I’ve got an old friend named Chuck. He flew a variety of aircraft, fixed wing and rotary, for the U.S. Army in Vietnam before going on to fly a flock of airliners ranging from the DC-9 to the BAe 146 to the A330. Whenever possible, I like to stoke the coals of his flying memories with an open-ended question or two.
The resulting yarns that he weaves invariably serve as colorful glimpses back in time, with interesting observations and enlightening insight. Recently, I asked him to name one of his favorite types from his logbook. He chose the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, and his reply was as enjoyable as ever.
