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Always cheerful good old Luscombe looked like she has seen better days when we opened the hangar to get her out for an annual and a good wash. No worries, little bird, we will get you back on track.
As a shared airplane, owned by several aviators who are also good friends, this yellow aircraft has not one but many stories to tell (if I do not count her previous endeavors). The award-winning story would probably go to Dennis who is one of her proud co-owners today. Years ago, Dennis (who has been mesmerized by airplanes since he was a kid) found himself at the right time and in the right place. The opportunity of purchasing this particular aircraft presented itself so Dennis went and bought it. Wonderful deal done there, I'd say. And the funny thing is - Dennis remembered that exact airplane from his childhood. When he was a kid, he would watch her previous owner Herb flying her around on a daily basis. Everybody knew Herb. Herb and his yellow Luscombe used to be inseparable and an everyday part of the sky. According to the stories I have had the pleasure to hear from those who knew Herb, Herb was quite an aviator and a character too. Probably the best way to describe Herb would be though his iconic sayings that later became wildly popular and were called herbisms. Here are just a few.
Herb's remark on night flying: "Black air does not produce lift".
Or his take on business ethics: "The worst two ways to pay for anything are in advance, or not at all".
As pointed out to me, Herb was quite a character. Until today, all those who still remember Herb and see this yellow Luscombe, they all come to greet the pilot with, "Oh, look! That's Herb's plane!"
When Dennis recalls his memory with Jimmy the Squirrel adding the story about Herb, there is always laughter and a genuine reminiscence of the good old days spent at West Texas Airport.
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