Xmas 2017

The days speed by, until they become a blur. That's what I said last year. Still the same. No. It's getting faster. We can report we are well (reasonably well) and as busy as ever. That's what I said last year. But then I repeat myself....

This is our 40th Newsletter. Our first one was written when we returned from Hawaii, and with two house moves, and getting organized on the Farm - well, writing our usual Christmas cards wasn't.... in the cards. I think I was an early "adopter." Out of necessity. People cringed when they saw a dreaded "Newsletter!" Later on, a lot of folks joined the parade. In 2002, I switched to this electronic format - again, a little ahead of the times. No more printing and mailing. A lot more info and a lot better pictures than I could do otherwise. But, it takes a long time to produce this, and I doubt I save any time over cards. But, it's sent from the heart just the same and please consider it just as personal. I do. It gives a much better idea about what we do with our lives.

I have the last 15 years all up on the Web, so you can read, re-read and review as you choose. Click here to see them. I plan to upload all the printed copies from earlier years, making a more or less complete life story - at least from about 1977. 40 years of hard living!

Our health is reasonable, all things considered. Dot celebrated her 10th year since her lymphoma diagnosis in December. Her oncologist said she could quit coming, or come once a year, her choice. No sooner was that good news passed on, then she got a little breast cancer scare, when a mammogram turned up something "suspicious." But follow on tests showed nothing. She's also had a continuing series of skin cancer removals, the latest on her nose. And another on her back. Punishment for those years in Hawaii. Seems the Man upstairs likes to keep throwing curve balls as you get older.

My new hip - not so new anymore - seems to be running OK. Been six years. I was supposed to go for a 5 year checkup but so far have skipped it - since - from my knothole, there's nothing to check. It's also been over 4 years since my heart operation and my last six month check was all OK.

Gets harder and harder to remember what we did all year for this recap, but here goes anyway. About five or six major things I can think of.

Yes, it's true. After 34 years of not so amicable marriage, I decided enough was enough. First we separated. And then, after a brief attempt at reconciliation, we made it Final. That's it! No regrets and no fond memories. Only bitterness and unhappiness.

And so, me and Bill Gates have parted company. Yes, I've gone over to The Dark Side. All those years of Windows angst and then, and then - Windows 10 arrived. I tried, Lord knows I tried, but sorry, it's a no-go. It seriously started a few years ago, when I built a new machine for Dot, and with Microsoft tying me in knots trying to move her files and apps over, I finally made a break on that one and installed Linux. She ran it 2 or 3 years without any problem (and believe me, she knows zero about computers.) Frustrated with my two Win 7 machines (I skipped Win 8) - they could not handle even the most mundane tasks any more - like operating the mouse or printing - so, after a lot of soul-searching - I broke down and bought a MacBook Pro. A laptop with a Screen to die for. Anyhow, there was a learning curve, of course, as with Linux, and Apple has its own set of foibles, but basically, I was a happy camper. Next I got an Ipad. Then, in a moment of weakness and stupidity, I "upgraded" my two main machines to Win 10. My eyes get bloodshot and my fingers curl just uttering the words. Where are you, Bill? I want to wring your bloody neck! I tried, and this summer, I actually bought an expensive Lenovo max-powered Win 10 machine, determined to make it work or die trying. Well, I died. After 5 days, I couldn't get it to perform my most basic - and absolutely essential tasks - so up on eBay. Sold in an hour.

That was it - we're done. I'm a computer junkie and even I couldn't make it work, pulling out every trick in my playbook. So I ordered a fully tricked out new 27 inch iMac, and converted completely to the Apple ecosystem. Never thought those words would pass my lips..... but MS is bound and determined to lose their customer base. Well, at least they lost me. No looking back.

I can't say I "Love" my new machines, but I DO like them - quite a lot. Everything works - the mouse, the printer, the WiFi. I mean, I'm a total computer geek, with a dozen machines running in the house with myriad Operating Systems - but even I could not get those Microsoft junkers to work. And those continual and uncontrolled upgrades! Don't even get me started.... God, I LOVE my Apple screens!

