A22—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, October IS, 1983
Flying farmers soar
BY LAURA ENGLAND
MARIETTA If you ask a
Pennsylvania Flying Farmer
member to name one reason why
you should join the organization,
you would probably get four
reasons instead - flying,
fellowship, friends and food.
The four F’s of the Flying
Farmers, as they’re called by
members, serve as a solid back
bone for the organization. It’s a
shared love of flying that brings
the group together. Then, the
fellowship swarms in and
generates a lasting bond of
friendship. And the food is just one
way of saying, “Hi. It’s great to
see you!”
The Pa. Flying Farmers chapter
is one of 41 chapters in the United
States, Canada and Mexico that is
part of the International Flying
Farmers (IFF) organization. The
Pennsylvania chapter is a member
of Region I, along with the
Delmarva, Maryland, New Jersey
and Virginia chapters. IFF
chapters are self-sustaining and
self governing, and chapter
delegates in turn elect In
ternational officers during annual
conventions.
The IFF, which boasts 9000
members, was bom 39 years ago
under the direction of the late
Henry G. Bennett. Then president
of the Oklahoma State University,
Bennett and associates decided an
organization of “flying” farmers
had great possibilities.
And the possibilities of the
President R. Keith Vogt, right, explains that having a good
time is not the only purpose behind the Flying Farmers -•
education is also highly regarded. At this meeting, members
got to see some equipment from E.E. Shenk and Sons, R 3
Elizabethtown. (Photo by Dave Kruger).
Gei , caught in traffic while trying to get to a meeting is no problem for Pa. Flying
Farmersmendjers-A landirtg-Strip.ata local airport or one in a
adequate for landing a plane. (Photo by Dave Kruger, Pa. Flying Farmer member).
organization have been great.
According to the IFF Silhouette,
individual chapters foster abiding
friendships by sponsoring local
and regional fly-ins. Some
chapters have community bet
terment programs. Other FF’ers
Qy missions of mercy and help in
air searches.
What spurs this involvement is
the atmosphere among chapter
members. "It’s a family
organization,” explains state
president R. Keith Vogt. “There is
tremedous friendship and love
among the group.”
Vogt, who recently hosted a
regional fly-in at his farm in
Marietta, says Flying Farmers
brings together people interested
in both agriculture and aviation.
When planning a meeting, Vogt
says he likes to provide a
meaningful program, education,
safety aspects and areas of in
terest in both flying and farming.
Even with well-planned
programs, FF’jers are quick to
point out that the four F’s - the
flying, fellowship, friendship and
food - are really the important
aspects of the fly-ins.
Pa. chapter member Nancy
Marsteller, New Park, a former
state and international Flying
Farmers Queen, points out the
bond of aviation and agriculture as
“something we, as members, all
share.”
Mrs. Marsteller speaks highly of
the organization as she explains
her role as the International
on to fellowship and friendship
Bsl
BPS
Fellowship is an important aspect of the Pa. Flying Farmers. Here, the group gathers
at the R. Keith Vogt residence, Marietta, for its September meeting. (Photo by Dave
Kruger).
Queen. During her reign, she
traveled over 4000 miles to state
conventions to promote Flying
Farmers, crown state queens, and
help honor those members who
received their Landit Awards.
The Landit program is im
portant, Mrs. Marsteller says, as it
encourages female members, who
do- not have a flying license, to
learn how to land a plane. This
ability is essential if a problem in
the air should ever occur.
Although she doesn’t have her
license, Mrs. Marsteller does have
her Landit certificate. She says
she would eventually like to get her
license, but until that her husband,
Wilbur, is the pilot in the family.
The interest in flying is shared
equally by the Marsteller’s two
children, Darren, 13, and Laura,
10, who are members of the youth
organization.
“They (Darren and Laura) know
people all over the United Sates
and Canada,” Mrs. Marsteller
says, “and when the national
convention rolls around they claim
they have to go just to see their
friends.”
Joining the organization in the
teen years has its benefits, and Jeff
Rothenberger, Oxford, can attest
to that. Rothenberger’s interest in
flying began when he attended an
IFF convention in Florida with his
parents. That was in 1965, and in
1972 when he was 17 he took up
flying himself.
Rothenberger, a part-time
farmer and an elementary teacher
at Solanco in Lancaster County,
now owns his own plane - a Cessna
single engine, four-place. He also
has his VFR (visual flight rules)
St'ac,. ■
license which allows him to fly into
clouds, relying on instrumentation
only.
Since getting his license,
Rothenberger, who was the IFF
teen vice president in 1976, says be
has about 720 hours of flying time.
In giving his opinion of the
Flying Fanners, Rothenberger
has this to say, “It’s alot of fun and
there are many social things to do.
Basically, we have a good time.”
Having a good time and building
many friendships are not the only
things Velda Beidler, Barto, has
achieved through her membership
in the Flying Farmers.
Mrs. Beidler, who has her pilots
license, has received awards,
designed to encourage flying, from
the IFF. She began by receiving
her Landit certificate and then
moved on to a plaque for soloing.
She then received a trophy from
Piper Aircraft for earning her
private pilate’s license.
Both Mrs. Beidler and her
husband, Gordon, have their
licenses and take turns when
flying. The couple has made
several trips to Ohio where Mrs.
Beidler’s parents live, and have on
occassion taken friends to Raleigh,
N.C.
Mrs. Beldler has her VFR
license and remembers one special
trip
clouds.
'
“We were flying north of
Washington,” she says, “and were
going through the clouds. When we
broke out (of the clouds) we saw a
circular rainbow. It was
beautiful.”
“It was really a beautiful flight,
and you can really see God’s
country from the air.”
Another “beautiful” aspect
about flying is that it is for young
and old alike. At age 14, a person is
able to solo. Atl7,ateencanget'a
private pilot license and is able to
haul passengers. And when you
get a little older the benefits are ...
well, just ask 77-year-old Horace
Pepper.
Pepper, a member of the
Delmarva chapter got his license
in 1946 when he was 40 and has a
little less than 4000 hours of flying
time. He has his own plane, a
Cessna 182 four-place, and a
landing strip and hanger on his
farm in Laurel, Del.
Pepper and his wife, Harriet,
enjoy the Flying Farmers
organization very much and the
many friends they have made.
And the actual flying? Harriet
says, “I like it fine.” |j
And just how long does Pepper 9
plan to continue flying?
“As long as 1 can pass my
physical and the sheriff doesn’t
„catch me,” he says jokingly, “I’ll
’ keep flying.” ' -