District II—New Jersey, New York, Europe
Eric Williams
Vice President
rcpilot@nycap.rr.com
4242 Amanda Ln., Schenectady NY 12303
Tel.: (518) 356-2057
www.amadistrict-ii.org
www.facebook.com/DistrictIIAMA
Unfortunately, with each passing day, we lose more members of the Greatest Generation. Thankfully, one of those brave World War II heroes is still with us. And even better, he’s carried on the gift of model aviation to his family.
During the mid-1930s, Edward Sarkisian worked on factory-new Taylor Cubs, and on Curtiss Jennys and Stearmans at the Teterboro, New Jersey, airport. A month or so of work would earn him a single flying lesson with a Cub on floats at the Little Ferry Seaplane Base, 12 miles from Newark, New Jersey. Edward ended up with a hard-earned six hours of flight time.
Edward’s enlistment in the Marine Corps in October 1939 put a quick halt to his flight lessons. As an original plankowner (crew member when a ship is placed in commission) on the USS Yorktown, CV-10 Edward served as bugler, Captain’s Marine orderly, and a 20mm antiaircraft gunner as part of the Marine detachment on the USS Yorktown. He crafted a Hellcat ring while sitting for countless hours on gun watch. The ring was made from the tailhook of an F6F Hellcat.
Fast-forward to 1961 and Edward Sarkisian’s basement. Working on his scratch-built 12 x 4-foot workbench with pullout drawers and Luscombe model boxes overhead, Edward’s four-year-old son, Edward A., eagerly watched his father build model airplanes. The lessons of hands-on building skills, understanding elevator and rudder movements, and an appreciation for building model aircraft were not lost on Edward A.
Thirty years after his father took his flying lessons, Edward A. took his first airplane ride in 1974 in the same location as his father had—the Little Ferry Seaplane Base! But the story does not end there. Edward A. went on to become a commercial airline pilot. And third-generation grandson, Daniel Sarkisian, obtained his private pilot’s license in August 2012.
Of course, all three Sarkisians are AMA members. Edward, Edward A., and Daniel are proof that model aviation is family oriented!
On Saturday, June 20, 2015, the Bergen County Silent Flyers hosted its Fourth Annual Warwick Electric Summer Fun-Fly at the Warwick Municipal Airport. As in past years, the full-scale Warwick airport, with its 3,000-foot paved runway, proved a wonderful location. The club has established a great relationship with the Warwick Airport Association that provides the venue.
This year’s activities included demonstrations of multicopter photo platforms and 35 overnight campers. In addition to the airport runway, event participants utilize adjacent Wickham Lake for float flying. I can attest to the fun of flying off the lake, and the friendship of local boaters who retrieve the occasional stranded float plane.
Remember, it’s not about what we fly, it’s about the people and the friends we make.
