Al Gregg, our long-time CFIG and friend passed away peacefully on Feb 9, 2009. After a long bout resulting from a stroke in the summer of 2007, has earned his permanent wings.

Al was one of my instructors, so he is always in the back of my head with advice when I get close to some safety-boundary or when the going gets tough.

After the first flight of the morning, Al got out of the backseat of our L-23, and said: ‘I don’t want to fly with you! Go fly by yourself.’

As I got more secure and safe in my flying, he’d often show a different aspect of his CFIG mode: Pretty much total silence. I could do anything I wanted, but when I reached his boundaries, the control in that direction was blocked. Solidly!

Al has been involved in flying long before my time. In fact, he made a living at it. He told me how he would fly for Kenmore Air to supply the Alaska Prospectors in rag-covered, float-equipped biplanes. If the load would not fit, the airplane was ‘adjusted’ so it did fit. Doors, and window-panes, or even fuselage panels were not always required!

All of us in the Seattle Soaring Community will miss Al Gregg a lot.

Heinz Gehlhaar