Next, I decided to move my main workstation location to the Living Room from my giant Boeing CEO sized office downstairs. Yes, I know, after all the work converting the pool. But, I like the view and stuff better up here. And - I spend a ridiculous amount of time working on my computer. The machine and the workstation are important. After considering assorted locations and arrangements, and trial running in mock-up fashion to validate the parameters (see - old Boeing engineer habits never die), I've arrived at an arrangement I like - looking at the ships out over Admiralty Inlet and then Mt. Baker.

Of course, I needed a desk - so I built one, and customized it with shelves and a support for my new Mac. When I'm not flying or running around pestering people, here's where you'll find me.

April 9, 2017 marked the 50th Anniversary of the First Flight of the Boeing 737 - an airplane I've been involved with for more than 50 years. Like a good Mother, I keep track of all the important dates in the family - like this one, and began trying to create a celebration. This, it turned out, was an instant replay of the airplane's 40th Birthday and I had a similar set of foot-dragging and disinterest. I'm sure the date would have slid by unnoticed without my constant badgering. The Museum doesn't seem to rise to the occasion for these important Milestones. And Boeing, well Boeing was torn between wanting to celebrate on the one hand and not saying anything on the other, a little shy about publicizing the fact that the airplane was half a century old (albeit much changed over the years.)

After a bunch of pushing and shoving about dates and details, serendipity struck and we managed to have the party on Sunday April 9 - the same date and the same day of the week - and at the same time - as the original First Flight.

Mike Lombardi - Boeing Historian; Peter Morton - 737 Marketing; Brien Wygle - Pilot of the First Flight; and me, Bob Bogash, 737 engineer

We had a great turnout - the auditorium was filled to over-flowing, and a wonderful birthday celebration right at the airplane.

You can see all the details on my web page by clicking here. A grand day and a grand celebration for the most successful transport airplane ever - about 15,000 sold and rolling off the production line at about 2.5 airplanes/day!

So here I was sitting at my computer (as usual) when I got this email from a guy I know down in Texas. And I actually opened it (this seems to happen a couple of times a day - I never learn.) Well, he was looking to buy an RV-12 (same kind of airplane that I have) that was offered for sale right near me and wanted to know if I knew anything about it. This progressed to my going over to the airport where it was based to "take a look" - definitely NOT a "pre-purchase inspection" I told Don. So Don bought it.

Coming up next was the question "How do I get it down here?" I suggested a trucker who moves RV's for a living - the wings come off the RV-12 and it's easy to move. I suppose you have figured out where this is going, but Don asked if I knew anybody who could fly it down. I think in the Army they teach you to "Never Volunteer", but I was never in the Army, so I volunteered (after consulting with Dot.) And, in May, I did exactly that and flew it the 2500 miles down to Brownsville, Texas. Well, not exactly - since I got stopped about 2 hours short by some severe weather, and Don had to trailer it the rest of the way to his place - but almost, got there, that is. Got it as far as Del Rio on the Mexican border.

It was a fairly routine flight (two flat tires), made in three days with three legs per day. I'm preparing a web page with all the bitter details - something I've been working on since I got back...... If I ever finish it, I'll send it on.

I evaluated three main routings, north, central, west and four variations of a west coast north/ south route. In the end, the weather dictated the routing, which had to be changed even en-route, when Roseburg, Oregon - my first stop - fogged in, and I had to divert to North Bend/Coos Bay on the coast, thus moving my next stop from Willows to Santa Rosa, California.

I had flown into Meadows Field once before - flying a Cessna 150 from Seattle to Santa Monica

My max altitude was 11,500 ft and my max ground speed was 149 kts (171 mph) between Phoenix and Deming, NM.

Those mountains are tall and I had a pretty good tail wind - not bad for a Light Sport, eh?

...and here I am, the end of the line, Del Rio, Texas - right on the Mexican border

You can see the weather getting nasty looking south beyond the airplane in this picture

Forecast is for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes around Laredo. Weather radar shows they're not kidding. See those hooks and that purple?

