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Fellow pilots' birthday bash for Lindner provides memorable moments at L-Bird Convention
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| Bill Thornberry of Mount Comfort, Ind., checks the oil in the engine of his 1948 Army L-17B during the 18th annual International L-Bird Convention in Keokuk Saturday. |
By Steve Dunn/Gate City Managing Editor
Keokuk's Irv Lindner doesn't turn 90 until Aug. 12.
But his fellow pilots, family and friends threw him an early surprise birthday party Thursday that kicked off this year's International L-Bird Convention at the Keokuk Municipal Airport-Lindner Field.
“They really got me. About half the town was there,” Lindner said Saturday as he surveyed the scene at the airport. “I thought to myself, ‘What did I do now?'”
Lindner's daughter, Janet Lindner Hurt of Keokuk, put together the surprise party, which coincided with the L-Bird pilots dinner at the Keokuk Yacht Club Thursday night. About 130 pilots, family members and friends showed up to surprise Lindner.
Lindner was given two all-expense paid trips to the museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. this fall.
The first trip to Dayton will be at the end of September. Other L-Bird pilots will be in Dayton for a meeting at the same time, Lindner Hurt said. An Australian L-Bird pilot will accompany her father for the Washington, D.C. trip at the end of October, Lindner Hurt said.
Lindner served in the Air Transport Command during World War II and then established the Keokuk airport after the war.
“Irv is one terrific gentleman. He and I have the same birthday but he's a little older than I am,” said Bill Thornberry of Mount Comfort, Ind., who brought his 1948 Army L-17B to the convention.
Thornberry, who has attended all 18 L-Bird Conventions, helped surprise Lindner Thursday.
“It was fabulous. Irv was really surprised, even more so than at his 85th surprise party,” Thornberry commented. “Irv is just a wonderful man. He'd do anything he can for you.”
Another pilot, Carey Hardin of Starkville, Miss., called Lindner “priceless.”
Hardin and three other pilots flew their Stearman planes in formation over Lindner's birthday party.
The number of planes at this year's L-Bird Convention was down from last year.
“There's not as many as we used to have, but it's still good considering the weather in other parts of the country and the gas prices,” Lindner said.
Bad weather in Texas last week prevented some pilots from coming to Keokuk. In addition, another pilot from Australia didn't make it this year.
Nevertheless, those who did come from afar had a good time and enjoyed Keokuk hospitality.
“You have a great airport here with a nice blend of the old and new,” said Hardin. “I've flown for 30 years and I've never seen a better staff than what you have here at Lindner Aviation.”
“It's fun. It's convenient. We come here to work and learn,” said another Stearman pilot, Tonya Hodson of Marion, Kansas. “Keokuk is a great place to come to.”
A pilot since 1990, Hodson has attended three L-Bird Conventions. Her plane was 60 years old as of Friday, having gone into service on July 25, 1948.
Hardin's plane was built six months after Pearl Harbor and was based at the Naval Air Station in Dallas, Texas, during World War II. This year was his fourth L-Bird Convention.
Another Stearman pilot, David Burroughs of Bloomington, Ill., has attended 12 L-Bird Conventions. He has owned his World War II-vintage plane since 1988.
Burroughs got interested in flying when he was 6 years old and started reading books so he became familiar with the controls and what made planes fly. Eventually, neighbors taught him how to fly and then he took formal lessons at age 16 at the Bloomington airport.
He called the Stearman “one of the safest planes in the world because they are indestructible in the air.”
Thornberry said he likes the camaraderie of the people at the L-Bird Convention.
Having flown for 60 years, Thornberry likes to fly because “it's a real good source of relaxation,” he said.
It took him a little less than two hours to fly from Indianapolis, Ind., to Keokuk, cruising at a speed of 150 miles per hour. It's a 6-1/2 hour drive by car.
“Fuel prices have affected all of general aviation,” he observed. “I use 14 gallons of fuel per hour and it costs $6.30 per gallon at my home base.”
