I Met Paul and Audrey!

November 2021 – I've always been in awe of the EAA founders, Paul and Audrey Poberezny. What an achievement. I'm sure they never expected such a solid, well-organized outfit to be the result of an ad hoc club formed in their basement. I feel fortunate to have met them both, however briefly, and just wanted to share the moment.

Paul almost killed me, Audrey was charming. Let me explain.

It was at AirVenture a few years ago, maybe more than a few. Okay, Google, when did Paul P. last attend AirVenture? Apparently he passed away in August 2013 so it must have been July 2012 that I was almost run over by Paul Poberezny, my life's greatest achievement. He was careening around a corner in his golf cart at AirVenture (or as some of us like to say “Oshkosh, the fly-in,”) and screeched to a halt next to my right leg. He simply smiled and gave me that “after you” look. That was the last I saw of him, other than picking up a signed photograph somewhere in one of the pavilions.

I was fortunate enough to meet Audrey Poberezny at the One Week Wonder booth when she was hosting, or being hosted, by a group of FAA officials who had all come to “pull a rivet.” At the time I was volunteering on the One Week Wonder as the “welcome person” and dutifully entered the name “Audrey Poberezny” in the record of people who had pulled their rivet, as well as several long-forgotten FAA representatives.

I'm sure there are many of you with unique experiences you would like to share. Why not give those memories an airing? Send them to newsletter.EAACC@gmail.com and I will be happy to share them with our readership.