Mike Jacober Among Them

Eight people who contributed greatly to the world of flight are being honored as the newest members of the EAA-affiliated Halls of Fame at the October 24 induction ceremonies at the EAA Aviation Center, Oshkosh (WI). Those being enshrined include:

• Barry Schiff, NAFI Flight Instructor Hall of Fame
• Lloyd Parker Nolen (deceased)
• Chuck Doyle, EAA Warbirds of America Hall of Fame
• Don Taylor, International Aerobatic Club (IAC) Hall of Fame
• William Chana, EAA Homebuilders' Hall of Fame; Nick Rezich (deceased)
• Al Kelch, Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame
• Michael Jacober (deceased), EAA Ultralight Hall of Fame

"Each of these eight people has made a unique contribution to the world of flight," said EAA President Tom Poberezny. "Those of us active in aviation today recognize their commitment and passion for flying. These inductees represent the best that recreational aviation has to offer and serve as an example for everyone involved in flying. We are honored to welcome them as our newest inductees to the EAA Halls of Fame."

NAFI Flight Instructor Hall of Fame

Barry Schiff

Barry Schiff, with more than 26 thousand hours logged in 272 different aircraft types-including the Lockheed U-2-has received worldwide recognition for his wide-ranging aeronautical accomplishments. He was a rated Airline Transport Pilot at 21, and during the course of his career has earned every FAA category and class rating except airship, and every possible instructor's rating, except powered lift.

Captain Shiff retired from Trans World Airlines in 1998 after a 34-year career, during which he flew everything from the Lockheed Constellation to the Boring 747, and was a check Captain on the Boeing 767.

He holds five speed records, and has received numerous honors for his many contributions to aviation safety. These include a Congressional Commendation, the Louis Berloit Air Medal, Switzerland's Gold Proficiency Medal, an honorary doctorate from Embry-Riddle, and AOPA's L P Sharples Perpetual Award.

An award-winning journalist, author, and consultant for both print and electronic media, Barry is well-known to flying audiences for his numerous books and more than 11 hundred articles published in 90 aviation magazines, notably AOPA Pilot, for which he is a contributing editor.

He also developed and worked to have adopted the concept of providing general aviation pilots with safe VFR routes through high-density airspace. In 1995-with the direct approval of Jordanian King Hussein and Israeli Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin, Barry contributed to the Middle East peace process by leading a formation of 35 airplanes, carrying 135 Americans, Israelis, and Jordanians from Jerusalem to Amman. As a result, he became the first pilot allowed to fly between these two countries.

He has passed down his love for aviation to his children. His many credentials have not diminished his passion for flying lightplanes, which he has used to span oceans and continents. He continues to investigate and report to the aviation community various aspects of proficiency and safety, and remains a vigorous and outspoken advocate for general aviation.

EAA Warbirds of America Hall of Fame

Lloyd Parker Nolen (Deceased)

Lloyd Nolen was born in Texarkana (TX)in March 1923. He was raised in North Central Texas and began flying at an early age, earning his pilot's license before graduating from high school. Unable to enter the military aviation program due to a vision problem, he accumulated sufficient flying time and experience to become a civilian instructor of military aviation cadets in 1943. His students advanced to fly the high performance fighter aircraft he yearned to fly. This deep-seated desire soon became a primary focus of his life and led him to create a unique aviation legacy.

Nolen formed a very successful crop dusting company at the end of the war, providing resources and time to pursue his undiminished ambition to fly the most powerful World War II fighters. He purchased a Curtiss P-40 in 1951; but the Warhawk did not satisfy his desire for speed and power. In 1957, he and a group of partners purchased a North American P-51 Mustang, which was soon followed by a Grumman F8F Bearcat, in 1958. These two aircraft became the nucleus for the formation of the Confederate Air Force (CAF), which he led from 1961 to 1991.

Through the guidance and leadership of Lloyd Nolen, more than one hundred rare warbirds were restored, many to flying condition. Today, these beautiful aircraft can be seen and heard at air shows, museums, and displays across the country.

Lloyd dedicated his life to the preservation of World War II vintage warbirds. He embraced the motto - "Keep 'Em Flying". Lloyd passed away in 1991.

