Lopez flew Beacon media photographer Terry Miller to Mount Lowe last year to get a feel of what these vintage planes can do. Lopez, a 31 year veteran pilot, was trained by his dad who is a decorated military pilot who served in Korea.
Earlier this week, Lopez flew Editor/reporter Jennifer Schleuter in his vintage Stearman – Photos by Terry Miller and Jennifer Schleuter
By Terry Miller and Jennifer Schlueter
County and local officials renamed Los Angeles County’s airfield in El Monte Sunday. Now it is officially known as the ‘San Gabriel Valley Airport’ Sunday during the annual air fair and open house.
The airport was built in 1936, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works Aviation Division Chief Richard Smith said. Los Angeles County bought the airport in 1969 for $3 million.
There are five Los Angeles county-operated airports – in El Monte, La Verne, Compton, Pacoima and Lancaster.
The renaming of the airport was suggested years ago by Gabe Lopez, a pilot who flies his 1940 Stearman regularly out of the small airport. Lopez felt that the more regional name would attract more people to do business and use the small airfield more regularly.
But now, more about Lopez and his father:
The third annual El Monte Airport Fly-in and Open House Sunday at the small but exciting little airport included all kinds of vintage aircraft including such beauties as a 1929 Travel Air 4000, Curtis Wright plane owned and operated by Gabe Lopez who showed his machines tovisitors at the airport Sunday. Lopez was also offering local flights.
The emphasis at the Open House is always on young people hoping to explore aviation and aerospace as a career lopez told Beacon Media.
Gabe Lopez’ famous Stearman was in the TV series JAG for 10 years.
Jennifer Schlueter’s first-person report follows:
When we received an email from Gabe Lopez offering us a plane ride on his 1940 Stearman, I was stoked, and immediately signed up for it. I had never flown in such a fighter plane.
When I arrived at the airport on a cloudy Friday afternoon, I met Gabe and he kindly explained everything about his 1940 Stearman that I wanted to know. This plane was used as a training plane in World War II. Since it was known as the hardest plane to control, prospective pilots had 13 hours to master their craft on it. If they had proven their potential to their instructor, the pilots were trained further.
As I sat down in the front seat, Gabe also equipped me with a helmet and goggles, and secured me with a harness that is also used in racing cars and a standard airplane belt.
“Do you fly maneuvers at all?” I asked him. He said yes and asked me if I wanted him to fly any. I did, and so he told me he would.
Gabe then entered the back seat, started the engine, and we rolled onto the runway.
When we took off, I realized that I could literally jump out off the plane if I wanted to because there were no windows and our only safety was a harness. I had imagined it to be colder because of the missing windows, however, the windshield in front of me blocked out most of the cold.
Because I had wished to fly over Downtown, Gabe got as close to it as possible, then took me towards the Hollywood sign and Beverly Hills, Silver Lake, and Pasadena. The skies were mostly gray with a bit of hazy sunshine in between, but to me that made it all the more interesting as opposed to a simple, clear view.
After we flew over Pasadena, Gabe tapped me on my shoulder, and asked if I was ready for some maneuvers. I nodded, even though I was very, very nervous. Gabe quickly turned the plane’s nose downward, and my stomach dropped as the plane did. A few more rollercoaster moves down, left, and right, later, we returned to the airport, and landed as smoothly as ever.
As Gabe set up his plane to go back into its hangar, he told me about his 91 year old father, who had served in wars and received countless badges. With a golf cart, Gabe maneuvered his plane onto its designated spot in the hangar, and then accompanied me to the exit of the airport.
What a wonderful experience!
