Clark Schadle

[Vern]

Clark Schadle

12/15/2024

​

Clark has been a friend for many years and as many others have already said, his wealth of aviation stories kept me spellbound each time he told one. For those who might not have known Clark, here are some details I remember.



Clark grew up out west in the New Mexico/Arizona area. The open spaces were great for his hobby of constructing and flying free-flight model airplanes. Later he transitioned to Radio Control models. Recently he travelled to the AMA Model museum and donated some antique equipment which is on display there.



In college Clark worked on his pilot ratings and became a young CFI. He was a lifelong instructor and taught many of us from his experiences. After college, Clark became a USAF pilot. Later he became a Squadron Commander of a C-141 unit at Charleston AFB. He also flew Electras for military support contracts. He became a FAA FSDO inspector. He was a King Air specialist and taught recurrent training courses.



He was a partner in a Champ, an RV-4, RV-6, RV-8, and RV-14A. He helped build the RVs. He was in process of recovering the Champ when he got sick.



For a season he was very active in the youth program at Peach State Airport founded by Ron Alexander. He loved teaching and especially flying with the kids in Champs.



On the morning of his 80th birthday he came out to the hangar and flew the RV-14A. On most pretty days he would come the hangar and walk for miles around the hangars in his sun-proof hat.



Clark loved all things Alaska. When he was a young man he planned to fly a Cub to Alaska. He invited his non-pilot brother to go with him. By the time they reached Alaska, the brother had learned to fly and caught a serious aviation bug which kept him there the rest of his life. He became a bush pilot and every year Clark would go to Alaska to help get the planes ready for the flying season or putting them away for the winter.



Clark was very proud of his son who was a dispatcher for Southwest.



Clark also piloted a client around in her T-39 jet. My phone screen saver is the view Clark had on a week layover in Hawaii. Of course, Clark planned the Mainland -to-Hawaii trip thru Alaska! How clever!



I will miss Clark and his fountain of aviation lore and experiences. He was always a serious person and very helpful and encouraging to me and others.



Vern Darley

Founder Falcon RV Squadron

KFFC

 

[rswalden]

Clark Schadle

12/15/2024

​

Clark has been a friend for many years and as many others have already said, his wealth of aviation stories kept me spellbound each time he told one. For those who might not have known Clark, here are some details I remember.



Clark grew up out west in the New Mexico/Arizona area. The open spaces were great for his hobby of constructing and flying free-flight model airplanes. Later he transitioned to Radio Control models. Recently he travelled to the AMA Model museum and donated some antique equipment which is on display there.



In college Clark worked on his pilot ratings and became a young CFI. He was a lifelong instructor and taught many of us from his experiences. After college, Clark became a USAF pilot. Later he became a Squadron Commander of a C-141 unit at Charleston AFB. He also flew Electras for military support contracts. He became a FAA FSDO inspector. He was a King Air specialist and taught recurrent training courses.



He was a partner in a Champ, an RV-4, RV-6, RV-8, and RV-14A. He helped build the RVs. He was in process of recovering the Champ when he got sick.



For a season he was very active in the youth program at Peach State Airport founded by Ron Alexander. He loved teaching and especially flying with the kids in Champs.



On the morning of his 80th birthday he came out to the hangar and flew the RV-14A. On most pretty days he would come the hangar and walk for miles around the hangars in his sun-proof hat.



Clark loved all things Alaska. When he was a young man he planned to fly a Cub to Alaska. He invited his non-pilot brother to go with him. By the time they reached Alaska, the brother had learned to fly and caught a serious aviation bug which kept him there the rest of his life. He became a bush pilot and every year Clark would go to Alaska to help get the planes ready for the flying season or putting them away for the winter.



Clark was very proud of his son who was a dispatcher for Southwest.



Clark also piloted a client around in her T-39 jet. My phone screen saver is the view Clark had on a week layover in Hawaii. Of course, Clark planned the Mainland -to-Hawaii trip thru Alaska! How clever!



I will miss Clark and his fountain of aviation lore and experiences. He was always a serious person and very helpful and encouraging to me and others.



Vern Darley

Founder Falcon RV Squadron

KFFC

God bless you, Vern, for posting that.

In our little RV community at KFFC that Vern Darley began (and Clark was such a part of) it reminds me that it's not the airplane but the people that makes our RV community so cherished.

Lance Armstrong, after winning the Tour de France and struggling with cancer, wrote a book called "It's Not About The Bike."

In the same way, for those of us who have lost close friends in our RV community... we should write one entitled "It's Not About the RV."

Here is a short revision of the poem "High Flight" that speaks to us all:
"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds, – and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung my eager RV through footless halls of air . . . Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace where never lark nor even eagle flew – and, while with silent lifting mind I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hands, and touched the face of God....

Blessings to you, Clark, and to your family from our family at KFFC.

Waldo