Chuck Doyle

Captain Chuck Doyle has more than 30,000 hours in the air as pilot in command of a wide variety of aircraft, from the Curtiss "pusher" to Boeing 727 passenger aircraft. In 1932, at the age of 16, he flew solo in a Waco. He was one of the early barnstormers, doing motorcycle-to-airplane transfers and other "stunt" flying. Chuck made his first parachute jump in 1935, and his first group jump later that year.

Chuck started with Northwest Airways as a co-pilot in January of 1942. He was immediately transferred into the CG-4A glider program, which was a joint operation with the US Army Air Corps. After the war, he returned to passenger service for Northwest, where he flew the DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, Martin 202, the Lockheed Electra, and ended up as Number One Pilot of the 727.

As far as civilian aircraft and warbirds, he has flown every conceivable arrangement possible. He has owned more than 80 airplanes during the course of his career, and has owned as many as 13 at one time. He has owned several Stearmans, one of which he owned for more than 50 years. He has owned three Howard aircraft, seven P-51 Mustangs, two P-40 Warhawks, a Seversky P-35, three Beechcraft Staggerwings, a Stitts, a Pitts, a Curtiss "pusher," and a Travel Air. The two largest airplanes owned by Captain Chuck were a pair of Douglas C-118B/DC-6C transports. He also owned several other OX-5 powered aircraft as well.

Chuck has flown in the Reno Air Races in the cross-country event with a P-51. He is one of the earliest and last smoke skywriters. He has skywritten over many Twins and Vikings games in Minnesota at the old Met Stadium.

Chuck has given tours of his vast collection to Boy Scout groups, schools, and Civil Air Patrol chapters, in order to spread the word of warbirds, and the joys of aviation itself. He donated hangar space for the Tuskegee Airmen P-51C. He has donated aircraft to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MN), and has arranged for more aircraft to be displayed at the US Air Force Museum, including a Seversky P-35A, the last of its kind.

Perhaps Chuck's greatest contributions to the warbirds movement are his cheerful willingness to help others in need of information, parts, or experience…and his selfless donations of hangar-space and experience to help others fly and maintain their own Warbird aircraft.

International Aerobatic Club (IAC) Hall of Fame

Don Taylor

Don Taylor was born into aviation -- an OX-5 American Eagle provided his "Young Eagle" ride at 6 weeks of age. Don rode on his mother's lap.

He learned to fly in high school, soloed at 16, received his private pilot's license at 17 and was a Commercial Flight Instructor by 18.

Don learned aerobatics in a Fairchild PT-19 and a Stearman PT-17; both were World War II surplus training aircraft. He taught aerobatics as a US Air Force civilian flight instructor for two-and-a-half years, and after he was hired by United Airlines, Don continued to fly aerobatics and air shows in Denver (CO).

He flew his first aerobatic contest at Ottumwa (IA) in 1965, and went on to judge the US National Aerobatic Championships in Fort Worth (TX) in 1967, 1968 and 1969.

Don met with Paul Poberezny and Bob Heuer following the 1969 National Championships to discuss forming a new aerobatic club, which led to the formation of the International Aerobatic Club, the first division of EAA. Don became Vice-President and IAC #3. He also wrote the judging standards and techniques manual for competitions, later adopted by FAI as the World Standard for aerobatic judging.

At the first IAC contest, he flew a Great Lakes in the intermediate category and won first place. Don flew the Great Lakes in contests in US and Canada through 1974.  Throughout the 1970s and beyond, Don flew numerous Unlimited IAC competitions, served as the US representative to FAI in Paris, and was a contest director, a delegate, a judge, and a chief judge at competitions throughout the world.

In 1979 he presented a proposal to FAI for the first World Aerobatic Contest in Usm, to be held in Oshkosh, immediately following the 1980 Fly-In.

He organized and set up the non-profit World Aerobatics, Inc. to fund and operate the contest, and sold TV rights for the contest to CBS Sports. The 1980 WAC became the first televised World Contest, appearing on CBS Sports Spectacular.

Don also developed the "Masters of Aerobatics" contest format especially for television, which aired during the 1980s. In 1983 the contest aired on ESPN, and won an Emmy award as best photographed sporting event, beating ABC, CBS and NBC.

