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Hod Taylor



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 16th 16, 06:08 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Hod Taylor

I just received word a couple of days ago that Hod Taylor passed on August 19, one day shy of his 97th birthday. Hod was a fixture around the old Black Forest Glider Port for many years until it closed, then became a permanent resident of the operations at Minden. I would like to gather some stories and anecdotes for an article for Soaring magazine. He never wanted to be in the spotlight, yet he was always there to share a story or make a comment, and in so doing has affected hundreds, if not thousands who have passed through the glider operations over the years. I think it only fitting that he be memorialized in some way.

Thanks.

bob2nd at aol dot com
  #2  
Old September 17th 16, 03:09 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
bumper[_4_]
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I stopped by Soar Minden one day just to kill some time and see who was there. Hod was the lone occupant of the office that day so we shot the breeze for maybe 20 minutes. Hod tended to be a little on the curmudgeonly side, but in a normally good spirited way. When I was getting ready to leave I told Hod, I had to get some work done in my hangar. He said something like, "Doors open, don't let me slow you down." To which I responded, "I'm not leaving until you smile!" He looked straight at me and I at him . . . and after a short delay he gave me a quick smile that must have lasted just a few milliseconds. I said, "Good enough!" and headed out :c)

There was a lot to love about the guy.

Years ago, Fred LaSor learned that after Hod bailed out of his WWII P-38 Lightning in the pattern with a smoke filled cockpit, he never did his membership pin and certificate in the Caterpillar Club. So Fred set about doing the research and obtaining the military records to get things set straight. And then Fred organized a surprise gathering at SoaringNV for ol' Hod to present him with the award he "earned" over 60 years before.

I wasn't the only person in the room with tears welling in my eyes. It was great to see the joy in Hod's face and a great way to say thanks to Hod as well. I let Fred know what a great idea and good job he'd done putting it all together.

There are sure to be lots of Hod stories I know. You couldn't know the man without having a memorable moment or more. Everyone who knew him must have several! Sad to see good guys go.

bumper

  #3  
Old September 17th 16, 10:06 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Hod Taylor

Thanks, Bumper. That's the kind of stories I'm looking for. Spread the word!
  #4  
Old September 17th 16, 11:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Hod Taylor

Minden experienced 100 knot winds during a storm, next morning found 2 gliders had pulled loose from there tie-downs, but the carnage didn't stop there. The loose ships flew/slid into other sailplanes. Hod Taylor's ASW-15 being one of them! Hod filed a claim against the owner of the offending ships liability insurance, claiming the owner had been negligent in not securing his ship properly. Hod told me, "watch this, I'm going to turn my old 15 into a 20". The court proceedings were short and sweet, Hot stated his position, the Insurance guy stated it was an act of God. The Judge said it was an act of God, cort adjourned!
So much for Hod's upgrade to an ASW-20.
JJ
  #5  
Old September 18th 16, 03:01 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
RL
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Default Hod Taylor

One day I show up at Soar Minden hoping to fly, but it’s kind of a nasty day with wave, but lots of moisture, primary moving around, just not conditions that were appealing. I’m hanging out just killing time and in Tony’s never-ending quest to put butts in seats, he says you should go fly with Hod… I said, why? Hod says, we’ll go play in the rotor. I said, you want to do what!? He says, all those *%$# pansy pilots are afraid of rotor, but if you know what you’re doing it’s no big deal.

So we fly. After getting thrashed on tow we get to the rotor and we’re getting even more thrashed. I’m thinking, well at least I’ll die doing what I love… right? Hod says, here I’ll show you, and he proceeds to accelerate to the front of the rotor and descend, then slow down and climb up the back of the roll and across the top. The whole time we’re doing this he’s using full control deflections to keep us upright while I’m cutting off my blood supply tightening my belts. He hands the stick back and says that’s enough for me… you do it. We spent an hour in that rotor in what became the most confidence building time I’ve ever spent in a glider. I actually relaxed while getting hammered and using full control deflections, even to the point of adding rudder when I ran out of aileron. Hod sat in the back seat, humming, telling me about all the dysfunctions of the operation, and describing his travels like he was talking across a coffee table.

To this day, I don’t know whether he was crazy or good, but I had a transformative experience.

Bob Lacovara
  #6  
Old September 18th 16, 03:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Default Hod Taylor

Never met the man but he sounds like my kind of guy!

On 9/18/2016 8:01 AM, RL wrote:
snip He says, all those *%$# pansy pilots are afraid of rotor, but if you know what you’re doing it’s no big deal.

So we fly. more snippage

To this day, I don’t know whether he was crazy or good, but I had a transformative experience.

Bob Lacovara


--
Dan, 5J
  #7  
Old September 18th 16, 05:51 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Hod Taylor

Dan,
Ask Billy about him.... he will remember him from Black Forest
  #8  
Old September 18th 16, 06:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Default Hod Taylor

I will.

He had already left Black Forest when I arrived there in 1990. One of
my flying buddies had a G-102 with the call sign HDO and I recall him
being asked if he was Hod. He wasn't, and he later became my partner in
an LS-6a.

On 9/18/2016 10:51 AM, wrote:
Dan,
Ask Billy about him.... he will remember him from Black Forest


--
Dan, 5J
  #9  
Old November 6th 17, 03:04 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Hod Taylor

On Friday, September 16, 2016 at 1:08:50 AM UTC-4, wrote:
I just received word a couple of days ago that Hod Taylor passed on August 19, one day shy of his 97th birthday. Hod was a fixture around the old Black Forest Glider Port for many years until it closed, then became a permanent resident of the operations at Minden. I would like to gather some stories and anecdotes for an article for Soaring magazine. He never wanted to be in the spotlight, yet he was always there to share a story or make a comment, and in so doing has affected hundreds, if not thousands who have passed through the glider operations over the years. I think it only fitting that he be memorialized in some way.

Thanks.

bob2nd at aol dot com


  #10  
Old November 10th 17, 04:17 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Mark Palmer
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Default Hod Taylor

I'm sorry, I just saw this thread.

I worked at the old Black Forest during Hod's years there. He was definitely a curmudgeon. He was also an excellent pilot. A few things I remember:

Hod would get bored and fly the landing pattern inverted in his ASW-15. He'd roll upright on base to final.

I would be giving wave orientations over Pike's Peak and he'd call "at your three o'clock". I'd look over and he'd be flying formation in his '15 - inverted.

When Alice and I were married in '83, he left the reception early. It was being held at my in-laws house just north of the old BFGP. About twenty minutes later we all looked up and Hod was doing an impromptu airshow over the house.

He lived in a mobile home behind the hangars. So he would usually be up and around by the time we arrived at work. He had a cat, Charles Taylor, that would walk up and down the flightline and watch the proceedings. There was even a club award for a time, the "Charles Taylor Award" for volunteer service.

Besides flying P-38s in WWII, he also flew relief transports for the U.N. into the Congo in the '60's. He flew for a major airline for awhile but you can imagine he didn't fit in very well there.

Mark
 




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