PRESIDENT and EAA QUIZ

[Bill Greenwood]

Which President has the most EAA like spirit? And I don't mean an EAA president or official.
Three rules for this question:
1. He must be or have been President.
2. Ignore his politics, you may love or hate his policies or actions, but that is not part of the question.
3. It is only how he fits the EAA spirit.


Now, who are the likely ones?
Bush, Sr. comes to mind, was a pilot, flew combat in WWII, and has made sport parachute jumps. But maybe the question is not that easy.

How about Sen. Kerry, he's a pilot and a decorated combat vet? Same for Sen. McCain. But see no.1 rule.
How about Clinton, he is not a pilot, but used a C180/185 to campaign in Arkansas, I know the guy who flew him, but again, maybe not that easy?

[Adam Smith]

JFK's "we choose to go to the moon" speech is a decent encapsulation of the EAA spirit. He was a womanizer too.

(BTW John Kerry has a low EAA number issued in the late 60s.)

[Joe LaMantia]

Bill,

This is a fun topic and I'm guessing there is no right or wrong answer. Here's a few thoughts/questions, do we only consider Presidents elected after the Wright Bros. Flight or can we include lighter then air guys like Abe Lincoln? Assuming we're talking about post Wright Bros Presidents, then I'd suggest FDR. He expanded pilot training a few years b/4 WWII and held office during the largest expansion of military aviation in our history. The number of pilots trained during that period fueled the growth of Comerical, Military, and even General aviation for years to come, the numbers speak for themselves, FDR grew aviation!

Now if we're only talking about Presidents who were pilots then the Bush boys have it hands down. But then again "W" was pro user fee. As for guys who ran and lost, Sen McCain has had several "fights" with AOPA over user fees so he isn't on our side regarding that issue. I would replace McCain with Sen. Imhoff who is a pilot and supports EAA and AOPA, he has attended AirVenture more then once.

I'm guessing there won't be any votes for Garfield or Hayes!


Joe

[Bill Greenwood]

Joe, see rule no. 1, he has to have been President, so no for McCain or Imhoff.
I didn't think about lighter than air flights, but guess that can be in the EAA spirit also.
And yes, in my mind there is one real answer, although it may not be popular.
You make a good case for FDR, his First Lady came down to their base in Alabama and insisted that one of the Negro (yes that is the word in use then, long before Black or African American) pilots take her up for a flight. Whatever prejudice the white officer had, he wasn't going to say no to the First Lady, not this one, and she made her point.

As I said, Bush, Sr. is close,but right now he is still not quite who I had in mind.

[Bill Greenwood]

Adam, I would have never thought of JFK,but you make a good point. You guys are smart. But unlike EAA spirit, JFK did not fly or ride on the space flight or build the rocket in the White House basement. So no JFK

As for "womanizer", well I have heard that he had an eye for a good fuselage, and the curve of a wing, just like most EAA members.

All joking aside, let's give JFK his due. He had two major crisisees when was in command and his coolness and judgement saved his men the first time with the wreck of PT-109 and 2nd time he saved our nation when we were at the brink of nuclear war.

[Jeff Boatright]

Adam, I would have never thought of JFK,but you make a good point. You guys are smart. But unlike EAA spirit, JFK did not fly or ride on the space flight or build the rocket in the White House basement. So no JFK
...

Well, if it's just being a pilot that qualifies you for "the right answer," possibly it's Ike? He was a pilot, and though in the military, was not an official military pilot, so I guess he was a private pilot. Not sure if that alone qualifies him for "spirit of EAA" winner.

On "spirit" alone, I'd say Washington or Jefferson - both of whom believed deeply in self-reliance and in doing the job right the first time.

[Tom Charpentier]

Thomas J. Whitmore?

[RV8505]

One things for sure, It isn't the current administration! They have been doing everything in their power to destroy it.

[Zack Baughman]

Tom Charpentier with the win.

[Bill Greenwood]

I had to look up who Whitmore was, never saw the movie. Good try, but no cegar.
This President is a real person.

HINT, he flies and ultralight, for real.

And Jeff, I didn't know Ike was a pilot. I do recall him being flown over the invasion beaches at Normandy in a Piper Cub to see how progress was going. That took some guts. As for guts, the old man in Whitehall did not lack any either. He wanted to go on one of the invasion ships, but that was nixed and wisely so, by Ike and the others in charge.

Think of the responsibility of the man flying that Cub with Ike in the front.

Anyway, it is not Ike, but let's move him near the top. Not only did he use the Cub, an EAA type plane, but he sure knew the value of what we now call warbirds, he especially singled out the C-47.