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Living Legends of Aviation

Paying tribute at KSMO to Donald Douglas, the aviation pioneer who gave wing to the legendary DC-3. Courtesy Martha Lunken
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Key Takeaways:

  • The author reflects on the joy of flying and attending the prestigious Living Legends of Aviation Awards, celebrating accomplished aviators.
  • She expresses concern about a declining intrinsic passion for aviation among youth, noting a shift from learning to fly for the love of it to pursuing it primarily for career benefits.
  • The article advocates for reigniting the deep-seated dream and genuine love of flying, as exemplified by past and present aviators, rather than focusing solely on professional incentives.
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For what seemed like forever—OK, so it was four weeks—I was housebound late last winter, hobbling around with a humongous cast on my right foot. Weather was consistently gray, cold and brutal in the Ohio Valley and moping around the house isn’t my style, but I got through, reasonably sane, thanks to some great memories. I’d flown my Cessna 180 and a magnificently dirty, oil-dripping, belching DC-3 in the fall. And in January, I mingled with the “beautiful people” at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards event in Los Angeles. Life is very, very good when you can move easily from oil-stained T-shirts and jeans flying a ’Goon in Knoxville to a “smasher” evening gown, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous of the aviation world in Beverly Hills.

Martha Lunken

Martha Lunken is a lifelong pilot, former FAA inspector and defrocked pilot examiner. She flies a Cessna 180 and anything with a tailwheel, from Cubs to DC-3s.

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