The event was an email from a high school classmate concerning the passing of Bill Hazelton. Some of you may have known Bill, as he was president of the Mishawaka Pilots Club for several years, and was active there.

Mr. Hazelton, as I knew him, was a High School English and Government teacher for the class of '64 at Lakeville. A bit eccentric, or at least unconventional, he would have ranked in the top several “most unforgettable” of our high school teachers. A very talented man, he took genuine interest in his students. At the time, I felt an extra bond to him, because I was a novice amateur radio operator, and he had the “General” class license. Mr. Hazelton encouraged me to move up to the General license, and even brought an old Morris code machine to school, so I could practice during study hall. I successfully passed the test before I graduated.

I didn't realize it at the time, but Mr. Hazelton was also the first “homebuilder” I ever met. As a teacher with a family, there wasn't a lot of money to pursue aviation. But he found two old Rearwind taildraggers: steel tube and fabric fuselages, wood spar and fabric wings, and 5 cylinder radial engines, in a state of total decay. Then he also sought out and found a benefactor, a Dr. Roop, I believe. The deal was that the Dr. would buy the planes and the materials if Mr. Hazelton would rebuild both of them. At the end of the project the Dr. would get a rebuilt airplane and Hazelton would keep the other one as payment for his efforts and labor.

So he went to work. And he talked a lot about the projects at school, about flying lessons he was taking, about researching FAA rules and practices, about learning how to build new wing ribs, etc. These weren't actual homebuilts, but older certified airplanes that he intended to make airworthy again under the original type certificate. And since he wasn't an A&P, he had to work out deals to get his work inspected along the way, etc.

I recall several visits to his garage during high school, to see the progress of the project. I was impressed then. But thinking back, I should have been even much more impressed. I didn't know enough back then to fully appreciate the challenge Hazelton had taken on, and the determination and skill he showed accomplishing it.

Then, about four years later, during a break from college classes, a couple of us went over to an airshow at Smith Field in Fort Wayne. There, across the fence that held back the spectators, was Hazelton and his now flying Rearwind. He recognized me, came over to the fence, and we chatted a while. It was really neat to see the finished product, and I stayed late after the show to watch him fly it away.

I didn't know then that I would become a pilot myself in a few more years. And Mr. Hazelton didn't have a lot to do with that later process itself. I probably only saw him once or twice after that. But thinking back: I'm sure he planted the seed.

Years later, as a teacher myself, I discovered that you really can't predict the impact that you may have on a student. What they learn from you may be quite unrelated to the subject of the course. If only our present educational bureaucrats understood this!

But sometimes, once in a while, you reach someone in a totally unexpected way, and you literally change his or her life. Mr. Hazelton did that for me.

I don't remember anything specific from high school English class, although I'm not saying it didn't learn anything there, either. But I definitely remember the ham radio work, seeing his airplane projects, and working on the plans for the new LaVille High School in government class. Yes, Mr. Hazelton and my classmates wrote up a lengthy critique of the initial plans for the LaVille HS. The next set of drawings from the architect incorporated nearly all of our suggestions in some way.

So, please share your aeronautical efforts with those around you, and especially with the young ones. I know several of you in the club already do work at this, and I want to congratulate you on your efforts.

We may have to fly dozens of young eagles and show off our projects many times, because you never know when you might change the life of some young man or women. For the good.

EAA’s new E-LSA Conversion Kit includes everything EAA members need to convert

an ultralight to the new experimental-light-sport aircraft category.

Included in the all-inclusive kit is a 15-page, Step-By-Step Conversion Guide

that walks you through the entire process. (more on this)