By Dave Clark
There has been a lot of dialogue about the name of the Indianapolis Airport.
Some, in the business community, are telling us that we need the "international" in the name because it attracts the big conventions and sporting events to the city. They say the name of Weir Cook, a war hero from two world wars, detracts from the appeal. Does the name O'Hare keep conventions and other events from choosing Chicago as a destination? I don't think so!
Does it detract from Washington, DC's appeal having Ronald Regan attached to the airport's name? I don't think so! How about Cleveland Hopkins Airport, Kennedy Airport in New York, or Boston Logan Airport, or Stapleton Airport in Denver?
Our airport began in 1931 as the Indianapolis Municipal Airport. It remained that until 1944 when the airport board renamed it the Weir Cook Municipal Airport, for Colonel H. Weir Cook who was killed in the south pacific in 1943.
Weir Cook was an Indiana native who served his country in two world wars. He was adventurous and a natural leader. In 1916, Weir Cook left college and signed up as an ambulance driver in the French Army. This was the way in which many young men worked their way into the French "Lafayette Escadrille," flying fighters. When the U.S. entered the war in 1917, he transferred into the U.S. Army Air Service and learned to fly at Tours, France. Of about 260 Americans who flew in the war, only 65 survived.
Col. Cook was among a small handful of American pilots who became an "ace" pilot who shot down five or more enemy planes. He was a member of the 94th (Hat in the Ring) Pursuit Squadron of the 1st Pursuit Group A.E.F., which was commanded by Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. He was credited with seven enemy aircraft and five observation balloons during the war. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in action. An Oak Leaf Cluster was added in 1918. By the end of the war, Cook was a Captain and assumed command of the 94th from Eddie Rickenbacker.
At the start of World War Two, Cook was almost 50 years old but he couldn't stay out of the battle. He flew combat missions with his men at the age of 50. He was the commander of the group that rescued Capt. Rickenbacker from the ocean after he was shot down.
On March 24, 1943, Col. Weir Cook was killed in the South Pacific when the plane he was test flying crashed into a mountain.
Some have said that it would be too costly to rename the airport. Let the current stationery run out before ordering a new stock. Let the highway signs remain until the need to be replaced. Let the current promotional brochures remain until a new stock is needed. Other issues can be approached in the same manner. This is not the first time anything has had a name change!
Our city deserves the name of Weir Cook to be on the official name of our airport. We shouldn't have to settle for the terminal to be called the Weir Cook Terminal, or a concourse to have his name or a parking lot or some other such inventions.
In July of 1976, it was renamed the Indianapolis International Airport, apparently for the famous war hero "International." Some have said that adding Weir Cook to the airport name is merely an emotional issue. Is our freedom an emotional issue? Attracting large events to our city will in no way be damaged by restoring the name of Weir Cook to our great city's airport. We have a lot to be proud of in Indianapolis, and Weir Cook's heroism is certainly one of them!
Any decision to not include Weir Cook in the official name of the airport is a slap in the face to every man and woman who fought to keep our country free. They were the folks who made it possible for the business people and the politicians to worry about what name will best attract events to our city! Without our war heroes to thank, even in a small way like this, we might all be speaking another language by now! Think about it, is naming an airport for a war hero too much of a price to pay to the heroes who saved this country from chaos, twice? I don't think so!
Thank you, Mayor Ballard, for your service to our country and for your thoughtfulness and support for the proper name to be restored to our airport.
So Long, Shorty Graves
Early in his life, Graves held a taxicab driver's license and worked as a truck driver but eventually got full time into the profession that he really loved, aviation. During his aviation career, Shorty worked as a commercial pilot, flight instructor, aircraft mechanic and fixed base operator. He had been a member of the EAA and other aviatioin organizations.
Always having an adventurous spirit, in 1960 Graves and Ralph Martin headed south in Shorty's 1946 Piper Super Cruiser. Their aerial tour took them through stops in Mexico, Central America, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil in about four weeks' time. Shorty was proud of his fluency in Spanish and used it whenever possible. He also flew to the British West Indies and Haiti.
Graves operated the Brownsburg Airport as a flight school and FBO from 1963 until it was closed in 1989. From there he moved his operation to the Boone County Airport until he retired around the end of 2000.
While at Boone County Airport, Graves was a true one-man operation. He worked as an aircraft mechanic and flight instructor practically seven days per week for months on end. He might be up to his elbows on a repair when he would hear an airplane on final. He would go out to the fuel pumps for a fill-up then head back to the shop after he might handle an aircraft rental transaction. Some days he would knock off for conducting a flight lesson; other times he might be out on the tractor mowing the grass or clearing snow from the runway.
