Gary Vacin The Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) completed one of its most successful fly-ins in recent years when 14 members showed up in six aircraft for a lunch at Pima Airport just north of Marana January 22. The former military training base now is home to a company that performs maintenance and storage for…
Gary Vacin “When we saw all the airplanes circling overhead with the rising sun insignia, we knew what was happening.” That’s when Jack Holder knew the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A Sun Lakes resident, Holder described his experiences during that fateful day during a presentation to the Sun Lakes Aero…
Gary Vacin The first armless woman to earn a pilot’s license will be the featured speaker at the Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) gathering Monday, January 18 at the Sun Lakes Country Club Mirror Room. Open to the public, the event begins at 6:30 p.m. with coffee and camaraderie followed by the presentation at 7:00…
Bob Walch Col. Richard Bushong (USAF ret.) addressed a Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) gathering of about 70 aviation enthusiasts November 16 with a sketch of his Air Force career highlighting details of his World War II experiences as a B-17 Pilot. As a 21 year old pilot, he participated in the first daylight bombing…
Gary Vacin A B-17 pilot who participated in the first full daylight bombing raid on Berlin during World War II will be guest speaker at the Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) gathering on Monday, November 16 at the Sun Lakes Country Club Mirror Room. The public is invited to attend. USAF Col. Richard B. Bushong…
Gary Vacin Two World War II aviators and an armless pilot highlight the Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) slate of speakers for the first three gatherings for 2015-16. The November 16 speaker will be Air Force Colonel (retired) Richard Bushong, a B-17 pilot who was involved in the first full daylight bombing mission over Berlin…
Gary Vacin Every spring, Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) members gather for their year-end pot-luck at Sisk Park. This year’s event on April 12 was attended by 27 members and guests. Attendees enjoyed brats cooked by Bob Walch, along with the usual goodies provided by attendees. On hand for the festivities were Gary and Dorothy…
Gary Vacin “I still get goose bumps when I think about it.” That’s how Brig. Gen. (ret.) Dick Stich, a member of the Falcon Warbirds formation flying team, described how he felt about a missing man formation his group performed at a recent veteran’s funeral. One of his aircraft pulled up into the missing man…
Gary Vacin The Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) concluded their spring activities April 16 when 11 members showed up for a successful fly-in breakfast at Payson. Pilots, their planes and passengers were Steve Perkins, Piper Lance, Hank Bielema and Gene Evans; Dick Simmons, Cessna 182, Gary West; Cannon Hill, Cessna 182, Gary Vacin, Wally Amundson,…
Gary Vacin Another record crowd turned out to hear how the U.S. won the Battle of Midway during a presentation at the Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) at the Sun Lakes Country Club February 17. Seventy-seven were in attendance as World War II historian Ted Kraver and Pearl Harbor survivor Jack Holder described the epic…