|
-
POSTING RULES

-
Donate yearly (please).
-
Advertise in here!
-
Today's Posts
|
Insert Pics
|

08-15-2014, 01:28 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Pompano Beach, FL
Posts: 29
|
|
My Formation flying instructor, 2nd time around
Hey All,
I am a former member of EAA Chapter 326 (2000-2011) as well as it's former president from 2007-2008 (I think the years are right). During my tenure as president, John Brick was simply listed as newsletter editor. Hog wash! He was the meat and bones of the chapter. As an active Air Force pilot at McChord AFB flying the C-141 and the C-17A, I immediately took to John and his wisdom as a retired Lt Col pilot type. He was essentially my executive officer of that chapter and "he" made me look good as it's president. What a class act.
After getting my RV-8 up and flying in spring 2008, about 6 months later, John started a small formation flying clinic in our chapter. I bit with vigor. I hadn't flown formation since pilot training in 1988-1989 in the T-38. John made it feel like pilot training all over again. Formation briefs were dead serious, no messing around. We were professional even as a hobby. A passion. I got to fly one missing man four ship with John as lead and me as left wing. We had a 1230 TOT right over Spanaway Airport, Washington and as lead, he shacked it almost to the second. My GPS proved it. I was so proud that day to have a chance to feel like a team member in that formation. I slowed down and then stopped flying formation because life got in the way. But not John. He went on to get his FFI, teach other members of the chapter, and then partake in numerous big show multi-ship formations. The guy was crazy about flight.
I am blessed to have known, worked with, and flown with LtCol John Brick. He will be forever etched in my memory banks as a fellow aviator. God Speed John Brick and please save me a spot in your hangar up there.
Oh, and a P.S. on a John Brick factoid. Some in the chapter knew about one of his flying accomplishments. Some time back in 2007-2009 he took his RV-4 with I think a IO-360 on a couple hour round robin flight around the Olympic Peninsula. Big deal, right? But he also managed to file the flight IFR and topped out at somewhere around 28,000 feet (FL280). He had a cool oxygen system in his -4 that he used a lot on x-countries. Somebody saw the flight on flightaware.com and saw his N number on there. So we confronted him one evening at our chapter end of month dinner and beer call. He fessed up. He said the biggest challenge of the whole thing was it was so **** cold up there that his glasses kept icing up every time he exhaled. After that, he requested lower and chopped the throttle for warmer air. What a man. We lost a real treasure on August 1, 2014.
Jeff Liebman
__________________
Jeff Liebman
RV-8 SOLD
Superior IO-360 Hartzell BA Prop
Steam Gauges/AFS Engine Monitor
|

08-15-2014, 10:08 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buckley, WA
Posts: 16
|
|
Remembering John Brick
Hi,
My name is Randy Albritton and I was fortunate enough to know John Brick for many years. I still vividly remember the EAA meeting that Jeff L. was presiding over when John announced that he would be conducting a basic formation training course for our chapter and would anyone be interested. About 30 hands went up, including mine. John was swamped but he methodically went through the list giving priority to those that had some experience flying formation. Finally my turn came after about a month and after the first flight with John in my back seat flying off Smitty's RV6 the hook was set. I went on to fly with John as a member of his Cascade Flight for about five years. I was with him on the last big flight that he led which was our chapter Burger Burn last year. About a week later we flew down to Van's Homecoming and participated in the formation flyover with some of the Ravens. To my knowledge that was his last formation flight as PIC.
John was a constant source of encouragement and knowledge and just dripped with leadership. He led me and several others into formation groups outside our local Cascade group and I was fortunate enough to participate in events such as the annual West Coast Ravens Madera clinic, the 50 ship formation at Phoenix this past spring, and went on to get "patched" into the Blackjacks Squadron.
When news reached us about John's passing there was no doubt in my mind that we needed to give him a first class MM flyover and that it had to be led by his beloved Cascade flight crew. Marv Scott and I "drew straws" to decide who would lead and who would do the pull. I had the honor of losing the draw and became flight lead. Our twelve ship was composed of 3 flights each representing pilots from Cascade, Ravens, and Blackjack formation groups. My heartfelt thanks to those that flew it and made us all look good for John's sake.
Godspeed John Brick
|

08-15-2014, 01:41 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Lee's Summit, MO
Posts: 99
|
|
Madera Formation Clinic
a few years ago is where I first met John. He was in a 4-ship I was leading. While briefing and learning each others call sign and flight experience, I looked at John and asked, "Sir, what's your call sign?" In a stern voice, John replied, "Brick." I said this should be interesting, how did you get the call sign Brick? That's when I learned Brick was his name -- we had a good laugh. We had many conversations about formation flying and the number of people he had trained. I enjoyed talking and flying with Brick. He will be missed.
Rest in peace my friend,
BeeGee
|

08-16-2014, 08:30 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Battleground
Posts: 4,348
|
|
It was an honor to fly with John. Team, humble, inquisitive, kind, thoughtful, are just a few words that come to mind when I think of John. We miss him.
__________________
Smart People do Stupid things all the time. I know, I've seen me do'em.
RV6 - Builder/Flying
Bucker Jungmann
Fiat G.46 -(restoration in progress, if I have enough life left in me)
RV1 - Proud Pilot.
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:56 AM.
|