrical, dry walling, plumbing, and general construction. For St. Bernard to do the interior of a home, it takes about 4 weeks from start to finish. All of the supplies are donated, they just need manpower. You do not HAVE to be skilled, everyone can pitch in.

I am trying to organize this for the last two weeks of September this year. We will be able to finish some homes that have already been started, and begin other homes that others will finish after we leave. I will ask that people volunteer a minimum of three days of their time. You may bring family members as a working vacation, or if your kids need volunteer hours for school, this would be a great community service!

What I would like to ask of each of the unions at AA would be to get the word out to our membership in whatever way they see fit. Have them contact me; William Dise at 720-339-7907 cell, 730-535-1570 home or ICS 342-5009. They can also email me at w.dise@comcast.net.

For the two week period we are there, this would be dubbed the "Employees of American Airlines" week for the St. Bernard Project I know within our company, we have qualified, skilled, great employees. I also know that these are trying times for us. But we all need something to feel good about right now, and this is it!

Other details will follow for cost of hotel/transportation which I am working out. Everything will be on a volunteer basis, but I am working out the best prices possible.

Please feel free to give me a call if you have any questions.

William Dise
Help the Kids of the World
720-339-7907 cell
720-535-1570 home

7/13/08