Getting to Know Richard Howell

As a young boy, 3 or 4, my dad’s love of airplanes rubbed off on me. My first airplane ride, which I’ll never forget, was in a Piper Tri-Pacer. It was at a little airport open house event - I think maybe in Williamson, NY. I was probably about 5 or 6. In the late 60’s and early 70’s, my dad and I did control-line and R/C models together. I think I expected to grow up to be an airline pilot. As I got more into my middle teens, I realized I wasn’t military material. I also (ignorantly) thought that was really the only path to an airline career - so I pretty much gave up on that idea.

I got my private pilot’s license in 2001, after 9 months of Part 141 training at Class C, John Wayne Airport in SoCal. Since August of 2002, I’ve had a Piper Warrior II, 1984, PA-28-161, which roosts in its wonderful hangar at KCLM.

At the present time, I’m building a Sling 2 with an anticipated first flight in late spring or early summer 2022. I’m hoping to use my new plane to add instrument and maybe commercial ratings in the next year or so. Sadly, gotta sell my trusty Warrior :-( For me, the Sling 2 was love at first sight. I took a trip to The Airplane Factory USA in Torrance, CA. The goal was to test fly a Sling 2 with the Rotax 912iS engine. My kit was ordered as a quick-build and I received the empennage and started building in November 2019. When I received word the rest of the kit was on its way in December 1, 2019, I tracked the progress of the shipping container after it left the factory at Tedderfield Airpark, near Johannesburg, South Africa. The container found its way aboard the Xin Ri Zhao and sailed from Durban on December 24, bound for Singapore where the container was transferred to the YM Upsurgence. The Upsurgence made several port calls in Thailand, Vietnam, and China. Finally, on January 26, 2020, YM Upsurgence departed Yantian, China. Next stop – Tacoma, Washington USA! It looked like it would enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca during daylight hours on February 10. My wife, Mary Ann, and I drove to nearby Ediz Hook in Port Angeles, WA and had a perfect view of the strait. There she was!

After nearly two months from the day she left the factory, my Sling 2 quick-build kit found its way to my shop. “Never underestimate the amount of procrastination required to get something done.” For anyone interested in the progress of building this airplane, check the Weblog: https://sling2.slantalpha.com I was a member of EAA Chapter 92, Orange County, SoCal and pretty much a wallflower. I’ve been a member of Chapter 430 since November 2018, and just this year, chapter President Ray Ballantyne somehow talked me into being chapter Secretary.

I’m still permanently embossed by early trips to the Glenn Curtiss Museum and Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (back in the Cole Palen days). In SoCal, I had Planes of Fame to help keep the fire burning. I’d go to airshows whenever they were around, often with my Dad.

I was sprouted in PA (Philly area) and then a seedling in upstate New York (Rochester area) where my dad was an engineer with Xerox. We moved to Texas (Dallas area) when I was in middle school. We moved to Southern California for my senior year in high school - all really poor timing as far as I was concerned! I spent two years at electronics tech school in Phoenix, AZ and then began my career back in SoCal, (South Orange County), working for MicroData Corporation as an electronic technician. For several years, I was partner in a computer store, and then off on my own as a custom programmer and independent computer consultant. I eventually hired on as software engineer and worked for several companies, eventually with Panasonic Avionics Corporation. Altogether I spent 40 years, living and working in Southern California. I met my eventual wife, Mary Ann, at work. We celebrated our 20th anniversary this past January.

We acquired our PNW nest early in 2015 and finally moved here late in 2018 when Mary Ann and I both retired. I wrapped up my dabbling in electronics, computers and software engineering. Mary Ann capped of her successful career as an electrical engineer, technical communications writer and manager, having also earned her degrees — AS Electronics, BA Journalism, BA Asian Studies and MS Information Science.

One of our most memorable adventures was the 2005 trip we made in our Warrior to Baja California, Mexico, organized by Baja Bush Pilots International. The purpose of the trip was for whale watching in the San Ignacio Lagoon, a nursery for gray whales. The Pacific gray whale migration from Alaska’s Bering Sea to the warm waters of Baja’s lagoons is the longest mammal migration on earth. Every spring, hundreds of whales return to traditional birthing and breeding grounds in sheltered San Ignacio Lagoon on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Our trip took us, along with 35 other airplanes, 600 miles south of the border, landing on the 50’ wide dirt strip at the Hotel Serenidad, where we stayed for 3 nights. The town of Mulege was shut down for the first evening so we, along with the local residents, could celebrate with a street party.

The next day, we flew from the hotel, across to the Pacific coast of the peninsula. Our whale watching was done in small aluminum boats, each boat holding 10 people. When we arrived at the “nursery,” a huge mother whale swam up and very proudly pushed her baby right to the side of our tiny boat. They took turns putting their giant heads into our boat for pets. We were in awe, totally captivated by their friendly de-meanor and behavior towards us humans. At one point mom settled down below the boat and for 20 minutes went upside down to scratch her belly on the prop while we babysat the youngster. That was a trip we’ll never forget.

Besides flying and our airplane, Mary Ann and I love the PNW outdoors - walking and e-bikes are steady pastimes. Day trips and having nibbles at various venues are always fun. We’re looking forward to doing a grand tour of the US in our Sling 2. Then, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise - I’ve long wanted to travel in Europe. Maybe a helicopter rating or building a Kitfox and doing some back-country flying? I’ve promised to get Mary Ann (and me) a dog [again].

EAA is for me, a way to venture out of my comfortable, insular world to plug in a bit with people - finally put down some roots. I think involvement with airplanes offers a magical opportunity and potential for parents and their kids to bond. Having something interesting and wholesome to be engaged with and be inspired by - and aspire to - can make a huge contribution to growing up – no matter how old we are. Those who know me would say I’m pretty much an open book. I can’t seem to surprise anyone. Richard Howell, EAA 1055918