I need to go from Acuna to Brownsville. No forecast for improvement over next several days.

So, I chained her down and headed home to Hansville - just 2 hours shy of final destination. Sorry, Don.

It was a great trip - 2200 nm - and a great experience. Don eventually came for the plane with his trailer. I missed out on his promised Texas BBQ dinner.

My friend Claus Schmiderer came all the way from his home in Salzburg, Austria (The Hills are Alive, with the Sound of Music!) Claus is an engineer and a big time fan of the 727 - it was his second trip here.)

Ray Grimm is a retired King County Sheriff's Deputy. He wanted to get into flying and his research brought him to the RV-12. His wife looked on the Web, found me, and asked if he could come look at my airplane. I said "Sure!" and better than that, took him for a ride! That's the famous "RV Grin".

Bill Savery is an engineering manager I worked with during the development of the 757 in the early 1980's. He had been bugging me for a ride - and so, finally, we made it happen! Another "RV Grin."

Greatly enjoying the scenery, we continued flights over the summer until we had flown into every airport on the Island (except Comox - a military base now accepting some civil airplanes - some detailed arranging still needed for that one.)

We flew as far north as Port Hardy at the northern end of the Island, and as far west as Tofino on the West Coast. I have a lot of great pictures and hope to prepare a photo page of our Vancouver Island adventures.

From Port Hardy, we only needed another 2.5 hours to reach Ketchikan in SE Alaska, and we would have flown that trip the following week, but the weather was non-cooperative. Perhaps next summer, then we will tour SE Alaska.

These flights really began to exploit the virtues of a small airplane in this part of the world. Mountains and water make surface travel a challenge. Port Hardy is a 9-12 hour car trip, not counting either one or two (expensive) ferry rides. About 2.5 hours and 12 gals of car gas in the RV-12. Coming back from Tofino is another example - an tough 9 hour drive plus the ferry. One hour and 15 minutes in our airplane. Dramatic!

Another thing the airplane makes possible, is easy visits to remote and distant places - places very off the beaten path, but readily accessible by small plane. For example, we spent a couple of days at Alert Bay, an isolated Indian village on tiny Cormorant Island off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. Truly a world apart. A trip possible, but highly unlikely, via surface transport.

Long on my custodial list at the Museum is a Boeing B-52G that arrived here in 1991. Badly deteriorating in outdoor storage, she seemed destined for scrapping, or at least undergoing a serious size reduction - a wing and tail-ectomy. Working over a period of five years, and again with God stepping in, with the help of USAF vets who had flown this very airplane, we were able to turn around the gruesome contemplations and save the airplane. Instead of beer cans, she will be moved by surface from Paine Field in Everett to the Museum's main campus at Boeing Field in Seattle to be the centerpiece for a new Viet Nam Air War Memorial Park.

To prepare for her new life, we began - in July - by moving her off the grass by the Control Tower where she had sat ignominiously for 11 years, and moved her to a ramp area where she could be refurbed, cleaned and re-painted.

After completing her makeover, she immediately became a main participant in an airshow!

We will begin disassembly approximately March 1, 2018, and will move her down south to Boeing Field about June.

I love Connies. Lockheed Constellation airliners, that is. Here's why. They are just plain drop-dead gorgeous and I was instrumental in getting the airplane the Museum now has - which is gracing the Entrance. It took 32 years for that to happen - but it was worth it!

I documented the long journey in bitter detail on my website - see here - and that has sort of put me in "the Connie business." People looking for info on the Connie go to Google, and Google takes them to me. Thinking I am some sort of expert (well, I do know quite a bit), they start bombarding me with questions. I have helped - in some way - save and move five airplanes. Two of the moves were completed successfully this past year, one in South Africa and one from Manila to Longreach, Australia; a third is underway from Helena, Montana to Merced, California.

Saving Connies has apparently become my Destiny. This year it got really serious with my fifth airplane - a TWA L-1649 model.

At JFK airport in New York, there were originally an architecturally unique series of terminals. As the airport grew and expanded, all were torn down except one. The Eric Saarinen soaring concrete bird Terminal that was home to TWA. It was saved after being placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. But, it sat vacant and unused since 2001.

