Funeral Fly-In

[craigjackson]

I've been a local funeral director (or in some parts, an Undertaker) for 17 years now and yesterday was a first for me. The scheduled funeral was to begin at the mortuary at 10:30AM and at 9:30AM, I could hear that oh so familiar sound of rotor blades hovering in the air above. I watched as a Robinson R44 landed in the back corner of my parking lot and four individuals exited the aircraft. :eek: It turned out that the passengers were nieces and nephews of the deceased and they came to attend the funeral ceremony via helicopter.

After the funeral, they watched the funeral procession drive away to the cemetery and then they climbed in the R44 and flew away.

Everyday, I learn something new or am part of something that makes working with the public in this line of business worth waking up for. I do have to admit, I was a little jealous, as I've always wanted to fly and land MY own gyro to work. Perhaps, someday, we'll see more and more people flying to everyday events, ie. funerals, weddings, etc.

[daveeisler]

very cool, I also love Six Feet Under, What do you think?

[david holmes]

Craig,
aerial commuting is a cool idea but in reality it fits VERY few of our locations. I flew to school a few times because the classrooms were on the airport. It was 30 miles one way. It took me twice as long to unhangar, preflight and fly there in my gyrocopter as it did to step into my garage and drive i.e. one hour vs. 1/2 hour each way.
I can see my hangar and runway from my bedroom -- 3/8 mile.
Not even a helicopter would have made the triip shorter than driving.

When I flew monthly from here to New Orleans (250 miles) in my Cherokee 180 for the reserve meetings (decades ago) I had to buy a junker car to get around in and found the battery stolen from it in the parking lot where I left from month to month. And Wx was always a factor returning to an uncontrolled airport.-- once again not worth the risk.

Been there, done that!

It's a nice Peter Pan fantasy though.

[PW_Plack]

I work at a radio station located at an airport, and this past weekend a lot came up for sale at a nearby residential airpark. I think about this all the time! It would have to be convenient for both flying and driving, because except for July thru September, there aren't that many VFR days in the Portland, Oregon area.

[KenSandyEggo]

Paul, did you have to remind me? About 20 years ago, my ex and I looked at some airport lots in Utah. There were 3 houses built and one under construction. A taxiway lot alongside the runway was $16,000. Today, lots that are a block away from the runway start at over $100,000! Grrrrrrrrrr. :mad:

[craigjackson]

Dave,

The funeral biz is a family generation and my brother and I are partners. Similar situation like the "HBO Six feet Under" show. However, although we have some family conflicts, as any family biz has, they don't compare to the family issues that are portrayed in the show, thank god!

Which reminds me, when it's my time to go, :( can I count on a few of you to do a gyro fly-over at the committal service at the cemetery? I think it'd be pretty impressive! :D

[PW_Plack]

Ken...What's your beef? She'd have it now anyway, and probably have put a McDonalds on it just for spite! (Who, me? Naw...my divorce is going just fine...why do you ask?)

Craig...If the deceased really wanted to promote gyroplanes, he could provide in his will to fund the transport of a few of his friends to the funeral with their machines, to allow such a tribute. Tell me that wouldn't have the TV stations all over it!

Yikes...400 posts. I need to get a life, at least until I get a machine...

[GyroRon]

400 posts....... Just a small drop in the bucket for me. Keep posting. I like 99 percent of your posts Paul.

[gyroplanes]

A fellow club member has an IFR Beech Baron and Cessna 172 and a Robinson R-22. He hardly drives anywhere.
Last night at around 11pm, he and a friend flew into to our airport (from his)in the 172, pulled out the Robbie and gave rides until 1am.
He was starting a fixed wing charter business recently and had to get papers signed. Took off from his backyard (in a fairly residential area) flew to his Director of Maintenance's house in a suburb, his chief pilot's used car lot and to the bank for more paperwork.
I can't get over it.

[PW_Plack]

Ron, you'll love my next post...it has awesome FW flying pix.