Goodbye to Another Friend

A photo I took of Peter flying the CX4.

Our good friend Peter Beck passed away on January 11, 2015.  He is survived by his wife, Kathy; his daughter, Melinda; his son, Ted; and his brother Timothy.  Of course, he is also survived by us, all of his friends, however large a group that may be. 

Admittedly, Peter’s passing happened some time ago.  So, for me to be discussing it now may seem a little late.  But, I must tell you that I sat down no less than five times prior to tell the story.  Each time it never worked and I walked away.  His passing was different for me and I struggled to put it to words.  This time I'll get it right.

Peter Beck came into our lives through aviation; more specifically, the Thatcher CX4.  When we first met, he was in the process of “kitting” the popular single-seater.  Before long, he was visiting on a regular basis, volunteering, and even sponsoring the fly-in on occasion.   The plane spurred his passion.

Away from the CX4, Peter was still an interesting individual.  Some aviation enthusiasts are single faceted.  Aviation is their everything.  His life was more.  Driven by a strong mind, he graduated from Harvard, served the Air Force exceptionally, majored in Finance in graduate school, worked for companies all over the world, served as director of planning for MCI, started his own communications business, and consulted or assisted many others corporations in their efforts to excel.  He also enjoyed working with his hands which you can read about in his obituary (click here).  Through it all though, aviation never left him.

He really enjoyed that plane.

The first aircraft Peter built was a Thorpe T-18.  At the end he was building a two seat tricycle version of the CX4 called the CX5.  The last time I talked to him, taking the CX5 to Oshkosh was high on his list.  Yet, little did I know, he was still involved in many other things.  Basically, he was a sharp knife in a dull world and I greatly enjoyed his visits.

When Peter was around everything was fair game.  You name it we talked about it.  Politics, economics, language, art, music, international travel, theory and philosophy, and even operatic training to improve vocal projection were among the subjects.  Cars, aluminum, the FAA, and the future of aviation were also extensively covered.  It’s that last one that made Peter’s death different.

It’s no secret that aviation is losing a battle of attrition.  It’s something he and I frequently discussed with great energy.  Peter was a fun and fine adversary when it came to debate.  We often sparred off from different sides, both enjoying, not dismissing, the other's point of view.  His thoughts were always well constructed and I looked forward to them all.  They may have been born within a greater generation, but the fight for aviation frustrated us equally.

And yet, when I heard Peter had passed away, my thoughts about aviation took on a new sense of reality.  I’ve argued for almost two decades that aviation needs a real strategy in order to win the fight for its soul.  I’ve meant every word.  But until Peter he was gone, one feeling had escaped me; being the last soldier in line.

It’s true.  Up until the news of his passing, it may have occurred to me, but I had never truly felt that I was, along with the rest of my generation, the last real line of defense.  We’re it.  There isn't another behind us.  Younger folks may argue that point, but the truth is they are merely the breadcrumbs from the feast.  It isn’t a slight at them, but the observation of reality we must accept.  Peter’s death drove that point home.

That was a fun day of flying.

Reading his obituary made me remember all the other great friends I had lost who were 60 and over.  Not only was the total number growing, it was accelerating faster than I cared to face. Unfortunately though, truth is not an image.  It is a feeling which can be felt from all directions, and that day hurt.

Folks, we’re it, and we’re losing.  Choosing what sounds good over what works, we’re failing those who came before us.  That is not something I care to accept.

Thanks to Peter Beck I have a new sense of reality.  Sadly though, he’s not here to debate it.  If he were, any effective idea could be considered.  Instead, we're left behind in a world of people who choose fantasy over facts.  His generation never thought that could happen in America and it was too late before they realized they were wrong.  Now it’s up to us to fix the problem.  They carried with them the spirit of aviation and our country.  We must do the same.

Thanks Peter.  You were a good friend who always, even in death, expanded my mind.  You will be missed.