The Plane! The Plane!

Well...way back in '76...(boy does that sound funny and make me feel old!) I was taking flying lessons at Flabob Airport in Rubidoux.  I had been told about a very reasonably priced flying school by famed stunt pilot Art Scholl. Art had just begun teaching aeronautics classes at SBVC and had started a college credit course at EHS one day a week.  I was taking his class.  Well, as some may remember, there was a flying service that had pioneered an airplane mounted programmable message sign (to the underside of the wings of an old Beech twin engine airplane)that could be seen many a week-end night flying over San Berdoo, Rialto and Fontana.  It was a flying billboard. 

While taking flying lessons at Flabob, I saw the plane parked there at the airport.  I inquired about it and found out that the plane belonged to the airport's owner Flavio Madariaga (the first three letters of Flavio's name make up the FLA in Flabob.  Yeah, you guessed it...the other owner's name was Bob!).  To make a short story long, I asked Flavio how much it would cost to fly over Eisenhower High School's upcoming graduation ceremony.  He told me $600 was his usual charge for advertising.  I told him I didn't need to advertise, nor did I have $600 dollars, but just wanted to wish my fellow Ike grads congratulations.  I guess he thought it was a cool idea or he admired my crazy boldness for asking, because he soon walked into his office to "check his calendar."  He told me, "You're in luck, I have an advertising job (flight) that same night.  Tell you what.  You pay me $60 and I'll do a few passes over your graduation before I begin my advertising job for the night."  As you may recall, $60 bucks was a lot back then, but to be able to "arrange" for a plane with an electronic message "sign" underneath it's wings to fly over graduation with "Good Luck Class of 76" or something similar was just too good to pass up.  I had no time to round up donors, so I took out my checkbook and wrote out the check!  Best deal I ever got for $60 bucks!   [Everybody send Mike a buck! ~Bill]

I worked out a plan where my dad had to call the guys on the ground at Flabob (from the pay phone in front of the school - remember, no cell phones back then!) to tell them when to start flying overhead.  The guys at the airport then radioed to Flavio who was piloting the plane and circling in the distance waiting for the signal. 

I have to admit I was a bit worried when the fireworks started (the one's with the little flags suspended by small parachutes floating down from the fireworks to the quad) going off as the plane flew low over the quad.  I thought they might hit the plane.  I didn't know they (the school) were going to shoot them off and I hadn't told the school about the plane.  Sorry Flavio!  I hope your plane didn't get hit!!! Can you just imagine if the plane had been hit by the fireworks and crashed!  Just picture the headlines, "High school prank causes plane to crash - film at eleven!"

It all worked out and it was fun to watch and see the expression on everyone's faces, especially the school staff who had no idea who had arranged the plane. 

Well, now you know how it came about. By the way, I was so busy watching the plane that I never took any photos of it.  I hope someone out there has photos to share or even better, some Super 8 film showing the plane. 

See you at the (next) reunion!

Michael Soubirous, EHS, 1976