Volume 10 , Issue 25

1947 Flying Farmers Convention In Stillwater, OK

Headlines: "Flying Farmers Still Looking For Plane To Do Chores Right."

The caption under photo: "Farming may not have been like this when grandpop was a boy but even the grandfathers now are joining the trend to aerial farming. Starr Nelson, 81, Delta, Colo., (upper left) was among the 600 arrivals at Stillwater Thursday for the National Flying Farmers convention. Nelson, with 700 hours in the air, hopped over from Colorado.

[caption continued:] Upper right, Miss Glenna Eiland, Amarillo, Texas, a flying farmerette, finds those are real whiskers sported by Gene McGill, Alva, first national president of the organization. McGill claims they are his trademark. Below, Flying Farmers get a practical demonstration of crop dusting.

Stillwater, Aug. 7 (1947) -- An airplane is a handy gadget to have around the farm, but manufacturer still haven't turned out the plane that meets all the farmer's needs.

This seemed to be the general opinion of farmers and ranchers from throughout the country who arrived here Thursday for the national convention of the Flying Farmers association.

Mrs. Tod Davis, Minco, a commercial pilot and re-elected secretary-treasurer of the Oklahoma Flying Farmers, put the whole problem in a nutshell.

"We need an airplane that you can go places in a hurry, that you can haul a heavy load of equipment in, that has lots of visibility and can land and get out of small fields and that doesn't cost too much."

More than 600 delegates and visitors representing 34 states and three foreign countries registered for the three-day convention which opened here Thursday. They arrived at North airport in more than 350 planes of all types and descriptions.

R. L. "Kid" Gibson, who at 77 years is the second oldest active pilot in the organization, flew here in his small two-place plane from is 640-acre ranch at Tahoka, Texas.

"A plane comes in awfully handy in locating lost stock, spotting water holes, hunting coyotes, hauling equipment and all that but I want one they haven't put out yet," he said. Gibson learned to fly when he was 74 years old.

All of the light plane manufacturers had their latest models on display at the airport here, hoping they had produced a plane that the farmers, who Contitute the largest market for personal planes, would buy.

Luscombe Aircraft Corp., Fort Worth, unveiled its new four-place plane here Thursday afternoon. The ship, which they hope will find favor with the Flying Farmers, is designed for "round the clock" visibility, and for handling 600 pounds of cargo by removing the seats.

Cessna Aircraft Corp., Wichita, Kans., displayed its new model 195.

Harry E. Bollar, Tulsa, was in charge of the flight showing how planes can be used for crop protection, held for the benefit of delegates attending a crop protection conference at Oklahoma A&M college.

Cedric Foster, radio news commentator, spoke at the opening banquet of the convention Thursday night at Willard hall on the college campus.

Friday's convention activities include an inspection of several large Oklahoma ranches. The convention delegates will be guests at a barbecue luncheon Friday at the Turner ranch in Hereford Heaven. They will return here for a banquet Friday night.

New officers of the Oklahoma Flying Farmers association, which held its business session Thursday morning, are: L. A. Decker, Lahoma, president; Oscar Megert, Colony, vice-president; Mrs. Tod Davis, Minco, Secretary-treasurer; and Ramon Martin, Oklahoma City, executive secretary. -- Aug. 8, 1947, The Oklahoman, page 1
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