The plan was to go meet Travis, Hubert, and Chris in Temple so we could all see everyone else's planes. I was early, so I didn't fly a straight line. I climbed, dove, turned hard, stalled, just about everything I could think of! Eventually I found myself nearing Temple, so I pulled the power back and entered the pattern. I purposely landed long so I didn't have to taxi so far and as I turned on the taxiway by Travis' hangar, I saw Hubert and his son Matthew already waiting.
Soon after that, Travis arrived and then Chris landed with his sons Dustin and Logan and his daughter Maddie aboard. After getting some fuel and checking out the terminal, we decided to do a little flying. Chris jumped in with Hubert in his Kitfox and I took Matthew up in my Luscombe and we flew around for a little while. Another plane landed, so by the time Matthew and I landed and made it back to the ramp, Hubert was already taxiing out to give Dustin a ride! I took Chris up for a quick flight around the pattern, but we landed when Hubert did so we could watch Logan get a ride in the "yellow one"!
After all of the rides, we decided it was time to head out. Chris and Hubert headed home and Travis and I flew over to Llano to get a bite to eat. By that time it was getting hot and when we took off, Travis headed back to Temple and I went back to KH.
I crossed over mid-field and entered downwind for 17. As I crossed the trees at the end of the runway, I remember thinking how I liked flyng from this field, but there was no room for error. At 2300' with trees on both ends, you'd better be ready to do a go-around if you land long.
What I didn't know was this would be my last landing in N71743. My beautiful plane would be gone by the next day. If I'd known that, I might have spent a few more hours flying that day.
Jack :-( Fleetwood