When Graves did take some time off work, he used to head up to Canada, where he would board a floatplane and venture way out into the wilderness for some serious fishing, which was his other passion. During the winters, he would often try to take his motor home down to Mexico, Texas or Florida. Always the witty raconteur, Shorty would bring back colorful stories of his fishing trips, adventures in Mexico or South America, or of his other experiences across the United States.
Graves was a tough negotiator and would only make deals on his terms. If he couldn't get something exactly to his liking then he didn't want it any more. Shorty called all of his own shots in his business and in his personal life. But he was an easy touch when it came to kids. Whenever someone would bring a kid in for an airplane ride, Shorty would give them candy or ice cream bars after their flight, hoping that perhaps the kid would get interested in aviation. And many of them did. I received many emails this past week from people a telling me that they received their first flight instruction from Shorty.
Graves also had a soft heart for people who were working on their license but low on cash. He often extended credit on aircraft rentals for some who were close to finishing up their license but running out of money. He ran them "on account" with no paperwork whatsoever, just complete trust.
Graves didn't care if his airplanes were pretty; he was more interested in keeping the cost of flying down. He bought older aircraft and did his own maintenance to keep flying expenses as low as possible. He typically had the lowest rental prices in the area. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of people who rented Shorty's airplanes to get their license, multi-engine or instrument ratings, or received actual flight instruction from him. Add to that number the scores of people who brought their airplanes to Shorty for service or advice.
When I was building my airplane, Shorty asked about it then gave me some unsolicited advice: "Make every decision as if your life depended on it." Sound advice, indeed.
Graves was a natural mechanic. He knew the rules and acceptable procedures but he also know how to "make do." Once, when I was renting one of his airplanes, it had a problem so I brought it back for his attention. He pulled a tiny pair of pliers from his back pocket and did all of the repairs and adjustments with that one tool. Other times he might head over to his extensive "collection" of salvage aircraft for parts.
Last Wednesday I went to the funeral home for the visitation, expecting to see a somber crowd of mourners. Instead, I realized I was in the middle of the "who's who" of Indiana aviation. Shorty knew just about everybody who had been active in Indiana aviation at one time and had done business with practically all of them.
Shorty Graves got to live a long, productive life, and was able to touch more people in his career than many of us ever hope to do. He influenced countless aviators in their careers or hobbies, and provided his own unique lessons in business and life.
I am certain that if we look long enough, we'll continue to see a few one-man operations, or some people who've roamed the globe in tiny airplanes, people who influenced an entire legion of aviators, or became hangar-flying idols. But I don't think we'll ever have another one with these traits all rolled up into a single person like him. There will be only one Dorel "Shorty" Graves, and all of us who had a chance to know him got to witness his tiny piece of history. So, "so long, Shorty." I hope that your reward finds you in a heaven with continuous tailwinds, $1 avgas, an endless supply of used parts, phenomenal fishing, pretty senoritas and an ever-ready audience for those fantastic stories we've loved hearing.
Support Our Servicemen
SERVICEMAN UPDATE NEEDED: In December of 2002 Jim Griffin joined Chapter 1311. Shortly before the war with Iraq started Jim signed back up as a Major with the Marines and has been serving in Iraq. If anyone knows how to contact Jim, or knows of his whereabouts or of any way to track him down, please contact the newsletter editor at michaelandkatie1@comcast.net.
Newsletter Publication Schedule
Get back editions of the newsletter at http://www.eaa1311.org. Click on the link "Newsletters" at the left then click the link for the edition that you want.
Chapter 1311 Board of Directors for 2008
Newsletter editor: Michael Mossman, 1-765-483-9533, michaelandkatie1@comcast.net
2008 Membership Roster
Did we miss anybody? Please let us know; we'll get it updated right away.
Membership Roster Updates Needed
By Michael Mossman
Local aviation icon Dorel "Shorty" Graves died early Sunday morning, June 8. To say that Shorty was unique is an understatement. To anyone who met him, a first impression could have been that he was just a gruff little guy who like to chomp on old cigar stubs. But what really stayed with them was that he was a guy who really knew his stuff.
Be sure let the newsletter editor know if any of our members or their families has someone in the service, especially if they have been called up for active duty. We'd like to recognize them and thank them for representing us so honorably.
EAA Chapter 1311's newsletter is published by email notice on the 15th of each month, with a PDF version available on the chapter web site around the 20th. Newsletter contributors: Please email your material to the newsletter editor by the 14th of the month.
