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To make a pledge, click here: See the pdf attachment for the photos referenced in the text below.
“Not because they are easy…”
John F. Kennedy, September 12, 1962, Rice University, Houston, TX
A plan to circumnavigate Maine in an open cockpit biplane, to commemorate the life of Benjamin Winick and provide financial support for Ben’s House, Derby Pond, Derby, Vermont
The quote at the top of this page is what John F. Kennedy said about the tasks necessary to put an American on the moon. Equating that monumental, national endeavor with my trivial general aviation one is ludicrous, but stay with me for a minute.
This is a commemorative flight to remember Ben Winick (November 23, 1994 – February 9, 2021) and his last canoe / camping trip. He loved the outdoors. He always was able to see the glory of G-d’s creations in the midst of the sometimes difficult and uncomfortable environments in which they’re found. We encourage anyone of a like mind to donate to Ben’s House, which provides a much-needed and uniquely crafted support system for men with substance abuse issues.
With a group of friends from a summer camp in NH, Ben went on an extended, multi-week, canoe trip through the Allagash Wilderness Area in the northern tip of Maine. Ben spoke of the area, the trip, and those friends from another time, frequently and fondly. It’s not an area I’ve ever visited, but I’ve often wanted to do so mainly to see what he saw, and thus it’s the focus of this aerial fund-raising trip around the state of Maine. On my way around, I’ll explore the area where the Allagash and the St. John rivers meander northeastward to join into one flow, the St. John River, where it then forms the northern border with Canada. This border is sometimes called the “crown of Maine”.
I’ll make this flight in an open cockpit biplane, called a Starduster Too.
I’m only the current custodian of this marvelous machine, not the actual builder. It was built in 1973 by a Mr. Tom Overton from Montana. He was a pharmacist and his main product line was Rexall Drugs, hence the most unusual blue and orange colors on the plane.
This particular experimental Starduster was completed in 1973 and registered as N5393. Why N5393? We’ve no idea. Perhaps simply because the registration N73 was taken and “73” fits nicely between “53” and “93”. We just don’t know. The plane had another couple of caretakers in the western part of the US after Mr. Overton. Then, in the summer of 2017, it left the country for Canada and became C-FT00. We purchased the plane from that young Canadian flier (who now flies for a major international airline) and re-patriated C-FT00 back to the good ole’ USA, and registered Rex (as he is colloquially known nowadays) as N321VT.
There’s no explanation for the nose art though. It is simply what was already there for whatever reason, historical, hysterical, or otherwise.
The addition of a profusion of stars to the livery of the plane is an all too obvious tip of the hat to its Starduster monicker. Care to guess how many stars there actually are on the plane? I’ve counted them, and it’s a big number!
Ben flew with me many times, as did his kids, Ari and Dae. Upon stepping out of the plane after his first flight, four-year-old Dae fell onto the ground in rapture. He was thrilled beyond words. On the other hand, Ari thinks flying in a small plane is simply what people do, the most normal thing in the world.
I think Ben enjoyed it, although it was not a passion for him. It was a means to an end. He liked where we were going probably more than the getting there.
Owning a plane like this is a continuous learning experience and I’m grateful for the opportunity to keep this bit of flying nostalgia alive and well. I wish I had my son to do it with me, but his memory will live on as long as my wife, his siblings, Ben’s House and I can keep it alive. Spending time with the men at Ben’s House is about the most uplifting thing we do. I’m not sure they believe that when I tell them. But it’s true. In that house, there is an abundance of hope and optimism. Few, if any, places endeavor to support these guys with wrap-around life assistance, including substance counseling, a safe, affordable, place to live, job assistance, transportation, and the simple comradery of the household. If our Ben had found such a place… well, who knows? I digress. But this is where you come in!
We’ll make this trip around the state of Maine… and you commit to a level of support that will go entirely to Ben’s House. There will be ~42 waypoints, fuel stops, overflights of airports, etc. in this approximately 3-day journey. Of course, weather can change everything in an open cockpit biplane, and it often does. I’ll have: tarps, cockpit covers, tie-downs, a tent, a sleeping bag, tools, sun-screen, cash for avgas fuel where I can find it (a siphon for where I can’t!) and a few quarts of engine oil, just in case. I should be able to make it around in a few days. I’ll document the trip with photos, notes, updates, and perhaps even a video or two.
Your part is to make a commitment to donate an amount-per-waypoint. A buck ($1) per waypoint would be nice. More would be even better. Just do what you can. You make the PLEDGE before I make the trip. After the trip, and based on your PLEDGE, we’ll let you know the amount you may DONATE and exactly how to do so.
It all sounds so easy from in front of the desk where I write this. It’ll all seem more daunting the minute I leave the ground and have the wind in my face, along with the “earthy” smells of summer in the Kingdom. Frankly, I’m too darn old for this stuff – but what the heck else am I going to do? It’s time to, “kick the tires and light the fire”. CLEAR PROP!
