I had mentioned that I was going down to Florida the end of March for a gyrocopter event…called Bensen days.
I flew down commercially….then met with my closest buddies on earth. One guy was Bill Finnegan who roomed with me, the other was Terry Eiland who I was getting my flight revue with.
On Thursday..Mar. 28th…I was flying Terry’s SparrowHawk to Lake Okeechobee. Terry was giving me my flight revue while I was pilot in command. This was a 2.3 hour flight.
The very next morning…my roomate Bill went with Terry in the same gyrocopter for a flight to the gulf side for breakfast. There were several other gyrocopters along for the trip. My buddy Bill was insisting I go in his place…..and I insisted back that it was his turn to enjoy flying.
Well…sadly 8 minutes later…something undetermined happened and eye witness accounts say they did a gradually increasing dive until going in vertical. Both were killed instantly and both were burnt to ashes.
These guys were the nicest guys I had ever run across…they loved God and there is no doubt they are in a better place.
I flew home early…was picked up at the airport by my wife and daughter. Nothing but tearful hugs…and I told my daughter that at least I would still be walking her down the aisle in June.
There are reports that this gyrocopters flight controls were being modified right before the flight…but it may take months to determine what happened.
I carefully inspected my machine and took a memorial flight for Bill and Terry. I was heart broken……..but life goes on. Their wives both said they would want us all to keep flying.
Bill Finnegan is going to have a celebration fly-in at Litchfield, Illinois on May 20th. Any friends of mine are more than welcome to attend and have a nice meal. I will be flying down in my gyro just like ol Bill would have wanted.
Sad…very sad…..
This is a picture of Terry Eiland and myself along with the gyro involved.
Stan
Replies
My heartfelt condolences Stan.
Damn Stan. I'm sorry for your loss. It can happen so fast.
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
hard to deal with, stan.....
good friends don't grow on treesMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
What a tragic accident. I can't imagine what you or the
families are going through. Will keep you all lifted up in prayer.
Thank God you didn't go up.
<There are reports that this gyrocopters flight controls were being modified right before the flight.
Is there any thing else you can add to that statement?
This may sound terrible, but I don't mean it that way, but I've followed
every thread here that you've posted on gyros and your always telling
us how safe they are. But I guess if you lose flight control,
which sounds like what might have happenned
nothing is safe.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Bill and Terry's families.
damn...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
My deepest condolences- That seems like one of the hardest positions to be in, fortunate to be alive, but sometimes it seems almost unfair that you are. I'm glad to hear that you're safe, and in a way I'm happy that at least those to wonderful people died doing something they loved.
zak
I'm really sorry to hear that, Stan. Be careful up there!
"Would someone please give Bush a BJ so we can impeach him?" bumper sticker
Sorry Stan,
Stinky
..and now they will fly forever with no fear.
so sorry..
Daniel
I'm sorry Stan. I can only imagine the feeling of loss you and others are having who were close to these two men. Know that my wife and I will be praying for Terry and Bill's families and friends. Specifically, that God would give comfort to the those grieving.
Sorry to hear about your friends. That's gotta be tough to deal with.
.
Litchfield is just a short drive from my house. (I work just north of town)
Unfortunately, I may be in Chicago that weekend. But it's still up in the air. Would you keep my posted about when you'll get down this way?
I'm so sorry for your loss. Just another reminder for all of us how fragile life really is.
I am sorry to hear about your friends. They must have been dear and quite fortunate to have a friend in you.
F
Im sorry .
What could it have been ?
Sounds like it was a slow reaction but I dont know anything about it .
Tim
Sounds like it was a slow reaction but I dont know anything about it .My dad used to say. "Good things take time sh#t happens fast."
Edited 4/13/2006 11:43 am ET by riverman
Terribly sorry Stan for both you and their families... as was said earlier, good friends are all too hard to find.
Sorry to hear about your friends. I know those things are tough.
Sorry about your buddies Stan.
Sorry about your friends. Hope their families are doing ok.
When it's your day for the piano to fall on ya, there isn't anything you can do about it, but that doesn't make it any easy for those left behind.
jt8
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old time is still a-flying: And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying." -- Robert Herrick
Stan, that's a bummer. 'Tis never easy to say goodbye to friends, but I admire your philosophy, insight and faith. Not to mention your work.
Via con dios, beloved pilots, now flying in the palm of greatness.
PJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Stan,
I'm very sorry for your terrible loss.