President: Dale "Gus" Gustafson, 1-317-293-4430, dalefaye@msn.com
Vice President: Doug Moncreiff, 317-280-1621, cdmoncreiff@sbcglobal.net
Secretary: Michael Mossman, 1-765-483-9533, michaelandkatie1@comcast.net
Treasurer: Vern Sullenger, 1-317-839-8728, sullenger@iquest.net
Director: Dennis Crawley, 317-387-1737, Crawley27@comcast.net
Director: Dave Helton, 1-317-745-7916, dhelton@iquest.net
Director: Chuck Long, 317-892-3146, LoneEagleHDS@aol.com
Director: Glen Matejcek, 1-317-839-5444, aerobubba@earthlink.net
Director: David Morton, 317-745-4846, djamorton@sbcglobal.net
Director: Gary Reynolds, 317-745-6223, n98gr@att.net
Director: Paul Vogel, 1-317-272-2106, p_vogel@sbcglobal.net
Current as of June 4, 2008
See our chapter roster online at http://www.eaa1311.org/memberroster.html
NAME EMAIL ADDRESS PROJECT(S) BALDWIN, Fred bladexz2@comcast.net Bladerunner twin jet BEETHAM, John jabeetham@earthlink.net Fokker D VII, Piper Dakota BRAAF, Bob bbraaf@msn.com Cessna 210-5 BROYLES, John broylesjohn@sbcglobal.net — BUDNY, Skip skbudny@tds.net Mini 500 helicopter BYRUM, Jon jbyrum@byrumarchitects.net RV-7A CHAPMAN, Jeff PoP6756@aol.com Piper Tri-Pacer CHAPMAN, Tom chapman.t@insightbb.com 1957 Cessna 172 CLARK, David davecpd@att.net 1946 Aeronca Chief CRAWLEY, Dennis Crawley27@comcast.net Grumman Tiger EMINGER, Mark tjemee@yahoo.com Christavia Mk1 GRIFFIN, Jim jimg@netcapade.net Questar Venture GROVER, Troy rv6grover@sbcglobal.net RV10 GUSTAFSON, Dale DALEFAYE@msn.com Piper J-4 HATFIELD, Doug hatfielddoug@hotmail.com Zenair 640 HELTON, Dave davehelton@heltonassoc.com Piper Tri-Pacer HENDERSON, Robert robert_10215@msn.com Christavia MK2 KOPESCHKA, Dave iedvk@iquest.net Little Wing Autogyro KOPESCHKA, Steve stephen.j.kopeschka@rolls-royce.com Little Wing Autogyro LATHROP, Steve lathropdad@worldnet.att.net BearHawk LAURENZANO, Mike mikelaurenzano@yahoo.com Bushby Mustang II LeBARON, Tim tjlebaron@sbcglobal.net RV-4, Breezy, Ercoupe LEUCHT, Chuck charlesleucht@sbcglobal.net RV-9A LEWIS, Jimmy rudder4@aol.com RV-7A LONG, Chuck charles.long@allisontransmission.com Zenair 601 HDS MATEJCEK, Glen aerobubba@earthlink.net RV8 MATEJCEK, Robin aerobubba@earthlink.net RV8 MELCHIOR, Dirk d-r-melchior@msn.com F1 Rocket MONCREIFF, Doug cdmoncreiff@sbcglobal.net JDT Hi-Max MORTON, David djamorton@sbcglobal.net — MOSSMAN, Michael michaelandkatie1@comcast.net Zenair 601 HDS NELSON, Cale cale_nlsn@yahoo.com Cessna NG, Bart bng@math.iupui.edu RV-7A PRINCELL, Rick GRPContracting@comcast.net GP-4 RAHM, Kenneth riptide757@aol.com — REYNOLDS, Gary n98gr@att.net RV6A RINEHART, Mark capt_riney@yahoo.com Kolb Mark III Classic ROTTLER, Mark mark@rottler.org — RUBERSON, Bryan bruberson@aol.com Aeronca Chief RUSH, Larry k9hxt@sbcglobal.net RV6A, RV-8 SHUMAKER, Kim kkrv-9a@sbcglobal.net RV-9A SMITH, Shaun — — SNYDER, Jim jim.snyder1@comcast.net Cherokee 180 STUCKER, David d.j.stucker@worldnet.att.net — SULLENGER, Vern sullenger@iquest.net Cherokee 140, RV-7A VOGEL, Paul p_vogel@sbcglobal.net Sonex VONDERSAAR, Bob rvondersaar@austin.rr.com Steen Skybolt VONDERSAAR, Teresa tvondersaar@ausin.rr.com Steen Skybolt WEATHERS, Steve indy.pilot@hotmail.com Wag Aero Sport Trainer WININGS, Jim winingsj@aol.com Rocket WINTERS, Ernie lwinters@pow-wowfitness.com Cessna 170 A
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