Page 5 - Aerotech News and Review, February 5, 2021

YEAGER, from 4
and to learning lessons from near-misses and every two years. Because the new aircraft and the movie, “The Right Stuff.”
hard landings. In a 40-page MACH BUSTERS systems are more complex, the crews should be From that morning’s introduction, the retired
section published by the Antelope Valley Press held together longer to keep the most practiced general and the boy he always called “young
for the 50th Anniversary of Yeager’s first su- and experienced people at the controls. man” formed a bond. Michael became a kind of
personic flight, Aerospace reporter Jay Levine Known by those close to him as a strong and summer Saturday morning mascot, being lifted
interviewed Yeager on the test pilot’s thoughts competent leader and “someone who doesn’t into cockpits of warbirds and listening to hangar
after a half century. suck-up to generals,” the father of two daughters flying yarns.
In that interview, Yeager’s reflections showed and two sons had a soft spot for kids. On one Saturday morning, responding to a
a mind open to fundamental changes in strategic Local resident Michael Cleare, who was a question from Yeager, Michael said he planned
positioning influenced not just by new technol- child when he fell in love with flying, was nine- to spend the afternoon swimming at Jane
ogy, but by shifts in economics, social trends years-old when he came to know American hero Reynolds Park Pool in Lancaster. At the pool
and global priorities: Chuck Yeager. The unlikely friendship began later that afternoon, Michael recalls kids hearing
The pilotless airplane is the future of military when Cleare’s grandpa rewarded the boy’s good propeller warbirds circling in the sky above. Mi-
aerospace — reducing risks to humans and more grades with a surprise gift of an hour-long flying chael identified the planes as World War II P-51
precisely engaging targets. lesson every summer Saturday morning. Mustangs and gull-winged F4-U Corsair fighters,
The quest for greater speed is no longer a key The adventure began with a 5 a.m. alarm and flown by his friends. “They didn’t believe it,” he
goal for military fighters. “If a guy is running, a drive to Barnes Aviation at Gen. William J. chuckles. But he knew it was his private air show.
you can launch a missile that travels about two Fox County Airfield, west of Lancaster. Owner The dual instruction flying lessons ended with
Mach faster than your launch speed and catch Bill Barnes, son of legendary woman avia- the passing of Bill Barnes and Michael’s sixth-
him.” tor Florence “Pancho” Barnes, would be Mi- grade year. Not allowed to fly solo until his mid-
“Stealth is the key to survivability.” chael’s flight instructor. Among the adults sit- teens, Michael took a break through high school
“People bitch and whine about reductions in ting around having coffee and conversation that and eventually earned his private pilot license.
force. But in today’s fighting, you don’t need as morning was an older guy who looked familiar He says the last time he saw Chuck Yeager was at Air Force photograph
many airplanes.” to Cleare. The man wore a crumpled old hat that the old AV Fairgrounds on East Avenue I, where Capt. Charles E. Yeager, circa 1944.
The Air Force should stop the practice of young Michael had seen before. It was the hat Yeager was selling autographed copies of his
rotating air crew members to new assignments Chuck Yeager wore in a cameo appearance in book. Michael lent a hand. ated the Chuck Yeager Decoration to recognize
Yeager’s generous contributions to science achievement of its senior members.
Chuck Yeager by the numbers programs won him a lot of friends and admir- Yeager was instrumental in building support
ers. Yeager set up and underwrote an educational
Flying Hours Logged: 10,000 foundation. He partnered both publicly and pri- for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s
Aircraft Types Flown: 350 vately with national organizations supporting Young Eagles program that introduced hundreds
X-Plane Test Flights: X-1, 34; X-3, 3; X-4, 7 youth outreach and education not just in science of thousands of American children to the personal
Other significant flight tests: Captured Russian MiG-15, F-86, F-100 and aerospace, but for wildlife conservation and thrill and wonder of flight in light aircraft.
habitat preservation. He was characterized as Perhaps summing up the life of Gen. Chuck
Awards and Honors the most visible advocate for Conservation since Yeager in one sentence videotaped for his online
1947 — Awarded Collier and McKay Trophies for breaking the sound barrier President Teddy Roosevelt. memorial service, actress Barbara Hershey, who
1953 — Harmon Trophy Maj. Gail Harper of Edwards AFB Civil Air portrayed Yeager’s beloved wife of 45 years, the
1976 — Congressional Silver Medal Patrol Combined Squadron 84 recalled that the woman he called Glamourous Glennis, said of the
official Air Force auxiliary organization cre- man, “Boy, was that a life well-lived or what?”

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