hire within state boundaries. The Transport held no geo graphic restrictions and required a minimum of200 hours experience. Ole applied for the Transport, and the date was set for his examination. On the morning of May 7, 1929, Ole went to the Gladstone Hotel in Jamestown for his written and oral exams. He had an appointment with George Gardner, the CAA inspector, who was accompanied by an assistant, a Mr. Wright. Ole first took the written exam, which he finished in about 15 minutes. Gardner then read the questions and Wright responded with Ole's answers. About midway through Gardner read, "What causes wind?" "Beans" Wright answered. Gardner laughed, and a smile broke out on Ole's face. The tension was broken , and the group adjourned to the field where the Travel Air awaited. Gardner discussed the required maneuvers that were to be demonstrated, and then climbed into the passenger cockpit. Ole pulled the OX-5 through . Now he was in his element. "Big Jim" swung gracefully through a series of S-turns over a road, the first maneuver. Gardner nodded, and Ole
found two points for his eights-on-pylons. He completed one figure eight, then Gardner turned around and pointed back to the field . As Ole swung the Travel Air into a turn Gardner called out that he wanted to see a short field landing. The Travel Air slipped over the telephone lines, its flying wires whistling softly, as it had done literally a thousand times before guided by Ole's skillful hands . Al most motionless, it caressed the grass and rolled to a stop in only three or four times its own length. The OX-5 ticked over at idle for a few moments . "Let's go back to the hotel," Gardner said, his manner and smile telling Ole that he had passed. Ole pushed forward the throttle and taxied triumphantly, tail high, back to his tiedown spot. Five days later, on May 11, Ole was hired to fly the Secretary to the President of Great Northern Railway to St. Paul , Minnesota. His flight to Sioux City two months earlier was a passenger hop , but this one was a charter. He logged 3 hr. 35 min . for the nonstop flight, and begin ning with that page, the classification blank was filled in with "Transport, license no . 6231."
THE STRIPED ROBIN
The sun was low and the shadows long. They had been waiting for an hour or so, and had about decided to return to town when they heard the purr of an OX-5. The Robin came out of the dusky eastern sky and was almost on them before they could see it. It was right over Highway 10, and not much above telephone pole height. As it passed over head it pulled up sharply, and the setting sun illuminated the underside of the yellow wings. It continued upward and went past vertical, completed a full loop, side-slipped
over the wires, and brushed the grass with a perfect land ing. Several months earlier, during an evening visit at the kitchen table, Dr. Henderson mentioned to Ole that he and Noel Solien, owner of a local clothing store, were considering investing in an airplane. They discussed the various possibilities, and then Henderson asked what airplane Ole would recommend. Without a moment's hesi tation he said, "A Robin. " A few days later Henderson
Ole on the right with two of his friends, George Page (with hat), a Greyhound bus driver, and Willie Anderson (one of Ole's ticket sellers but no relation). On occasion Willie would drive
George's bus so George could ride between towns in the Robin with Ole! Photo taken at Moorhead, MN on 8 /19/29. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7