Don has also produced television for Aviation Week, and in 1996 he produced and appeared in the EAA-TV production covering the World Aerobatic Championships held in Oklahoma City, which aired on ESPN.

EAA Homebuilders' Hall of Fame

William Chana

William Chana, like many aviation enthusiasts, began his love affair with flight at an early age. He built hundreds of model aircraft during his youth, and during his senior year of high school he was elected Illinois State President of the "Future Craftsmen of America."

From 1948 to 1950, Bill, with Ken Coward and Karl Montijo, were the team that built and flew the Wee Bee airplane, which was credited as being the "world's smallest plane" by the media. The Wee Bee was capable of being raised off the ground by one man, hence the aircraft's slogan: "small enough to be lifted by one man, and flown by one man."

In 1952, Bill piloted the second design-the Honey Bee-during its first flight. In 1953, the FAA presented designer Ken Coward and Bill with the aircraft's type certificate-50 years to the day of the Wright Brother's first flight. The aircraft was later donated to EAA.

The third metal aircraft design in the series-the Queen Bee-was created as a four-place aircraft.

But Bill's involvement in aviation didn't end with the "Bee" series. He was part of the "skunk works" team that designed and built a two-place, all-composite, delta-wing, ducted fan triphibian during the 1970s…helped build a working reproduction of the 1903 Wright Brothers engine…and after years of involvement with Convair's delta wing aircraft, Bill flew in a TF-102 and traveled at Mach 1.3.

In 1976, Bill organized a two-day conference covering "The Advancing Technology of Homebuilt Aircraft." All of the men in this photograph are now members of the Homebuilders Hall of Fame.

Bill was the President of the San Diego Aerospace Museum and International Aerospace Hall of Fame from 1996 to 1998, and had a fellowship at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum. His autobiography of his life as flight-test engineer, aerospace manager, test pilot, and homebuilder will be published this year.

Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame

Nick Rezich (Deceased)

Nick Rezich soloed a Waco RNF in 1933, at age 14, beginning a life-long career in-and love of-aviation. He worked for Benny Howard at Howard Aircraft in Chicago, and attained the position of Plan Manager before being pressed into military service in World War II.

Following the war, he founded and operated the famous aviation-themed tavern near Midway airport, the Pylon Club.

With his brother Frank, he designed and built the Rezich Brother Special, a Goodyear-class racer, in the late 1940s. The airplane would be one of the first donations to the EAA Museum in Hales Corners.

Nick continued to build on his flying skills, and flew charter for Bluebird Air Service at Midway in various planes, including a Wasp-powered Bellanca, and a Lockheed 12. He also did barnstorming with his brothers in the family Travel Air and Pitcairn. After the war, he also flew for Morton Salt and International Harvester, and began taking on skywriting jobs.

Nick was a strong supporter of EAA during its early days, promoting the organization at the Pylon Club, and participating in early fly-ins and air shows. He also used his booming voice over the public address system, to describe the maneuvers the pilots were flying, and soon became known as the "Voice of EAA." He was also the Master of Ceremonies for many of the early EAA evening programs, especially during the Rockford era.

In the early 1950s, Nick moved to Rockford, Illinois, just as EAA had done in Rockford, he flew for many years for the Atwood Vacuum Machine Company. Nick helped found EAA's Antique/Classics division in the 1970s, served as its first treasurer, and wrote a monthly column for the magazine. Nick performed roles at EAA continuously from 1956 until the early '80s, when esophagus cancer finally quieted the "Voice of EAA," in 1981.

Al Kelch

Born in 1918, Alfred Kelch became enamored with airplanes and aviators at age six when his uncle Percy Bricker bought a war surplus Curtiss Jenny and flew it to Al's hometown of Lake View (IA). Even uncle Percy's crash landing of the Jenny didn't dampen his enthusiasm, although little Al was perturbed with his uncle for wrecking "his" Jenny.

He followed every report of Lindbergh's Atlantic crossing listening with headphones to the family radio. While Al was in junior high school, his uncle returned to town with a Curtiss Robin, and Al was given his first flight lesson.

