Johnny Byrd (was: 30 Gone)

Thanks for the memories, Burt! I had forgotten about Johnny's BG-12. He was still driving a VW bus when my family met him. Later he switched to a converted Ford exterminator's van. Some might recall the problem with certain Ford transmissions of that era jumping into reverse gear. Per Ann, Johnny once accused her of trying to back over him when he was hooking up the trailer.

I recall another story he and Ann told about tying out at a contest in Marfa--perhaps it was 1969. As the wind began to increase in the wee hours of the morning, they heard doors open and close in the halls of the old Hotel Paisano (before it was restored?) as pilots and crews hurried out to the airport to secure their gliders.

The old Cordele regional was always held in August and overlapped with the first few days of school where Johnny taught shop. Still in college, I was fascinated to listen in on the ingenious reasons he phoned in for his delayed arrival, often while leading the contest.

Johnny always had a story to keep us entertained on the flight line, after flying, during dinner, and once--at the old Chester Regional--during an extended rain delay.