Amy
Stan,
I'm so sorry to hear about your friends. It is extremely tough to lose someone close to you. You and their families will be in my prayers.
John
You have my deepest sympathy.
I'm so sorry to hear that Stan.
Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Stan this year I lost my 2 best friends, lung cancer,livercancer, Took the wind out of my sails. Been helping the widows but Im sad a lot. kinda puts me to thinking about the things that are important,,.
Danm Stan ... I didn't like the direction of this post the minute I started reading.
Opened it thinking it might be about pets ...
Lost two good pilots.
as a former fellow flyer ... I can only say ... at least they died doing what they loved.
We all accept the risk each and every time.
"I carefully inspected my machine and took a memorial flight for Bill and Terry."
You're a good friend Stan ... I'm betting they loved the tribute.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
At one time or another Stan shared that he posted/visited at this
web site. So I checked it out and there is some more info on this tragic
event. If this link works?
http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8041
A terrible shame. Take it easy on self. Grief comes in many forms. Stay attentive.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" Iam not a poet, but your hat is singularily inadequate"
I had a neighbor that lived directly across the street . We got along ok as we talked a lot out side but not really what you would call friends. Friendly neighbors. Swapped a few beers on our decks about dark when we finished with the yards to cool off.
The other evenings he was always building a plane .He had bought a kit. It was the smallest thing and wasnt a glider at all but he had built a glider before that . So one day he loads it up and it goes away. He had started the motor a few times and it was loud as heck . I thought that was odd for such a small plane . I found out about a year later he had sold them both. Then here comes another one and another one . He builds them pretty fast so I said damn what are you doing ? he told me he was selling them. I pressed more cause I never seen any customers and he hauled them off himself . After 8 years he told me then he owned an air strip. And was selling lots around it . He was a developer of private aitr strips and he never had said a word. Well the last one had not sold and one day he flew it and crashed . He was killed so dw and I went to the funeral. The preacher was his next door neighbor . I listened to the service of course and he said he was a fighter pilot in nam. I felt really left out of the loop. The preacher said he never knew either till his wife told him after he died . He told me he was a private man and didnt want to speak about the war or his part in it . But there everything was , a flag draped over the casket and a gun salute . United States Airforce.
Tim
Stan,
I'm terribly sorry to hear that.
Try to remember the good times and think positive.
Thanks everyone for the kind words. I dont want anyone worried about that machine I am flying. You dont realize how I go over it methodically. I love flying that machine more than any other material thing on earth....but it ranks way low compared to whats important in life.....God...family and friends and in that order.
Stan
Edited 4/13/2006 9:24 pm ET by StanFoster
Well, Stan, it's obvious that you are a stand up guy, and I'm glad that you've reassured us about your safety.
I read with horror, and send my condolences, of course.
We all have things we love. Some of them can kill us. I race cars. I think it's important to keep doing them in the face of tragedy, but to always remain vigilent.
I'm always glad to see your gyro threads, and I hope you keep them coming. You have more fans than you know.Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
I just returned from spreading Ian's ashes in Bedfordshire, England, as he requested. I was pretty amazed at how much that simple ceremony helped my head and heart, and brought his far-flung family together for the first time in decades. I think the Litchfield fly-in for your friends, live and not, will be just the ticket for making any sense at all of this. Keep in touch with those wives in the meantime...they'll need the support of like-minded people.
Boss: I would be tickled to have you drive over to Litchfield. There is going to be a big event. Bill would have wanted it that way....and his wife Carol needs this so bad.
This whole thing just crushes my heart for the families involved.
I will continue to fly and fly and fly. Every flight I know I will think of Terry and Bill.
Stan
Sympathies on the loss of your friends Stan, I'm sure you are glad to have known them.
Mike
Very sorry to read this sad appendix to your fascinating threads. Be safe up there.
sincere condolences on the loss of your friends, and to their families also -
some very small comfort that they died doing what they loved -
take care -
"there's enough for everyone"
Stan, all I can say is that I ride a motorcycle, have so for 25 years, I understand the pain.
Stan
Sorry to hear of the lose of your friends.
May God bless them and their families
Doug
Stan,
Best to you and to the families of your friends. I've followed your threads on the construction of your gyrocopter, and the passion you share for flying clearly makes those friendships with other like-minded people very special.