A lifelong love affair with all things mechanical has kept Al Kelch involved in automobile restoration, antique boats, and, of course, airplanes. A career mixing his talents in art and mechanical engineering resulted in the founding of Kelch Manufacturing, a company that pioneered a number of plastic innovations, including the first plastic steering wheel for the automotive trade.

During that time, Al met and, when he could finally afford it, he married the lady who would be his partner in all his endeavors, Lois.

As his business grew, Al was able to squeeze a few dollars out of the budget and begin his collection of antique airplanes. He purchased a Piper Cub for $250, and has since restored over a dozen airplanes, most of which he flew from his rural home and airstrip in Mequon, Wisconsin, where he and Lois hosted many years of antique airplane fly-ins.

Al's interest in Lindbergh led him to collect memorabilia, and one of the pieces he collected was a small bronze statuette of the famed pilot. Its resemblance to the Oscar statues given in the film industry inspired Al to create the EAA Lindy trophy we all recognize today as one of aviation's most prestigious awards for aircraft construction or restoration.

Al was one of the founding members of the Antique/Classic Division, and became lifetime member number 6. He and Lois edited the division's magazine, Vintage Airplane, and he also served as the Chairman of the Judging committee. He and chief judge Claude Gray created the core rules for judging vintage airplanes, a set of rules that we continue to use to this day. He also founded the "Grand Champion Circle" in a successful effort to invite top award winners to the EAA Convention.

While serving as the president of the Travel Air club, a visit to the Parish's in Tullahoma, Tennessee inspired Al to add a porch to the convention headquarters of the division, the Red Barn. With the design help of Pat Packard and the carpentry skills of Bob Lumley and other volunteers, the porch was added and continues to serve as a resting and gathering spot for members during AirVenture.

Al serves on a number of boards with aviation interests, including the Sun 'n Fun board, and is affiliated with the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New York, and the Old Rhinebeck museum. He continues to actively work on his collection of aircraft kept at the Brodhead, Wisconsin airport. His most recent restoration project is a Travel Air 4000 formerly owned by Robertson Aircraft and flown by Charles Lindbergh.

EAA Ultralight Hall of Fame

Michael Jacober (Deceased)

Mike Jacober, the owner of Arctic Sparrow Aircraft Incorporated, was one of the country's top ultralight pilots and promoters, and was also an EAA Technical Counselor and Flight Advisor.

Mike become involved in aviation in the early 1970s, flying hang gliders near Bakersfield (CA). He moved to Alaska in 1975 and flew his first powered Easy Riser there. In 1977 he developed a landing gear system for the Easy Riser, making a significant contribution to the hang glider-to-ultralight evolution.

In 1979, Mike opened an ultralight dealership and training center, doing business as Arctic Sparrow Aircraft. He sold American Aerolight Eagles and Pioneer Flightstars and had a flourishing business until the infamous ABC 20/20 television program that aired in November of 1983 spelled doom for ultralight aviation. Despite dismal business conditions, he continued to fly his Foxbat ultralight, and train in and promote ultralight aircraft in Alaska.

Over the years, Mike quickly became recognized as an expert on ultralights and light aircraft and the Rotax engines that powered them. In 1989 he became an official Rotax Service Center. In the early 1990s, he introduced a mixture control device for Rotax engines, which allowed pilots to adjust the air/fuel mixture in air from the cockpit. Mike developed this system after attempting to fly along with the Iditarod dog sled race in the early 1980s in an Eagle ultralight.

Also in the early 1990s, Mike began flying trikes in earnest and became a distributor for Air Creation and, eventually, the Ukraine-designed Antares trike. In the past 10 years, Mike has introduced several hundred pilots to the fun of trike flying. At last count, he'd logged nearly 8,000 hours of dual instruction…even though he never held a private pilot certificate.

One of Mike's most exciting expeditions occurred in 1993 when he flew into the base camp on Mount McKinley and spent the next seven days soaring thermals around North America's tallest mountain. During one flight, he overflew the 20,320-foot summit.

In every sphere of influence, there are those who stand taller than others. In the ultralight community, Mike Jacober was one of those individuals. He lived and breathed ultralight flying -- and he lived and breathed safety.

FMI: www.eaa.org