I learn something about our members every time we do a member profile.  For instance, I’ve known Chapter 59 Secretary Jim Skinner for several years but I didn’t know he was born and raised in nearby Marlin.  He said I’ve probably never heard of it (it’s a small, dying town 30 miles southeast of Waco) but he was wrong.  My mother’s side of the family was all from Marlin and, by the way, I was born there.  It’s a small world.  Like many of the people interviewed for these profiles, Jim summarized his aviation-related life in about two sentences, then said “that’s about it.”  Wrong again.  Here’s just a glimpse into the past of Jim Skinner.
 Jim graduated from Marlin High School in 1947, and diligently studied partying and occasionally accounting at SMU, then Stephen F. Austin College.  No degrees were offered at the time in partying at either place of “higher” learning (that may have changed since), so while Jim was trying to decide what to do next, he took up flying.  Harry Rogers, the local duster pilot in Marlin at the time, taught him to fly in his surplus L-2 (Aeronca) in exchange for duties around his airstrip.  After earning his private license Jim joined the Air Force.  By then the Korean War was under way and by early 1951, he was twisting wrenches on T-6 Texans up in Waco at James Connally Air Force Base.  While there he applied for Aviation Cadet training and that fall found himself in Primary training in Moultrie, GA, flying T-6s.  Next he went to Reese AFB in Lubbock for Advanced, spending most of his time in T-6s again, this time under the hood.  He earned his wings then completed transition training in Sumter, SC, in the T-33 and RF-80 on his way to Korea.  
 By early 1953, Jim had completed his 100 missions as an RF-80 reconnaissance pilot with the 45th Tactical Recon Squadron, 67th TRW.  Flying about three missions a day, he accomplished those missions in about four months stationed at Kimpo, near the 38th Parallel.  His missions consisted of Visual Reconnaissance in the eastern part of North Korea passing target information for UN artillery and relaying troop movement information to our ground forces.  Other times Jim was flying patterns across enemy territory at 15,000 – 20,000 feet, shooting film for the Candid Camera folks back in the darkroom.  Some missions he flew taking oblique pictures across the Yaloo River at the MIG air base there.  It was a “no no” to cross the river.  Jim told me that the last U.S. pilot lost in Korea was a squadron mate of his who took off just as Jim landed on his last mission.
 Back in the States Jim went to Instructor Pilot training at Craig AFB, learning to teach in T-28s and T-33s.  While there he had a T-28 propeller go to feather on him near the airfield, fortunately, so he just spiraled down and dead sticked it on the runway – a memorable day.  He flew as an instructor for about a year at Laredo AFB in T-33s before he had another very memorable flight.  He had a student under the hood in the backseat when his engine got really quiet (following a loud explosion).  Unfortunately, he had just taken off, was less than 500 feet in the air with the gear retracted, and had no choice but to land in a less than smooth watermelon patch off the end of the runway.  Jim’s student was unhurt, fortunately, and pulled Jim from the wreckage.  Unfortunately, Jim was knocked out with a broken back.  He was transferred then to Laughlin AFB in Del Rio to a desk job where he continued to log time in whatever was available to maintain his flight pay.  On one occasion while flying a B-25, Jim made an emergency landing in Oklahoma with an engine failure.  Jim was a good pilot, but I wouldn’t call him lucky!  In his spare time Jim rented an Aeronca Champ and got his civilian commercial license.
 Jim left the Air Force with about 1,200 hours of flying time.  He wasn’t interested in staying on with his bum back restricting his flying.  He moved to Dallas and had various jobs selling textbooks, doing claims adjusting and then working for several years for the YMCA.  He then moved back to Waco where he started a career as a Juvenile Probation Officer.  He continued to fly occasionally and once again had an emergency landing on the way to a town near Wichita Falls this time.  The voltage regulator on the Cessna 182 he was flying blew causing the battery to blow, causing a real mess in the airplane, not to mention the aroma of battery acid.  I hate it when that happens.  Did I say Jim was a lucky guy?  No.  
  Jim worked for the US post office for a while before retiring, and he and his wife, Peggy, now live in Aquilla.  While living there he got to know Chapter 59 member Boyce Vardiman and flew with him in his Avid Flyer and Mark 21 Mooney.  This is when Boyce  invited Jim to his first EAA meeting.  Before that, he had never heard of the EAA!  Since joining Chapter 59 in late 1998, Jim has become a very active member and at age 70 renewed his FAA medical.  He got a little refresher time in an Aeronca Champ and when he found out about Rick and Debbie Bradley’s Taylorcraft being for sale, he soon found he had to have it.  Of course, while “Lucky Jim” was getting it annualed up in Clifton, the hangar caught fire and burned one wing off.  That meant about six months delay in getting his plane into flyable condition, but he now has it flying and keeps it hangared at Wings for Christ Airport.  
  Since getting involved with Chapter 59, Jim has gotten acquainted with members from several Chapters and feels we have one of the best.  For him, working with kids is a top priority and his hope is that we can keep most of our members active and involved with Chapter activities.  While much of the “press” in the newsletter goes to members building or restoring airplanes, it’s important to note that many of our active members are flying production aircraft or are simply aviation enthusiasts. Jim feels we need to be sure all our members feel equally important as members and airplane buffs.  Sounds like a really insightful observation to me and this newsletter will try to do it’s part.  It’s a great fortune for Chapter 59 to have volunteers like Jim doing an outstanding  job in leading our organization.  Thanks, Jim.