Lincoln Park Airport

Knew Bill Fedishen (great guy, classic unforgettable character, who was a great foil for Ed. The two were classics of aviation.) Equally unforgetable was Ed Gorski who took my mom and older brother up in a JN-4 Jenny (or maybe a Waco?) in the old days. My first light plane ride, Cessna 172 (1962), first lesson (1964) through license (1969) being instructed by: Bill, Tony Farell (who, IIRC, did my license pre-check ride) and young Dave Brody (with whom did my last dual-cross country and my first & only spin). From Lincoln Park to 23 years in Naval Aviation.

Wow, cant believe I found this sight. I worked for Ed in the early 70's > I did everything from sweep the runway, to washing his car and loved every minute of it. Instructors were great. Arnold Kufta, Tony Farrel, Bill Reda, Bill Feddishon, Daine Sutton, and Chuck Smith. What a great bunch of guys. And their was Lucifer the cat. He used to catch mice in the field and bring them for Ed. Ed loved that damn cat !! Many good memories with Wayne W. hangin in the commander, breaking into the furnace room and buying those bottles of coke, and lets not forget driving the go carts down the runway on lousy weather days. Would love to hear info on any of them guy

Reply to @blueskyes:

Enjoyed reading about your Ed Gorski experiences ---I agree, good man!

I can see him again in the round concrete office saying "---hmm don't have enough money eh? --- ok build an airport symbol with a wind sock out there near the runway and we'll start teaching you to fly". That was in 1946 and I was back from 23 missions as flight engineer on B-24's in the South Pacific.

Ed's CFI Steve Bannister #33659 sat in the front of the Piper Cub puffing a cigar (no, really; blew smoke back over his shoulder in my face!) and we were off for "Familiarization, Climb, Glide, Turns, Coordinations" for 30 minutes. It's all right here in my log book that your fine write-up made me dig out -- Cub J3 -- 27056-- Cont 65 --- wonder if they are still renting it out.

After a later solo it was Ed that called me down in what you accurately described as a 'gruff' manner for flying over with rpm way too high!

On a later solo the engine died on final in one of his Cubs --- the telephone lines across the approach (since taken down) raised a question Bannister had not discussed with me --- over the wires or under the wires? --- I picked over and the wheels cleared by inches --- hmmm strange how the wheels get closer to those wires as the years go by.

Ed had worked with Amelia Earhardt at Teterboro and did big things in WWII according to a book on his life --- which is somewhere around the house here --- oh well.

Thanks for your memory stimulating words blueskyes.

This is the first time I have seen this website, and I am pleased to see the response from others about the airport.

Back in 1962 on my sixteenth birthday my grandfather paid for my first lesson.

The plane was a Piper PA-11, tail number 4549M. The instructor was H.T. Buckley.

The lesson was only thirty minutes but the memory lasted a lifetime. That day I was introduced to Ed Gorski and his wife, and other pilots were in the office on that day. After that first flight, I spent every dollar I earned going back for more, for I could not get enough of this new experience which completely changed my life. I remember after I had soloed once or twice Ed would ride in the back seat for the first couple of landings, to make sure I was able to handle the cross wind conditions, he always seemed to have a cigar in his mouth and yelling orders from the back seat about what I was doing wrong. When I fly today I can still hear his voice and it brings back back fond memories.

There is a lot more that I would l like to share about my experiences at the Lincoln Park airport but the website does not allow the space it would require. I thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences.

Robert J. Ruck sales@class1tool.com

I'll keep it short, me and friend Garry Flipped a coin for the right seat on a ride, garry won and as we were flying gracious Ed asked if he knew something about flying, He said yes and Ed said take over and Garry gripped the control wheel then Ed asked for a turn and Garry quickly performed a split-S (which would have made an SBD pilot envious) and had me viewing the Totowa Drive-In parking lot thru the windscreen. Ed calmly cut the throttle and very gently recovered to straight and level. Cigar smoking Ed never lost it and just verbally said thats not how you do it.

Just a little 50s aviation trivia involving some past events. Garry went on to get his license many years later, and a 172.

Rich S.