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Jim Morris
Jim Morris, member of Lake of the Ozarks Chapter of MPA, is to my recollection, the only member of another
chapter to speak to us. Introduced by Penrod Turk, he was also the only person at our March meeting to learn to
fly in the military, work for an airline and be a general aviation pilot as well. And, for almost 50 years at that!
After some biased counseling, Jim took the Navy tests and reported to Pensacola in March, 1953 for preflight training,
but will have to wait until this July to celebrate his first flight in an SNJ (or AT-6 for non-Navy types,) 50
years ago. There he soloed, flew acrobatics, practiced gunnery and formation, and made his first carrier landing
on February 18, 1954, a date he remembers well. It cost him a carton of cigarettes for having attempted a landing
without the hook. Landing Signal Officers (LSO) have a way to reinforce procedures! He described catapult takeoffs
as the nearest thing to XXX! His first operational assignment was to fly P2Vs searching and penetrating hurricanes
named after ladies. Weather Service discretion ruled however, and they started naming them after boys as well.
One such trip required an RON at a Caribbean Island. Departing next day with kegs of rum, the crew was constantly
requesting to leave station. It seems one keg sprung a leak, (or did it?) and the enterprising airmen took care
of the problem with homemade paper cups!
Jim also flew Super Connies before entering the airline world of DC-3s, F-27s and FH-227s, Martin 404s, DC-9s and
MD-80s before retiring after 28 years with Ozark and four with TWA. Some runs required as many as 12 approaches
and landings in a crew-duty day, and that was without autopilots! A senior captain made $18,000 per year, about
what a senior captain makes in a month now. Jim told several hilarious anecdotes of tricks played on new stewardesses
such as flushing the blue room in back with the flap handle up front!
In September 1992, Jim and his wife Carolyn, radio broadcaster for 20 years, moved from St. Louis to the lake.
They run a flight school and charter service at Grand Glaize Airport (K15) named Captain and Crunch Enterprises,
Inc., "Crunch" was Carolyn's radio handle. Jim's advice to mothers is to get their kids hooked on cigarettes,
booze and drugs, they are less addictive than flying!
Al St. Germain
Newly Elected Officers for 2003
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President:
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Earlene McClure |
Vice President:
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Penrod Turk |
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Secretary:
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Pam Ratliff |
Treasurer:
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June Williams |
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Directors:
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Ed Baucom |
Joe Boyles |
John Halpin |
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Sarah McKinley |
Alan Monshausen |
Marty Young |
The installation dinner for the new officers will be April 23, 2003
2003 MPA 49th STATE CONVENTION, June 6, 7, & 8 — Gateway Chapter MPA (Deadline is May 31)
Program
Chairman: Marvin Moore
April 23, 2003 - To Be Announced
May 28, 2003 - FAA Appreciation Day
RESERVATION INFORMATION
April 23, 2003 at DAV, 8787 Old Santa Fe Road. Reservations MUST BE MADE by NO LATTER THEN SUNDAY, April
20, 2003. Special dietary needs can be accommodated at the time of the reservation. Please call: June Williams
After Noon at 816-224-3241 or E-Mail jrw@planetkc.com to make your reservations. Our menu will be: Poor Man's Steak,
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Frozen Peas, Salad, Roll and Ice Cream. Cost is $12.00 per person. Dinner at 6:30
P.M. — Social from 6:00 to 6:30 P.M.
FLY-OUT
Chairman: Sarah McKinley
April 12, 2003 (Sat) - Olathe KS
Spring Kick Off-Celebrating 100 Years of Flight, contact # 913-764-4800 for activities.
April 26 & 27, 2003 (Sat) - Rebels Bluff
BBQ Lunch at 1:00, bring a covered dish plus $3.00
Rebels Bluff is 2 miles north of Mt Vernon Airport: R-2200x75, sod, very nice.
Call Les Featherton 417-466-4663 if landing at Mt Vernon.
There will be skydiving, glider dem, acrobatic show. May stay overnight at local motels (Mt. Vernon) or in hangar
at Les's airport. Breakfast next morning at Rebels Bluff.
May 3, 2003 (Sat) - Abilene KS — Abilene Aviation Assoc. Fly-In
May 4, 2003 (Sun) - Red Oak IA — Red Oak Annual Flight Breakfast
May 16 & 17, 2003 (Fri & Sat) - Excelsior Springs MO — Friday evening the 16th a catered BQ & RC Combat
Flying demos. Saturday 17th, 06:00-17:00 the Annual Antique/Classic Fly-In, included breakfast, lunch and demos,
contests etc.
May 23, 2003 (Fri) - Atchison KS — 37th Annual Kansas City Area fly-In, Phone: 363-6361
May 24, 2003 (Sat) - Columbia MO — 15th Anniversary Veterans Air show
June 1, 2003 (Sun) - Audubon IA — Audubon flight Breakfast
June 21, 2003 (Sat) - Aurora MO — Aurora Spring Fly-In-Fun, Phone: 417-678-3000
June 22 & 23, 2003 (Sun & Mon) - Red Cloud NE — Street Car Days (Weekend) Fly-In, Phone: 407-746-3419
Please RSVP to Sarah McKinley Phone: 816-320-3462 or E-Mail: flyingmacs@aol.com. Also the morning of fly-out you
can call: 816-781-7194 - Roosterville Airport. Airborne Communications is 122.75. Remember that our minimums are
3000 AGL and 5 miles.
We received a Thank You Note from Jennifer Meyer for the suitcases.
Dear MPA,
I want to sincerely thank you for your generosity. I was overwhelmed by how many suitcases our children received
from your members. I was also incredibly impressed with how sincere and friendly a group of people you are. I enjoyed
meeting you immensely, and very much appreciate your kind donations. Also, I would like to thank the members who
have taken the time out of their busy schedules to contact me regarding more donations. Good luck in all future
endeavors! Jennifer Meyer KVC
Useful Web Site's:
Missouri Pilots Association Web Site for all chapters: www.mopilots.org
MISSOURI 2002-2003 Airport Directory & Travel Guide.
This has view of the latest airports & information updates. http://www.modot.state.mo.us/airportdirectory
Missouri State Senate Web Site: http://www.senate.state.mo.us
This website is a pilot to pilot information exchange: www.flykc.com
Super Cub website is very popular www.supercub.org
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