We've never met...but I think we've crossed paths a few times. While driving up and down I-57, I've seen the skydivers at Paxton, and I know I've seen a paraglider and a gyrocopter in that general area, and I imagine one of them might be you! Is it possible?
tony b.
Tony: That was me. There arent any others around except over by Danville and north of Bloomington.
Stan
Stan, I just finished reading the tribute over on the rotary forum. Wow, sure is nice to know there are guys like that out there. Wish I would have had a chance to meet them.
View Image
View Imagejt8
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." -- Dave Barry
stan
almost every time i see a beautiful sunset on a sunny afternoon, i think of you and how great it must be to be up in the air on a day like today.
i surely know why you guys do it.
sorry for your loss and glad to know you're still with us.
carpenter in transition
Stan, I was a lurker for a while on BreakTime prior to starting to post in August of 2004. Shortly after I started posting, I ran across some of your gyro threads and thought, "man that is awesome!"
I had described the gyro's to Mom and showed her some of your pictures. A few days later I'm sitting at work and get a call from Mom. She says, "I just pulled into the Sams Club parking lot and I think one of those gyros is over here on a trailer."
My workplace is only about 5 mins from Sams, so I hopped in my car and went over there. Sure enough... There was a motor home with a gyro and a Tracker-like SUV on a trailer. I walked around it for 5 mins, but the owner never came out and I had to get back to work.
Meanwhile, Mom was shopping in Sams and came across a couple that she described as "looking like they'd own that rig." So she went up and asked them if it was theirs. Sure enough, it was. She said they were the nicest people you'd ever want to meet and spent the next few minutes talking to them. She mentioned that I had shown her pictures of a guy in Paxton's gyro, and the fellow she was talking to said she must be talking about Stan Foster. Said Stan was a great guy and a good friend. I think he may have said he had even sold you a gyro. They mentioned that they were just coming back from Oshkosh and were on their way home. He gave Mom his card and everyone went back to shopping.
Mom gave me the card, and I meant to ask you about it, but instead it got buried in a desk drawer. Yesterday I was digging in the desk trying to find a stamp... and the card resurfaced.
I took a pic of it and attached it.jt8
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." -- Dave Barry
John: I can hardly type right now. Thanks so much for that post. You had run into one of the nicest couple on earth....Terry and Linda Eiland. Yes...I bought my SparrowHawk from Terry.
Thanks again so much for that .
Stan
Edited 4/20/2006 7:06 am ET by StanFoster
Stan,
I too had a bad feeling as I opened this thread. Very sorry for your loss... Will be praying for you and for their families.
Sorry to hear the news. At least they died doing something they loved. We could all hope for as much....
My deepest sympathy, may your friends fly forever in God's sky.
Charlie
Wow....very sorry to hear this. Your story is the same story that happened to ours. This man was very good to me and thought me a lot about building homes or woodworking. He was the only one who would stop to show me how things work and he would make sure I understand it fully. Blueprints, he would sit right by me and show me the way to draw. Same with chess and golf as we all loved. He was like a father to me. Loved all the guys who thought me the way of life.
He was a pilot for Eastern Airlines. Loves flying and was going to buy an airstrip with another buddy who flies too. Then build homes around it. One day he asked my dad and I to come along for a day of flying. Dad had to work and I wanted to see my girlfriend who is now my lovely wife. He took his nephew and his girlfriend and that same buddy on his buddy new plane. Everyone at the airport saw the whole thing happened. The plane took off just right but somehow it climbed a steep too hard and then flipped around went straight to the ground. My buddy and his buddy was killed, the girlfriend of the nephew was hurt and she got out and pulled hard on her boyfriend and got him out. He only lived for three days. She was in shock from all that and lasted too many days.
Dad had to go to the morgue to pick out who was who. Dad said they were so badly burned and he could notice the ears of our friend. The doc who worked there said our friend was alive and fought to get out and died from the smoke and burns, his buddy had the heart attack so that was the reason of the plane flipping when he pulled on the steering wheel.
I lost my dear friend that day and it didn't stop me from doing what he and everyone had thought me.
As Stan said """and I told my daughter that at least I would still be walking her down the aisle in June.""" and I'm looking at my two sons and thought if I had hopped on that plane that day this would never had came... Oh my buddy's name was Marvin Smith.
Prayers to all.
Really sorry to hear of your loss. Words sometimes just don't cut it so I will leave you with this simple thought - you and your friends are in our family prayers....
JoeFirst we get good- then we get fast !