The Cuba
Free Press
Feature
12A
April 24, 2003
Cuba pilots share00rich histo
This is the second of a two-part series featuring local pilots.
Indescribable feelings of free-
dom, control and autonomy are
listed as some of the reasons for
flying, but mainly it seems to be
an all-consuming passion among
those who visit the outskirts of
grayity.
John Mosby has been flying for
41 years, taking his first flying les-
son in February of 1962. Mosby
acquired ownership of "Sky
Prints," an aeronautical charts
company in St. Louis in 1967 after
gaining his private pilot's certifi-
cate.
He became interested in air rac-
ing through the former owner of
Sky Prints and stayed active in
competition for 13 years. Mosby
refers to it as a "deadly serious
business" with the frequency of
mid-air collisions resulting in mul-
tiple fatalities.
After winning the National Air
Race Class Championship in
Reno, Nev., in 1981 (the
Indianapolis 500 of Air Racing),
Mosby hung it up in 1982. He also
won the Miami National Air Races
in 1971.
"As far as I know, I'm the only
person to win at Reno while hold-
ing only a private pilot's certifi-
cate," he said.
Mosby is also known for donat-
ing the land for what is now the
Cuba Municipal Airport. Mayor
John Brummett approached
Mosby in the early 1970s about
donating 30 acres of his family
farm to the city for the municipal
airport, which enabled the city to
qualify for state funding.
"In 1972, the Federal Airport
and Airways Development Act pro-
vided if municipalities with dedi-
cated land could meet 60 acres,
(they would receive federal fund-
ing). The city asked for an addi-
tional 30 acres for additional fed-
eral funding and to put Cuba's
proposed airport in the National
Airspace System," Mosby said.
Sixty acres of land qualified it
for $25,000 in state funding and
$350,000 in federal funding. Dr.
Norman DeLeo, Percy Pascoe,
John Brummett, Dr. Mike Elders
and Bob Coffmann were members
of the first Airport Commission
which oversaw the grants applica-
tion, funding and construction
processes.
The airport opened in 1975 and
in 1999 underwent major rehabili-
tation to keep it in the National
Airspace System.
"Norm DeLeo became the
Economic Development Director. I
always felt that forbode well for
the airport, because I felt Norm
had the vision to see the airport as
a smaller part of a bigger plan,"
Mosby said.
"As for accomplishment, I con-
sider my most important here on
the ground, where I finally over-
came my addiction to alcohol. I
happen to be fortunate to be in a
position and at an age where I can
advocate publicly about my experi-
ences and beliefs and I choose to
do so," Mosby said.
Mosby is enjoying his current
vocation at Jim's Motors 1in Cuba.
Considered to be the "first fam-
ily of aviation" by Mosby, the late
Dr. Frank Elders and his family
have competed in many proficien-
cy air races, receiving numerous
awards. Active in the National
Pilot's Association before the Cuba
Municipal' Airport evolved, they
also operated their own personal
airport, "Flutterbug' Roost"--
complete with hangers on the
"Elder's straightaway" south of
Cuba on Hwy. 19. Dr. Mike Elders
is still active in the Missouri
Pilot's Association.
.Mary Pounds (Elders) considers
her former involvement in flying
"self-preservation." "If (Dr. Frank
Elders) was flying, (I thought) I
should learn something about it,"
she said.
Mary said she took lessons, not
having the intention of flying solo,
but was tricked into it by her
instructor in 1956. "I was so mad.
After the first time, I was all right.
I just loved it after that.," she said.
Mary not only enjoyed flying, she
excelled at it. Winning proficiency
air races sponsored by the NPA,
she partnered with her husband in
races all over the country.
Dr. Frank Elders received his
private pilot's license while serv-
ing in the Air Force in 1955. Mike
Elders started taking off with his
father as soon as he could see over
the controls.
Passing the written examina-
tion at age 15, Mike Elders soloed
on his 16th birthday. Obtaining
his private pilot's license at 17, his
father let him and his friend take
a joy ride around the country in
his airplane.
"He had a new airplane and as
a graduation present, he let us go
anywhere for two weeks. It,was
unique---turning kids loose in a
brand new airplane," Elders said.
Mike ended up flying 6,000
miles and putting 100 hours on
the plane in 12 days. They flew
west from Cuba to the Mexican
border, up the west coast to
Seattle and back to E1 Paso and
Corpus Christi, Texas, then home.
In 1962, Elders entered his first
competitive air race, having to
estimate time and fuel compared
to the manufacturer's handbook
on the airplane, which was scored
to actual usage. In the 1962 St.
Louis Aero Club Race, Dr. Frank
and Mike Elders placed sixth out
of 50 airplanes.