After a number of fits and starts ended without any resolution, a deal was struck to renovate the terminal, and to make it a completely restored adjunct to a newly constructed 500 room hotel - the first on the airport.

As the developers researched the Terminal, and cruised the internet, they came on pictures of a restored TWA Constellation sitting in front of the Terminal in 2000.

They decided that was what they needed to make the restoration complete. And so.......and so, they called me.

After exploring the possibilities, the first thing they needed, of course, was an airplane. Did I know of a suitable candidate? Why of course, I did. There was one in Auburn, Maine that desperately needed a home. God had opened another door.

This airplane had been used by Lufthansa as a parts queen for their hugely expensive restoration of another Connie in that location (still on-going). Complete Lufthansa story here. I had been in off-and-on talks with Lufthansa for over 10 years on their project, and in this case was sort of a marriage-broker between the parties. An Agreement was reached to sell/transfer the unneeded airplane to the hotel people. Failing that, its future looked grim.

Now my troubles really started, as they wanted me to be the Project Manager, and I didn't want any part of it. I knew I could easily do the job, but at this stage in my life, moving to Maine and then NYC for an extended period was just not in my plans. Plus, I had all this B-52 work to do, and my Alaska flying was still on my Bucket List. Nevertheless, I wound up spending a lot of time on this project - a lot! - and unlike all my other Connie projects, which were for non-profit museums, and which I did gratis, this turned into a paid consultancy - not that I'm looking for paid work at this stage in my life. Consultant wages turn into paperwork, which turn into taxes.

Another wrinkle was I refuse to go through the hassle known as "flying commercial" anymore and hadn't taken an airline flight in almost 10 years. After a lot of nagging, I finally gave in and spent a week back in Maine in September. (My fears about airline flying, by the way, were all true - in spades. No more for me. Business jets if someone wants to see me badly enough!)

I'm helping the developer find and negotiate contracts with a repair agency, aircraft mover, and painter. Everything is close to final signings. The plan is to start the restoration in May 2018 and move the airplane to NYC in October, for the hotel opening in January 2019. The airplane will become a cocktail lounge.

On the way to the airport, the fuselage will be trucked 46 miles through NYC, including trips to the new World Trade Center, Times Square, and Grand Central Station!

My role is still uncertain, but they are talking about daily status meetings via teleconference or phone (with me staying firmly in Hansville!!!) We'll have to see how this plays out.

Joining our good friends Jim and Sue Johnson celebrating Jim's 75th. (June 17th.)

A visit to By Wingett at his home in Anacortes. By, in his 90s, was one of Boeing's chief photographers for many years and has taken many historic pictures. His home is like a photography museum. We have been friends for many years.

Jim Gabriel (left) came with his family from San Antonio, Texas. Jim was the pilot of our B-52 (behind them), and got to show off his old airplane.

Niece Elisabeth and husband Norm came to meet us when we arrived at the nearby airfield in Langley, B.C. Later, they came to visit us in Hansville.

