6. Army National Guard and civilian aviation

Stories from my love of airplanes

By Fred Burlingame, Jr.

In 1958 I started to transfer to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as a pilot and was assigned to the 104^th Armored Cavalry Aviation Company where I flew the L-19 Birddog andthe L-20 Beaver. I got about 1,000 hours from 1960 to 1966. Meanwhile, I was Chief Pilot and General Manager for Bradford Aeronautical Corporation at Bradford, PA and that is where I got my short wing Piper experience. We had a PA-22-160 and I did a lot of passenger hops and some Air Taxi work with it. We also had a PA-22-108 and I flew it on some trips and a few passenger hops. We had Mt. Jewett Airport open for a while and the Colt was a little hairy going out of there due to rough surface and contrary winds. But it was fun! I guess I got about 150 Hours in those two airplanes.

We had an Aztec, a Twin Comanche, a Cherokee Six 260 and two Cherokee 180’s and a Cherokee 140. We did Air Taxi, Flight training and passenger hops. The Kinzua Dam and Allegany Reservoir made a popular flight and I could take in $100.00/HR/ with the Cherokee Six. That was in the 60’s.

To support the Air Taxi Certificate I had to take six month Instrument Proficiency Checks with GADO at Allegheny County Airport. The first time I went down the oral was so long we didn’t fly. The next time I went out with the inspector Mr. Paul Vollmer and we did it all. When I got back on the ground I’ll bet I could have wrung ten gallons of water out of my clothes. Every one had told me Paul Vollmer was really bad to fly with, but I found him to be one of the most helpful people I ever had the good fortune to associate with. He taught me more than I could ever have hoped for, and this on an FAA check ride!

At Bradford I really learned what it was all about and I came away a lot better than when I went in. In 1968 the decision was made to shut the operation down and I had gained about 2,400 Hours of good all-around flying. Day, Night, Instrument, Icing, but no engine problems or other malfunctions.

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