THE DAY USF BECAME AN AIRPORT
Young aviators soared on the wings of imagination BY KIM FRANKE-FOLSTAD
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HERE WAS SOME DOUBT, AT FIRST, as to whether the idea would even fly. Certainly, the USF campus was wide open enough for landing a plane back in January 1973. But could the university’s new aviation club, formed just that fall, get permission from the administration – not to mention, you know, the Federal Aviation Administration – to hold a bona fide fly-in right next to the student union? The club’s charter president, Bill French, ’73, was feeling lucky – emboldened, perhaps, by his early success. After all, the group had started with only a handful of members, students interested in 54 UNIVERSITY of SOUTH FLORIDA
flying and learning to fly, and grew quickly after they passed out pamphlets and held a few outings. And they had been fortunate to get people with real-life experience involved early on. Jerry Crittenden, a popular associate professor in Communication Sciences & Disorders, became the faculty advisor. French professor Adrian Cherry had a plane. Jim Leslie, a recently retired FAA executive whose daughter, Lynda, was a club member, offered flight instruction and muchappreciated mentorship. Buck Salter, a “crazy courageous” World War II veteran and employee at the University Center, taught ground school – and told great stories.