Last year's “bomb” drop champion, Dave Hooper of suburban Chicago, also was on hand for this year's convention. Before this year's contest, he showed his “bombardier,” Donna Farrell of Keokuk, how to drop the “bombs” so they didn't hit the wing first.
Lindner has a sports license with some restrictions and still flies occasionally.
But his fellow pilots, family and friends threw him an early surprise birthday party Thursday that kicked off this year's International L-Bird Convention at the Keokuk Municipal Airport-Lindner Field.
“They really got me. About half the town was there,” Lindner said Saturday as he surveyed the scene at the airport. “I thought to myself, ‘What did I do now?'”
Lindner's daughter, Janet Lindner Hurt of Keokuk, put together the surprise party, which coincided with the L-Bird pilots dinner at the Keokuk Yacht Club Thursday night. About 130 pilots, family members and friends showed up to surprise Lindner.
Lindner was given two all-expense paid trips to the museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. this fall.
The first trip to Dayton will be at the end of September. Other L-Bird pilots will be in Dayton for a meeting at the same time, Lindner Hurt said. An Australian L-Bird pilot will accompany her father for the Washington, D.C. trip at the end of October, Lindner Hurt said.
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“Irv is one terrific gentleman. He and I have the same birthday but he's a little older than I am,” said Bill Thornberry of Mount Comfort, Ind., who brought his 1948 Army L-17B to the convention.
Thornberry, who has attended all 18 L-Bird Conventions, helped surprise Lindner Thursday.
“It was fabulous. Irv was really surprised, even more so than at his 85th surprise party,” Thornberry commented. “Irv is just a wonderful man. He'd do anything he can for you.”
Another pilot, Carey Hardin of Starkville, Miss., called Lindner “priceless.”
Hardin and three other pilots flew their Stearman planes in formation over Lindner's birthday party.
The number of planes at this year's L-Bird Convention was down from last year.
“There's not as many as we used to have, but it's still good considering the weather in other parts of the country and the gas prices,” Lindner said.
Bad weather in Texas last week prevented some pilots from coming to Keokuk. In addition, another pilot from Australia didn't make it this year.
Nevertheless, those who did come from afar had a good time and enjoyed Keokuk hospitality.
“You have a great airport here with a nice blend of the old and new,” said Hardin. “I've flown for 30 years and I've never seen a better staff than what you have here at Lindner Aviation.”
“It's fun. It's convenient. We come here to work and learn,” said another Stearman pilot, Tonya Hodson of Marion, Kansas. “Keokuk is a great place to come to.”
A pilot since 1990, Hodson has attended three L-Bird Conventions. Her plane was 60 years old as of Friday, having gone into service on July 25, 1948.
Hardin's plane was built six months after Pearl Harbor and was based at the Naval Air Station in Dallas, Texas, during World War II. This year was his fourth L-Bird Convention.
Another Stearman pilot, David Burroughs of Bloomington, Ill., has attended 12 L-Bird Conventions. He has owned his World War II-vintage plane since 1988.
Burroughs got interested in flying when he was 6 years old and started reading books so he became familiar with the controls and what made planes fly. Eventually, neighbors taught him how to fly and then he took formal lessons at age 16 at the Bloomington airport.
He called the Stearman “one of the safest planes in the world because they are indestructible in the air.”
Thornberry said he likes the camaraderie of the people at the L-Bird Convention.
Having flown for 60 years, Thornberry likes to fly because “it's a real good source of relaxation,” he said.
It took him a little less than two hours to fly from Indianapolis, Ind., to Keokuk, cruising at a speed of 150 miles per hour. It's a 6-1/2 hour drive by car.
“Fuel prices have affected all of general aviation,” he observed. “I use 14 gallons of fuel per hour and it costs $6.30 per gallon at my home base.”
Last year's “bomb” drop champion, Dave Hooper of suburban Chicago, also was on hand for this year's convention. Before this year's contest, he showed his “bombardier,” Donna Farrell of Keokuk, how to drop the “bombs” so they didn't hit the wing first.
Lindner has a sports license with some restrictions and still flies occasionally.
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