Residents of Graystone Hills are in for a treat this Fourth of July. Conroe’s own rag-tag gang of professional pilots will be flying over the city to celebrate the nation’s 233rd Independence Day.
The group is a team of veteran and civilian pilots called “Freedom Flight.” Many of the members flew during wartime, but this is not a requirement to be part of the club. All you need is some enthusiasm for aviation and a good dose of patriotism.
The group was informally established between friends Dick Cardell, Dick Stevens and Omer “Sam” Ward, all veterans and former Continental Airlines pilots who own their own small planes. Wishing to keep in practice, the group would come together every week and hone their skills over Lake Conroe. There are eleven pilots now and several new members being trained for flight formation.
Since it’s inauguration several years ago over Lake Conroe, Freedom Flight has become a formal organization and is requested to perform fly-overs for many patriotic events and funerals. They are always happy to comply, as gleaned from their mission statement which strives “to foster community pride and patriotism through precision formation flight exhibitions in support of community events, and through missing-man demonstrations to honor all those soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who have given their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy.”
The group is still growing, and will add a new small-craft kit airplane, the RV-3, currently being assembled inside the apartment of Conroe resident Stephen Johnston. Each member has built their RV craft airplane, dedicating years and thousands of dollars to promote Freedom Flight and everything that it represents. “We are just happy doing what we are doing right now,” said veteran member Ward. “We just want to honor the men and women who have served this country.” For this reason, Freedom Flight does not accept monetary contributions and performs for local communities at their own expense.
You can catch these heroes at Lake Conroe as they race across the sky this Fourth of July. They will be performing fly-overs at the Walden Yacht Club and the Bentwater Country Club as well as surrounding areas on the south side of the lake. For more event information, please contact these numbers: Walden on Lake Conroe at 936-582-1622, Grand Harbor POA at 936-582-1054, Bentwater Yacht and Country Club at 936-597-6219.
Freedom Flight also flies over the Lone Star Executive Airport on the northeast side of Conroe off of FM 1484 every Saturday. Pack a picnic and camp out at the adjacent Montgomery County Park to watch these patriotic pilots in action.
Source: Houston Chronicle