Passings

	My Aunt Blossom died Nov 14, 2017 just a month shy of her 95th Birthday. My Dad, her brother, lived to 92, and their brother Irving until 94, and their mother - my Grandmother - until 96. Some stout genes in that side of my family! Although having an assortment of ailments and challenges normal with advancing age, I would say she was in basic good health and passed unexpectedly and peacefully at the kitchen table - the same as her Grandmother - my Great Grandmother, Rose. I was present for that event, and it is my earliest recollection. My Aunt and I were very close and talked weekly. She was the last member of her generation. That title now passes to me as the oldest in my generation.
	Gene Covert, former head of the Aero Dept. at M.I.T. passed on January 15, 2015, at age 88. Gene and I were great admirers of each other and maintained a close relationship both while working and later in our mutual (semi) retirements. I first met Gene at Boeing when he came to do consulting work for Chairman T. Wilson and others. He was the Chief Scientist for the U.S. Air Force. Gene had a tremendous resume of major aviation accomplishments and it was an honor to be so close to him and to be able to call him friend. (See Obit/Bio below.) After I retired, we visited with him and his wife Mary in their Boston home. A few years ago, they both moved into Assisted Living, and our frequent communications stopped, so I missed his passing in 2015.
	Roger Morawski passed July 2, 2017 also at 88. He was the V.P. of Maintenance and Engineering at Nordair when I arrived in October 1968. He also had a long career at Air Canada. I gave a speech at his Air Canada retirement party in Montreal. After retirement, he consulted worldwide, and worked closely with many organizations in his native Poland. (See Obit below.) Roger was a "character" and we shared many 737 adventures together. After retirement, he and his family came to visit us on the Farm. We continued in close contact in our mutual (semi) retirements, and discussed the latest aviation developments on the phone for literally hours at a time. I already miss those.
	George Nible was my boss, many levels above, during some of my Field Rep days, when he and Jim Blue appeared on the scene. George was a "class act", and represented what used to be called at Boeing - a "Mustang", having risen through the ranks from the lowest jobs to the Executive payroll. He grew up on a small farm in Issaquah, Washington, east of Seattle, and began work at Boeing as a flight line mechanic. We became good friends.
	Del Hungerford died Sept 9, 2017. We met in August 2011, when he and his son Darrell sought me out at the Airliners Convention in Portland, Oregon. I had given a talk on the Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat, and - it turns out - Del had been a Pan Am pilot flying those airplanes. He came up to my room and we visited for several hours, talking about the Clippers. I had just had a hip replacement, hence my cane. So, we exchanged great stories, two old fogeys with their canes - 'cept I was not as old as Del. From his son "My dad loved flying sea planes so some of his ashes will be spread over the Pacific and at his request near the grave of Charles Lindberg in Hana, Maui, Hawaii.

Obits

ROGER MORAWSKI.

Roger Morawski died, aged 88 at Port Hope ON., July 2, 2017.

Roger will be remembered as a man of boundless energy who lived life to the fullest. His unwavering commitment to his extended family, friends, colleagues and his native Poland was reflected throughout his life. He was a deeply committed catholic, and a Knight of the Order of Malta. Roger was born in 1929 in Poland. While a teenager he experienced the devastation of the Nazi invasion followed by the oppression of the Soviet Union. He was a member of the Polish Underground Army, and as the armistice approached he fled persecution from the Soviets and landed in England where he studied aeronautical engineering at Cranfield.

In 1954, Roger came to Canada and began a long career in aviation most notably working with Air Canada, where he retired as a senior executive. He loved the outdoors and was happiest visiting his children and grandchildren at their country homes in Coboconk, ON. He is survived by his wife Mariette (85), his kids, Edward (51), Clarissa (49), his grandkids, Thomas (15); James (12); Frederick (11); and Catherine (9); and many close relatives and friends in Canada, Poland, Italy and France.

Former AeroAstro head and Air Force chief scientist Eugene Covert dies at 88
William Litant | Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
January 20, 2015

Professor Emeritus Eugene Covert, a renowned aerodynamicist, aerospace engineer, and engineering educator, passed away Jan. 15 at age 88.

Covert is credited with devising the world’s first practical wind-tunnel magnetic-suspension system. He also served on the commission that investigated the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, and received the Daniel Guggenheim Medal, one of the most prestigious awards in aviation. Covert’s career spanned research to teaching to public service.

Born on Feb. 6, 1926, in Rapid City, S.D., Covert received his BS at age 20 from the University of Minnesota. He immediately went to work for the Naval Air Modification Unit’s Pilotless Aircraft Division on projects that would result in the Sparrow, the West’s famed primary air-to-air missile from the 1950s through the 1990s.

In 1948, he received an SM, also from the University of Minnesota, and in 1958 he earned an ScD from MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Throughout the 1950s, Covert conducted tests on numerous aircraft, including the famed F-4 Phantom, at the MIT Naval Supersonic Laboratory. His interest in the problems of supporting models during supersonic wind-tunnel tests led him to develop the world’s first practical wind-tunnel magnetic-suspension system.

