"Five dollar Frank" has died

[Yuri]

From rec.skydiving:

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"Five dollar Frank" died a few days ago. Many Bridge Day jumpers and visitors flew with Frank over the last 20 years to get a birds eye view of the bridge. I was one of only 3 people that Frank ever dropped out of his plane (and the last). Frank thought skydivers were kinda like him...a little goofy. Frank was 79 and had been flying for about 60 years, right up till last week. The first time I flew with Frank (around 1975) he had a hearing aid in his pocket about the size of a large pack of cigarettes. When you asked Frank a question (while flying) he'd hold this huge hearing aid up to your mouth so he could hear what you were saying. Frank was very bizarre sometimes. The locals here thought he was both a nut but also a great guy. More important... he was one hell of a pilot.

Blues

Cool

Franks Obit story:

http://www.dailymail.com/news/News/2001032720/

[guest]

One Heck of a Pilot !

[guest]

The first and only time I flew with Frank I was 16 years old... 1984... got a great view of the bridge I would make my first BASE jump off of 12 years later.

I remember pulling up to the beater of a hangar... "This is IT? You've got to be KIDDING!" Doors long ago rusted open, mismatched metal patches, and one old Cessna sitting out front.

The airport got even wierder... all sortsa primitive torture devices stood by the runway... old electric chair, stocks, guillitine... "This is F*UCKED UP!" (but in a cool way.)

And then Frank walked up... wrinkley-faced, raspy-voiced, near deaf. We reluctantly got in the old plane... "man, is this guy even gonna MAKE IT?" we wondered.

20 minutes later I'd been on the best flight of my life and heard some stories I'll never forget. Frank had been taking folks up in his plane for years... (used to fly right under the bridge before they banned it)... and would continue to do so for another 17. I'm sorry I never went back... had always planned to.

That ol' WWII fighter pilot sure will be missed by many from all over the world.

You were one helluva pilot and one interesting cat, Frank. Blue Skies!

[Yuri]

Yo !

I flew with Frank about 2 years ago. It was a highlight of the weekend - more fun than jumping the bridges... an experience i will never forget. Frank sure will be missed!

Blue Skies, Black Death!

Yuri.

[guest]

I took my fiancee flying with him during last year the day before bridge day, after Mad Dog had thrown a grasshopper on her in the hotel lobby.

The flight and talking with Frank, soothed her ruffled pilot's feathers.

He was a lot of fun to fly with.

Jim

[guest]

Well, I can't help but remember how we almost got killed while flying with frank...

It was October '98, the weekend before Bridge Day. Jason, Shawn and I arrived at the "landing area", only to find a "Will fly for $5, Frank." note on the fence.

So the dude lands, and the previous "load" comes off the plane, and we get inside. Jason's the tallest, so we let him sit in the front seat, and he brings his TRV-900 with him (yeah, everything I'm about to tell you is on tape!).

So, Frank boards the plane, starts the engine and begins taxiing towards the beginning of the runway. In the meantime, we three are arguing whether to ask him if he saw us jumping the other day.

So we get to the beginning of the runway, turn around and start speeding, when all of a sudden Franks brakes and says "We're outta gas...".

Ok, so we figure, he probably got a pump, 5 minutes and we're outta there. But, low and behold, an aid arrives and starts manually pumping gas into the right wing... By that time we are already laughing histerically inside the plain, as Frank is outside and can not hear us (as if he could even if he were inside...)

So after a few minutes the pumping is done, and we are teasing Frank and asking him for a longer flight, 'cause we had to wait. He agrees, and turns back towards the beginning of the runway.

Now, Jason is in front, I'm on the right side of the rear sit and Shawn on the left side. As the plane taxis, I'm watching the view through the window, and suddenly I realize that it's raining.

A closer look reveals the fact that it's not raining at all - some fuel spilled over the wing as they refueled, and now the wind made it drip over the window. Yet another closer look reveals that there is too much fuel coming out of the wing to be a spill.

Now, the plane is turning around, and Frank starts speeding towards takeoff. I show Jason and Shawn the fuel, and as terror takes over we shout to Frank that there's a fuel leak from the wing. Now I'm sure you can all imagine the frustration in trying to tell a deaf person he's about to blow you out of the sky.

Somehow, we got his attention and he pulls over (I'm not making this up!) He gets out of the plane and guess what - the fuel cap was off... Frank tries to close it, but it's on the upper face of the wing, and the 75 year old tries to climb the wing.

At this time, Jason's camera is still running, and he captures Frank's attempts to climb the wing. "Come on, dude, help the old man!" we shout from behind to Jason. Reluctant (but without much choice) Jason gets out of the plane, and I take the camera and document the passenger closing the plane's fuel cap.

Finally we got the damn thing closed, we relax and decide that while we're at it, we're going to go all the way, and for the second time we wave the opportunity to get off the plane before it takes off...

When we finally took off, we tried to ask Frank if he'd ever seen people jump off the bridge, but he heard nothing of what we said and started answering questions we didn't ask. Then he starts reciting a poem or something, I can't remember right now, but you can all ask Jason, it's all on tape.

It was a fun flight, and we did get the extra 5 minutes for the refueling, and throughout the flight one image kept flashing in front of me - the ending scene of Die Hard 2, when Bruce Willis opens the fuel dump lever on the 747 and then lights it from the ground and the jet explodes in mid air.

What can I say? That was definitely an experience I'll remember for the rest of my life. Who knows, maybe Jason will put this segment in his next video as a tribute to Frank.

I would have never flown with him again, but I'm sure going to miss him...

Inbar Raz.

[guest]

1983,ERA,.

[guest]

Sad, the world has lost a real character. He was definately the most unusual pilot I ever flew with...

[base428]

What a unique man. Every now and then, we'd give his passengers a little "extra" for their $5 and jump for them as Frank's plane flew by.
Fortunately, I was able to capture my first and last ride with Frank on video, with some of his famous poems and such. Yes, I'll have to include some video of him on the next base video. I always remarked that one day we would have to change his name to $6 Frank. Unfortunately we'll never see it.

http://www.321cya.com/_temppics/5dollar_frank.jpg

We're gonna miss you Frank...!!!

Jason Bell
BASE428
fixed@321cya.com