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Margy Natalie
January 10th 07, 12:48 AM
I spent many a long hour with Kershner while I was a student pilot. My
copy is so ragged looking it's embarrassing. I actually spent an hour
on the phone with him when he called the museum asking to donate copies
of his Private Pilot Manual to the education department. He was really
interested in getting young folks interested in flying. I would have
loved to have flown with him (except I'd probably get sick doing spins!).

The aviation community has lost an important member.

Margy

Jim wrote:
> 'Spin Doctor' Bill Kershner dies at 77
>
> Pilot, flight instructor, and aviation author William K. Kershner, 77, died
> January 8 in Sewanee, Tennessee, after a prolonged battle with cancer.
>
> He soloed an Aeronca Defender from Clarksville, Tennessee's Outlaw Field - a
> grass strip at the time - in 1945 at age 16. After four years flying
> Corsairs in the Navy, Kershner worked as a corporate pilot, flight-test
> pilot, and special assistant to William T. Piper Sr., then president of
> Piper Aircraft. With the help of his wife, Betty - who typed his handwritten
> manuscripts - Kershner authored and illustrated a series of five highly
> regarded flight manuals; his Student Pilot's Flight Manual alone has sold
> more than 1 million copies.
>
> Kershner contributed often to AOPA publications, including AOPA Pilot and
> AOPA Flight Training. More than 8,000 spins...
>
>
>

jls
January 11th 07, 12:50 AM
Margy Natalie wrote:
> I spent many a long hour with Kershner while I was a student pilot. My
> copy is so ragged looking it's embarrassing. I actually spent an hour
> on the phone with him when he called the museum asking to donate copies
> of his Private Pilot Manual to the education department. He was really
> interested in getting young folks interested in flying. I would have
> loved to have flown with him (except I'd probably get sick doing spins!).
>
> The aviation community has lost an important member.
>
> Margy
>
> Jim wrote:
> > 'Spin Doctor' Bill Kershner dies at 77
> >
> > Pilot, flight instructor, and aviation author William K. Kershner, 77, died
> > January 8 in Sewanee, Tennessee, after a prolonged battle with cancer.
> >
> > He soloed an Aeronca Defender from Clarksville, Tennessee's Outlaw Field - a
> > grass strip at the time - in 1945 at age 16. After four years flying
> > Corsairs in the Navy, Kershner worked as a corporate pilot, flight-test
> > pilot, and special assistant to William T. Piper Sr., then president of
> > Piper Aircraft. With the help of his wife, Betty - who typed his handwritten
> > manuscripts - Kershner authored and illustrated a series of five highly
> > regarded flight manuals; his Student Pilot's Flight Manual alone has sold
> > more than 1 million copies.
> >
> > Kershner contributed often to AOPA publications, including AOPA Pilot and
> > AOPA Flight Training. More than 8,000 spins...

Books bearing his name are my treasures. His manuals were not dry. I
enjoy them to this day, and all his funny wisecracks. Kershner is an
immortal, like Tony Bingelis.

Patrick Mayer
January 12th 07, 09:40 PM
How did I finally get an understanding of those complex and advanced pilot
stuff? By reading Kershners books! He wrote so easy, understandable and
funny that it was more fun than duty to work thru the stuff.

I'll treasure the memory of him! Thanks for everything, Bill, may God bless
your soul!

Patrick

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