Covert joined the AeroAstro faculty in 1963 as an associate professor. He became a full professor in 1968 and served as head of AeroAstro from 1985 until 1990. He became a professor emeritus in June 1996.

Between 1972 and 1973, Covert served as chief scientist of the U.S. Air Force, a three-star equivalent civilian position, advising the Air Force Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on science and technology issues.

From 1978 to 1979, Covert was technical director of the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development.

On Jan. 28, 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into its flight, killing its seven crew members. Shortly thereafter, President Ronald Regan created a commission to investigate the disaster. Covert was one of 14 individuals appointed to the commission, which was chaired by former Secretary of State William P. Rogers and included Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, Richard Feynman, and Chuck Yeager. The commission’s work resulted in a substantial redesign of the shuttle’s boosters and the creation of a new NASA safety office.

Covert was a fellow and an honorary fellow of several learned societies, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. His awards include the AGARD Von Karman Medal, the AIAA Ground Testing Award, the AIAA Durand Lectureship, and the U.S. Air Force Exceptional Civilian Service Medal.

Covert identified the high point of his career as his 2006 nomination for one of the most prestigious awards in aviation: the Daniel Guggenheim Medal. Jointly sponsored by the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, the American Helicopter Society, and the Society of Automotive Engineers, the medal recognizes those who have made profound contributions to advancing aeronautics. Targeting Covert for the award — a large gold disk that bears the image of the Spirit of St. Louis — the Guggenheim committee cited his “exemplary leadership in aeronautics teaching and research, development of significant state-of-the-art aerodynamic testing techniques, and outstanding contributions to public service.” Other Guggenheim recipients have included Orville Wright, Igor Sikorsky, James “Jimmy” Doolittle, and Charles Lindbergh.

Reflecting on his life following the announcement of the Guggenheim honor, Covert mused, “It was like being in a batting cage. I missed a fair fraction, but I took a swing at everything.” Known as much for his dry wit as his technical abilities, he added, “In the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to visit many places in the United States and throughout the world, including the South Pole, where I have met many very friendly, intelligent, and interesting people. The exception was the North Pole, where we had to bring our own people."

“Gene was a true giant in our field," says AeroAstro department head Jaime Peraire, the H. N. Slater Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics. "His career in research, education, and service and his mentoring of students and faculty was a model for many of us.”

Peraire adds, “Until recently, Gene was a regular at our weekly faculty lunch seminars, always ready with an insightful question or observation for the speaker. His passing has saddened the AeroAstro community, but the universal sentiment is that it was a privilege to know him.”

Covert’s wife of 67 years, Mary (Rutford) Covert, predeceased him by a year. He leaves a son, David H. Covert, and daughter-in-law, Rhoda, of Arlington, Mass.; a daughter, Christine J. Covert, and son-in-law, Gray Parrot, of Hancock, Maine; a daughter, Pamela C. Spicer, and son-in-law, Richard Spicer, of Franklin, Mass; and a son, Steven P. Covert, and daughter-in-law, Diane, of Belmont, Mass. He is also survived by four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Donations in Covert’s name may be made to the Arthritis Foundation or to Rosie’s Place in Boston.

George Dean Nible

George passed away peacefully on April 1, 2017 in Palm Desert, California at the age of 94. He was born March 1, 1923 on a farm in Issaquah to Floyd and Lucy Nible. George leaves behind his devoted wife Dialina, son Michael Dean Nible, three Granddaughters and six Great Grandchildren.

George enlisted in the US Navy in 1942 and served as an aviation mechanic in the Pacific Theatre. After returning from the War, he joined the Boeing Company as a flight line mechanic. George was an outstanding leader during his 40 years at the Boeing Company, eventually becoming the VP of Customer Services for Commercial Airplanes. He is particularly remembered for his role as General Manager of the Everett 747 plant responsible for building the very first 747 and delivering the next fifty 747 aircraft. George also led installation of the Minute Man Missile program.

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Peace.......... Bob and Dot

Peace..........

Bob and Dot