In 1963, Elders took fourth
place with his father in the annu-
al St. Louis Aero Club Race spon-
sored by the NPA, and in 1964,
Mary and Dr. Frank Elders took
first with Dr. Mike and Dr.
Norman DeLeo placing second.
As a consequence the NPA
awarded trolhies at their conven-
tion for the "most proficient."
Mary got female pilot of the year
and Mike Elders won male pilot of
the year.
The "first family of aviation"
designation rings true for the
Elders, their family having won a
slew of trophies and accolades in
their flying endeavors.
Dr. Mike, who had a family
practice in Cuba for 18 years, has
commercial and instrument rat-
ings and over 1,200 hours flying
time. As an emergency room
physician at Phelps County
Regional Medical Center, he now
fliesfor business and pleasure.
"I'm into the romance of flying.
It was the best thing that hap-
pened to me as a teenager. It
instilled an immense confidence in
me that I didn't have before."
DeLeo, Cuba's current
Economic Development
Coordinator, volunteered for the
army after graduating from dental
school. He volunteered to be an
airborne parachutist, and was
assigned as a dental surgeon for
the 82nd airborne division.
"The first (jump) is probably the
greatest you could ever make.
After that, guys become para-
troopers and try to see how fast
they canlempty it out. They train
you and you try to space yourself
so you don't jump on someone's
back," DeLeo said.
"I decided to get out after
almost six years. I came back to
Cuba to set up a civilian dental
practice and found a skydiving
club ove in Washington. My wife
said, 'You and your next wife enjoy
that," De Leo said.
A friendship with Dr. Frank
Elders led to DeLeo's involvement
in flying. He trained under Frank
at "Flutterbug Roost." Since he
couldn't jump out of planes any-
more, he kept inside of one he
bought.
DeLeo was heavily involved in
the beginning of the Cuba airport,
but got out of flying after purchas-
ing a wholesale beer distributor-
ship.
DeLeo misses flying, but at the
time, made a sensible move by giv-
ing it up. "You don't mix alcohol
and flying, so I sold the plane,"
DeLeo said.
Dr. Don Fuchs, a multi-talented
dentist in Cuba, warned of the
dangers of becoming too self-
assured. "The danger of making it
through a dangerous situation, is
you become cocky. You see it with
stunt-show pilots. Every year you
hear about one of the pilots burn-
ing it into the ground because they
push the safety envelope to the
max."
lights on," he said.
Fuchs began taking lessons in
the early '80s and used to take
baseball teams he coached up for
rides. Fuchs has flown for pleas-
ure and business, pointing out
that a lot of places in Missouri are
unreachable driving.
"One of the greatest pleasures
of piloting is hangar flying. You
can learn survival stories from
from a T6 to a RC135, he
flown the perimeter of the
Union, China, Korea am
Winning three air
Krulik earned 350 combat
in Vietnam and took two tours
Southeast Asia. He spent two
a half years in Okinawa and
months in Guam. He also took
three to four week trips to
during the C01d War on alert.
Dr. Don Fuchs, D.D.S. is pictured with a baseball team he coached. Fuchs began taking lessons in
the tmrly 80s and has flown for business and pleasure. Fuchs warned of the dangers of becoming
too cocky as a pilot. "Every year you hear about one of the pilots burning It into the ground," he
From left: Mary Pounds (Elders), Dr. Frank Elders, Dr. Mike Elders, and Dr. Norman DeLeo pose
after placing first and second respectively in the 1964 St. Louls Aero Club Race. It was a proficiency
race where contestants had to estlmate time and fuel compared to the manufacturer's handbook,
was scored to actual usage.
John Mosby Jr, is pictured on one of many sky ventures. He actively competed in Air Racing for
13 /ears and quit in 1982 ater winning the National Air Race Class Championship in Reno, Nevada
in 1981, the Indianapolis 500 of Air Racing. He also won the Miami National Air Race in 1971.
Fuchs himself has had close
calls, but fortunately knew what
to do in those situations. Losing
total electrical power at night on
his way back from the Lake of the
Ozarks, he could see Vichy's bea-
con and knew the Cuba airport
was directly east from there. "(The
plane) was like a rocket in the sky
with no flaps, no radio 'and no
other pilots and how to manage
emergency situations," Fuchs
said.
Dick Krulik has been flying for
50 years, 27 of them spent in the
U.S. Air Force. Since his retire-
ment in 1979, Iie has been flying
for pleasure, receiving his com-
mercial/instrument and single,
multi-jet rating. Flying everything
Having triiveled all over
world, Krlik thinks the Cubs
port is nice. "It's
the time. ItJs a definite asset
community. The first
ple ask the
is 'Is there an airport?' It's
vital," Krulik ,'
Stow by Christy Nixon
