Pennsylvania Pilot John Hicks

Pilot who taught himself to fly celebrates 100th birthday
Pennsylvania Pilot John Hicks celebrated his 100th birthday this week and reminisced about his historic flight in a one-passenger Aeronca C-2 plane from New York to Los Angeles in 1936. Hicks, who was denied flight training because one leg was shorter than the other, taught himself to fly by studying manuals. "I read everything I could possibly read about planes," said Hicks.

DC-2 at Oshkosh 2010

DC-2 TO JOIN OSHKOSH DC-3 CELEBRATION
A rare Douglas DC-2, the predecessor to the DC-3, will join the July 26 mass arrival of 40 airplanes at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010.

Overdue awards for WASPS

AOPA

Congress to award female pilots in WWII WASP program
Congress plans to award about 180 members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots with the Congressional Gold Medal today. The female pilots transported military personnel and flew other non-combat missions during World War II. The WASP pilots served at 120 Army Air Bases in the U.S. until 1944 but did not receive partial veterans benefits until 1977.

Update: Oshkosh DC-3’s number now At 40!

Aviation Publishing Group announced on AVWEB:

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/OshkoshDC3FormationAt40_202114-1.html?type=pf

---

It is fantastic that the organizers of a mass arrival of DC-3s and C-47s at EAA’s AirVenture Oshkosh 2010 now expect 40 aircraft to take part. in a flight to Wittman Regional Airport for a formation flyby at 1,000 feet to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the Douglas DC-3 aircraft.