It is with great sadness that I learned that Larry Loretto died yesterday.
When I first met Larry, many years ago, I didn't know what the hell to
make of him. He had retired from AC and started a flight school in Ottawa
and helped many pilots flying today, get their first start. He thought I was
insane, and he was probably right.
Larry loved to fly. The union at AC didn't much like Larry, because as
soon as he maxed out his work hours, he would go fly budworm in a TBM
or maybe a 727 for Bradley. He just loved to fly. He would fly anything.
He was an awesome stick. He flew this bizarre between-the-wars British
biplane which was everything you would expect. It had far too much
character, and a swivelling tailwheel which I was always nagging Larry
to upgrade to a locking tailwheel. It was never meant to fly from a
paved runway with a crosswind, but Larry was a good enough stick to
do it. I don't know too many people who could.
[img width=500 height=363][/img]
Larry and I used to fly charters in various C421's, an airplane I am
very fond of. He was great to fly with. He will be missed, and like
Freddy in Key West, his passing makes the world a lesser place.
[img width=500 height=332][/img]
Larry Loretto
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Chuck Ellsworth
How sad, Larry was one of the nicest people in aviation and I spent many an hour with him.
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Slick Goodlin
- Posts: 721
- Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:46 pm
I’m sorry to hear that, I didn’t know Larry as well as you guys but I had spoken to him a couple times and liked him. Nobody who regularly flies a Hornet Moth can be all that bad, after all.
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Colonel
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 10:31 am
There are not many DH.87's in North America. Larry loved his:
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Hornet_Moth]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Hornet_Moth[/url]
[img width=500 height=170][/img]
Try to get your FTU instructor to check you out on [i]that[/i] ...
Photofly has a funny story about this. I hope he chimes in.
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Hornet_Moth]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Hornet_Moth[/url]
[img width=500 height=170][/img]
Try to get your FTU instructor to check you out on [i]that[/i] ...
Photofly has a funny story about this. I hope he chimes in.
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SanFlies
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2018 3:34 pm
We had a beer with him at his house a few weeks ago. He was as feisty as ever, as we love and know him. He called me on June 26th to congratulate me on my first solo flight. I was really honoured. I haven't known him long, but he is my partner's mentor (John Wyman) and we will all miss him dearly.