Shades of the Flying Professor

[wkambic]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6a8_1179158388

[Dudley Henriques[_2_]]

"wkambic" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6a8_1179158388
>

That's quite a stunt.
About "The Flying Professor"; I knew Dick fairly well; in fact both Schrams
were great guys.
I was at Reading in 69 when Dick Sr went in in the J3. His son was on the
mike narrating Dick's show. Dick Jr was the PAO for the Blues as well.
I don't recall Dick ever doing a "stunt" like this one, but was one hell of
a fair stick with a J3.
He had "borrowed" the airplane he was killed in at Reading from a New Jersey
friend who had used the airplane the day before for a photo shoot and
forgotten to replace the cotter pin in the rear cockpit stick. The stick
came out in Dick's hand during a low altitude hammerhead and he went in from
the back side right in front of where Dick Jr. and I were standing on the
podium.
Sad day, and a real loss for the air show community.
The Navy named a chapel after Dick at Glenview NAS. I believe it's still
there.
In lectures and talks I've given on flight safety through the years, I've
used Dick's death as a strong reminder on the importance of pre-flight
inspection. Knowing him as I did, I'm certain he would want the accident to
be put to some kind of good use, and I also know that if one pilot I
lectured about preflight inspection was saved from an accident because of
it, Dick would be resting peacefully with that.
Dudley Henriques

[Bill Baker]

On 2007-05-16 19:44:41 -0700, "Dudley Henriques" > said:

> ...He had "borrowed" the airplane he was killed in at Reading from a New Jersey
> friend who had used the airplane the day before for a photo shoot and
> forgotten to replace the cotter pin in the rear cockpit stick. The stick
> came out in Dick's hand during a low altitude hammerhead and he went in from
> the back side right in front of where Dick Jr. and I were standing on the
> podium.

Dudley, I must be missing something. Why would an experienced acro.
pilot fly a stunt performance from the rear seat?


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[Dudley Henriques[_2_]]

Hi Bill;

The J3 was better flown solo from the back seat for weight and balance. Some
were altered weight and balance wise for solo from the front I believe, but
this one was not one of those. The PA11, and PA18 were flown from the front.
The day before, it had been flown with two people in it; the pilot I believe
was in front and the photographer was in the back. The rear stick had been
removed to accomodate the photoghrapher and his equipment I believe.
Dudley Henriques

"Bill Baker" > wrote in message
...
> On 2007-05-16 19:44:41 -0700, "Dudley Henriques" >
> said:
>
>> ...He had "borrowed" the airplane he was killed in at Reading from a New
>> Jersey
>> friend who had used the airplane the day before for a photo shoot and
>> forgotten to replace the cotter pin in the rear cockpit stick. The stick
>> came out in Dick's hand during a low altitude hammerhead and he went in
>> from
>> the back side right in front of where Dick Jr. and I were standing on the
>> podium.
>
> Dudley, I must be missing something. Why would an experienced acro. pilot
> fly a stunt performance from the rear seat?
>
>
> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet
> News==----
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> Newsgroups
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[wkambic]

On May 16, 10:44 pm, "Dudley Henriques" > wrote:
> "wkambic" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
> >http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6a8_1179158388
>
> That's quite a stunt.
> About "The Flying Professor"; I knew Dick fairly well; in fact both Schrams
> were great guys.
> I was at Reading in 69 when Dick Sr went in in the J3. His son was on the
> mike narrating Dick's show. Dick Jr was the PAO for the Blues as well.
> I don't recall Dick ever doing a "stunt" like this one, but was one hell of
> a fair stick with a J3.
> He had "borrowed" the airplane he was killed in at Reading from a New Jersey
> friend who had used the airplane the day before for a photo shoot and
> forgotten to replace the cotter pin in the rear cockpit stick. The stick
> came out in Dick's hand during a low altitude hammerhead and he went in from
> the back side right in front of where Dick Jr. and I were standing on the
> podium.
> Sad day, and a real loss for the air show community.
> The Navy named a chapel after Dick at Glenview NAS. I believe it's still
> there.
> In lectures and talks I've given on flight safety through the years, I've
> used Dick's death as a strong reminder on the importance of pre-flight
> inspection. Knowing him as I did, I'm certain he would want the accident to
> be put to some kind of good use, and I also know that if one pilot I
> lectured about preflight inspection was saved from an accident because of
> it, Dick would be resting peacefully with that.
> Dudley Henriques

You knew him better than I! :-)

It is possible that The Flying Professor persona was his second show?

I first saw him at NAS Glenview when I was a Middie. One of the "old
timers" there (a really ancient CDR, a WWII Avenger pilot) told me
that he performed the "World's Smallest Aircraft Carrier" stunt on a
number of occasions. At one, or so the story goes, the CNO was
present. Somebody "ribbed" CNO about the fact that the guy out there
promoting Naval Aviation was not, in fact, a Naval Aviator. Shortly
thereafter CAPT Schram became Honorary Naval Aviator #1. True, or
just folklore? I don't know. But that's my story and I'm stikkin' to
it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;-)

There's a pretty good site that details the history of NAS Glenview.
The former chapel is now the Dick Schram Museum.

He was a Hell of stick and could certainly make J3 sit up and beg. I
have no doubt that he could land a J3 anywhere he wanted to.

May be Rest In Peace.

[Dudley Henriques[_2_]]

"wkambic" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> On May 16, 10:44 pm, "Dudley Henriques" > wrote:
>> "wkambic" > wrote in message
>>
>> oups.com...
>>
>> >http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6a8_1179158388

> You knew him better than I! :-)
>
> It is possible that The Flying Professor persona was his second show?
>
> I first saw him at NAS Glenview when I was a Middie. One of the "old
> timers" there (a really ancient CDR, a WWII Avenger pilot) told me
> that he performed the "World's Smallest Aircraft Carrier" stunt on a
> number of occasions. At one, or so the story goes, the CNO was
> present. Somebody "ribbed" CNO about the fact that the guy out there
> promoting Naval Aviation was not, in fact, a Naval Aviator. Shortly
> thereafter CAPT Schram became Honorary Naval Aviator #1. True, or
> just folklore? I don't know. But that's my story and I'm stikkin' to
> it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;-)

Dick most certainly was made an honorary Naval Aviator; back in 49 I think.
I don't know if he was the first, but there is a high probability that he
was. As you know I'm sure, the title carries a great deal of respect in the
Navy and they don't make people honoary Naval Aviators lightly :-)
He very well could have performed the car carrier stunt at some time in his
early career. We just never saw him do it in his regular J3 routine during
the time I knew him anyway.
Off hand I'd say that Dick could have done just about anything he wanted to
do in a light airplane. He was THAT good a stick!
Dudley Henriques