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ED CARNEY, 4316 Mangrove Pl, Sarasota, FL 34242

While looking at the pictures from the REPA convention it appeared to me that we are aging, and a look in the mirror confirmed that suspicion. The letters, though, show that we are ignoring the calendar and keeping up our interests and activities.

It is a little early to send my dues, but I wanted to add a few comments to O.B. Bivens' very interesting article about the flying boats. I wish I had known of OB's experience with them when I flew with him. In 1942 I was an apprentice mechanic for American Export Airlines at LaGuardia's Marine Terminal next to Pan Am's hangar. American later bought AE and changed the name to American Overseas which was merged with Pan Am in 1950.

American Export flew a PBY used for route surveying and the only three Sikorsky VS-44As ever built. They were powered by four P & W Wasps of 4800 HP, grossed 57,500 lbs. , and cruised at 174 knots. Christened by Excalibur, Exeter ,and Excambian they had a short and interesting history, including military service in WW2.

The Excalibur crashed on takeoff at Newfoundland in 1942. The wreckage was transported to LaGuardia and one of my sadist jobs was to salvage usable parts from the wreckage.

The Exeter ended up in South America and crashed in Uruguay in 1947.

The Excambian survived service in South America and was used on the Long Beach to Catalina run from 1957 to 1962. In 1967 it was purchased by Charlie Blair, AE's former chief pilot, for use in his Antilles Air Boats operation in the Virgin Islands. He donated it to the Navy which leased it to the Air Museum in Windsor Locks for restoration. Charlie was an interesting character who earned a place in aviation history. He set numerous speed records both in flying boats and in his P51 which is now in the Smithsonian. His wife, Maureen O'Hara helped to run the Antilles service. In 1978 Charlie was killed in a Grumman Goose.

More extensive coverage of these events was published in the November 1980 and March 1985 issues of the Air Line Pilot.

The cruise for the next REPA convention is a great idea. I hope I can make it.

Sincerely, Ed

PAUL WHITTAKER, 7 Pell Mell Drive, Bethel, CT 06801

John (Billings), I don't know if you remember me or not, but I flew the DC9 right seat for you. The tall gawky kid. Anyway, I remember having a great time bring [[being]] your copilot and learning a lot. This spring I took a job flying the Chase family around the northeast in their Piper Cheyenne (turbo-prop, 620 horses each side). Having a great time playing with their toy just the way you taught me to play with the 9.

Sincerely, Paul