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HENRY "HANK" HANSON, 4001 Houston Drive, Harlingen, TX 78550

This year I will be 80 years old. Since retiring in 1980, I have had many experiences talking with pilots.

One of the greatest thrills I had in my 34 years was, with the Captain's permission, riding the jumpseats. I have written over the years of many of those jumpseat experiences. When I was teaching the two-day recurrent training as a ground instructor on the B727 and the DC-9, I had most of those joyful experiences flying from EWR to BOS, DCA, ATL, ORD, and, of course, MIA.

When the stretched 727s had the Loran navigation system installed in them around 1974, I had to review the system for recurrent training sessions on the 727. I was told to, and I did, ride a 727 jumpseat from EWR to SJU to find out first hand how to review in my sessions. On the way down, I did not receive much understanding about the systems because the captain was leaning over to the pilot's side to use it all through the flight as it was his first trip with the Loran - so I did not see much.

The next day when I had to go back on the same flight at 4 p.m., I was eating breakfast at the hotel and Captain Perry Hudson's crew was also eating there. I knew the pilot and he called me over to eat with them, asking me what I was doing in San Juan. I told him. Perry Hudson, the fine gentleman that he was, asked me if I wanted to go back with him on an L1011 to JFK at 12 noon. He told me that the L1011 had two Loran systems and I could really see how to use it riding in the high jump seat overlooking the captain. I accepted.

I checked out of the hotel at the same time as Perry Hudson's crew and rode back to the airport with them in the limousine. After checking in we boarded the 1011 and after all the checklists were completed we took off and leveled off at 37,000 feet. He then put it on course with the automatic pilot. In the next two house plus, I was allowed to set up the Loran blips and called them over to the co-pilot who had his chart out. I made many checks in those two hours plus, checking for the w/d before we daw the skylne of Manhattan at that high altitude. I was really pleased with Captain Perry Hudson's teaching. It made my day.

Of course, over the years I heard many nice things about Captain Perry Hudson as Chief Pilot and as a friend of all the the EAL family.

Sincerely, Hank

LEON JANSEN, 7541 NW 7TH Court, Plantation, FL 33317

I am appreciative to the living members of REPA for the privilege to be an affiliate of the Association. I am truly grateful to all my friends if the Association who have departed earthly runways for the great aerodrome in the sky. May all the members be blessed with good health throughout 1999.

Leon