The First Annual UFO Carolina Fly-in
May 10, 2025
On May 10th we held the first UFO Carolina Fly-in at the Cape Fear Jetport (KSUT) in Oak Island, NC. In spite of questionable weather we had 14 pilots and guests, with a majority from North and South Carolina. However two were from California who were in the east visiting relatives in the area. This was especially good since it meant Susie Newman Harrison and Rob Harrison came to the event. Susie is an event planner and was a tremendous help in setting up the event and Rob was one of our two speakers. Rob is 84 and still flying Airshows. He is known as the Tumbling Bear. He talked about the effects of age on flying aerobatics and what he did to accommodate for this and keep performing.
The other speaker was more local, Howie Franklin Director of the Cape Fear Jetport. Howie served in the US Air Force and became the Chief Steward for Air Force One. He was the first to serve under 5 Presidents including Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton.
We then all shared on our aviation experience and discussed topics relative to UFOs such as insurance and the handling of hearing loss. Going forward we decided to hold Zoom meetings to stay connected and plan future events. In that vein we discussed changing the name from Carolina Fly-in to the mid-East Coast and expand the attendance. I want to thank everyone who came and helped with the event.
~ Art Falk
UFOs Gather in Coastal California
April 23, 2025
April 23 started out with low stratus ceilings that promised to hang on through the mid-day. The Central Coast has been having a lot of foggy mornings, and sometimes the fog is slow to burn off.
We had been looking forward to sharing lunch at Jerry Long’s hangar at Santa Ynez. By 11:30 my home base, KSBP, was VFR, but the ceiling was still 2200 feet, about the same at Santa Ynez, but not much terrain between. It was a short flight in my Cessna 172 with two passengers, Liz Dinan and Jan Dungan who is new to the UFO. We arrived just in time for lunch. The flight was a little bumpy under the clouds. The view was lovely and the hills were lush and green. There not many wild flowers to see this year, and I did not knock over any cows on the way.
Paul Trent drove in from Santa Barbara. The clouds were too low to get through the San Marcos Pass. Bill Krauch and Mike Makowski both locals joined the fun. We enjoyed our lunch and had some time for hangar talk. By that time the sky was blue without a cloud in sight. It was a lovely flight home and we skimmed over the hills marveling at the spring hillsides.
We decided that the next meeting at noon on Wednesday, July 23, should be at Santa Paula KSZP. It is a fun place to land, the restaurant is great, and maybe more UFO members from south of Santa Barbara can attend. More good times and opportunities to fly ahead!
~ Grace Crittenden
January UFO Gathering in Paso Robles
January 22, 2025
Another beautiful day for flying and a good excuse to start the engines, we met in Paso Robles January 22 for a winter fly-out.
Darrel Radfod, a local Paso pilot, was waiting at the One Niner Diner when Jerry Long and Bill Krauch flew in from Santa Ynez. A few minutes later, Grace Crittenden landed with Liz Dinan, coming in from San Luis Obispo. We were happy to see Dan Bailey and his wife Barbara when they arrived from Camarillo. It was a nice lunch, seasoned with hangar talk and fun stories.
We are looking forward to getting together again for our next fly-out, Wednesday, April 23, this time for lunch at Jerry Long’s hangar in Santa Ynez. Here’s hoping for a beautiful spring day!
Earth-Rounders invade Tacoma, WA
September 9, 2024
Read their blog
The organization is a social club for senior pilots who are defying the conventional rules of aging.
By: Marissa Alter Jun 19, 2024, 6:51 PM Connecticut news12.
https://connecticut.news12.com/ufos-invade-danbury-airport-for-annual-meetup
“UFOs descended on Danbury Airport Wednesday, but the invasion was a welcome one—the United Flying Octogenarians’ annual meetup in the Northeast.
“We're a bunch of kids who never grew up who are still flying airplanes after our 80th birthday,” explained UFO President Ken “Brownie” Brown. “To qualify to be a UFO, you have to be a pilot in command of your own aircraft with a certified pilot’s license.”
The organization is a social club for senior pilots who are defying the conventional rules of aging.
Just ask Jack Rosen who arrived from New Bedford in a plane he built. Rosen’s shirt could be the group's slogan: “It's weird being the same age as old people.”
Rosen, who’s 87 years old, said he feels like he’s still 18, “but the aches and the pains remind you.” He’s one of 1,800 UFOs worldwide who refuse to let their age keep them grounded. The organization started in 1982 with half a dozen members.
“We are the aviation history that is still flying,” Brownie told News 12. The 84-year-old made the trip to Connecticut from Seattle, Washington. “Our oldest member right now is 104. We have four centurions.”
It was Brownie’s first time at what’s become a yearly reunion in Danbury. The gathering began over a decade ago, organized by President Emeritus Bob Barker.
“I first discovered this organization when I was 78, and I couldn't wait to be 80 to join,” Barker recalled, adding that he flew on his 80th birthday and promptly put the application in the mail. “The purpose of our organization is to provide camaraderie and improve the life experience of elder pilots, and this does it in spades.” For those who think age 80 and up shouldn’t soar through the skies, “We say we are living proof that that is not the case,” Brownie countered. “Our pilots work at a higher standard than the FAA requirements. We evaluate before we go on every flight. Is today a day I should be flying or is today a day I shouldn't be flying? Brave and bold is not one of our mottos.”
To maintain their licenses, they complete a flight review with a certified instructor every two years and undergo regular medical checks. But one thing is clear for this crew: flying never gets old.
“What is there not to love about flying? First of all, you're in command of your own space and time. You get to go where you want, when you want, how you want,” Brownie stated.
“It keeps your mind working, and that's what I do—just keep the mind working,” added Rosen.”
Paso Robles
May 2024
The skies over Delmarva witnessed a historic moment today as one of the world's first "flying cars", the BlackFly, took flight. This state-of-the-art single-pilot electric aircraft, which takes off vertically like a drone and flies similarly, is pushing the boundaries of modern aviation.