From the Editor
I’m excited to announce that the inaugural cohort of the all-volunteer Eagle Writers Corps (EWC) is already hard at work. Two of our newest Eagle writers make their debuts in this issue: Tristyn Bemis (’20) and Kim Sheeter. For more information about the EWC, visit alumni.erau.edu/ewc. View bios of our inaugural cohort of writers, here.
A big thanks to those who completed the 2020 Alumni Attitude Survey, distributed via email from December to February. Nearly 3,000 of you took the time share your opinions with us. Among the takeaways: 65% said they made a “Great decision” to attend Embry-Riddle; 58% said their experience as a student was “Excellent;” and 24% said their experience as an alumnus was “Excellent.” I’m happy to report that 24% also said they would welcome more printed materials from their alma mater (like Lift). See more survey results: alumni.erau.edu/2020survey.
There’s no need to wait for the next survey. Let us know what you think: liftmag@erau.edu.
— Sara Withrow, Editor
In Memoriam
I was sorry to read in the spring 2020 edition about the passing of my classmate Joe Hajcak. Godspeed, Joe. Joe was the pilot who gave my wife, Marilyn, and me our first, and only, private flight aboard the Goodyear Blimp N1A from Watson Island in Miami on Nov. 20, 1975. What a treat it was to leisurely cruise up and down Miami Beach at 37 mph (not knots) for an hour! He even let me have some ‘stick’ time. Our blimp ride was just one of many awesome flights in various aircraft that I was lucky enough to experience during my 31-year career in the Coast Guard. I retired in 1996 with 5,775 hours.
Stephen E. Goldhammer (’73)
B.S. Aeronautical Science
AHP Response
[In response to W. Emory Chronister, spring 2020: Feedback] AHP was a professional aviation fraternity, Alpha Eta Rho. I was a member in 1978-79. It allowed membership of both men and women. As a woman, it was one of the few clubs I could join at the time. We pledged and had an initiation ceremony, just like other fraternities, but we didn’t have any “craziness” going on.
Gail Tworek Martin (’79)
B.S. Aeronautical Studies
Epsilon Rho Chapter of Alpha Eta Rho
While the student chapter is inactive at this time, we have a strong alumni organization with over 700 brothers and sisters. I was chapter president starting in Miami in 1964. I am anxious to meet any members from the founding of the chapter in 1960.
Richard I. Thompson (’66, ’82)
B.S. Aeronautical Engineering
Master of Aeronautical Science
Chicken Coop Memories
Seeing the picture of the chicken coop in Lift [spring 2020: Wings of Legacy] brought back an old memory. I went to Embry-Riddle in 1955, and our dorm room was in the chicken coop, as was all of our ground school classes. We rode a van every morning to Tamiami Airport for flight training.
I attended Embry-Riddle for about six months and received my commercial. I got a job in Richmond, Virginia, immediately upon graduation, flying charters and power line patrol before I was hired to fly copilot on a twin Beech for a frozen food corporation in New Jersey. In July of 1956, I was hired by Capital Airlines which merged with United five years later. I retired with just under 38 years of service.
Tom Bailey (’55)
Commercial Flight Certificate
Correction
The caption on this photo [spring 2020: Global, p. 29] should have read: Codou Mbow, cofounder of the Senegalese Alternative Learning Association, stands with members of the Saly Airshow leadership.