The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-08-02
Oldest Flyer, An Octogenarian, Heads
Three Generations In Civil Air Patrol
By NEA Service

ny ANSA
Watkins Glen, N. Y, July 4arft
Watkins Glen, N. Y, Aug 2.-"From
oxcart to airplane" is the life story
of A. 1. Martin, the Oldest Civil
Air Patrol pilot in the United
States, and probably the Oldest
active aviator in the world. He's
80.
Martin owns the airport land
a dnis manager of the local flying
club. On walls of hdis Office are
two significant souvenirs-the yoke
from the team Of oxen he drove
about 10 years ago, and the pro-
peller from the plane in which he
took his training, The propeller Is
broken, but Martin didn't do it. A
young student cracked up the ship
after the venerable cloud-hopper
had learned to fly.
Besides oxen, Martin has driven
mules, tractors and even a locomo-
tive. He has held an automobile
drivers license for 80 years, and has
piloted a steamboat and tugboatS.
But there's no kind of travel, for
his choice, that's half as delightful
as flying
A FLYING FAMILY
The old birdman's family agree.
His son, Wellington Martin, 40, and
a grandson, S. Andrew Martin, 10,
also are pilots in the same Civil Air
Patrol group. Another son, Starr
Martin, is licensed flyer. A third
son and daughter are enthusiastic
about air travel, but they're not
pilots.
It all began four years ago when
a transforming AVIATOR visited this
area of the Finger Lakes country
and inspired the formation of the
Seneca Eagles Flying Club.
The group soon had 20 members,
including a member of the Mon
tour Falls Board of Trustees, the
manager of lumber yard, retired
farmer, club steward, a Watkins
Glen business man, garage
mechanic and a bowling alley at
tendant. They looked around for
landing field and found it at the
edge of the Catharine Marsh north
of Montour Fallsf 1t was part of
A. I. Martins farm. A secondhand
airplanje was bought for $3.50, and
the leased land was proudly named
the Montour Falls Airport.
Most enthusiastic of all the air
minded youngsters hereabout was
Louis Smith, nephew of the owner
of the 15-acre tract. Smith, in 1889,
was seeking a commercial pilots
license mad needed 200 hours to his
credit. His elderly uncle liked to
go along on the flights, and the
two men spent a lot of time SKIM
ming over Schuyler County. Later,
in service, Lieutenant Smith was
killed in a mid-air crash in Texas.
The airport In its infancy at
tracted more and more young men
in the community Mr.. Martin so
enjoyed their enthusiasm that he
finally decided to try for a students
pilot license. He did his SO hours
solo and passed the rigid CAA phyi-
icmal examination. He took the
commercial pitts physical examina-
tin and passed that, too; but he
has no desire for the commercial
license because the only passenger
he is willing to take up Is his little
black dog Fluffy"
Martin has striking, tanned
countenance Of a man in his late
f1ifties. He Is very active, speaks
slowly, wears no glasses, and has
the "20-20' vision OF the Air Force
requirements.
He does his two hours Of military
drill every week with the Seneca
Elmira Flight Civil Air Patrol. and
flies when coalitions are good. He
never has had mishap in the air.
Martin was morn in Ridgebury,
Pa. In 1880 AS boy he came to
Burdett, Schuyler County, and for
about 20 years worked as a book
keeper. He has lived here In Wat
kins Glen more than IS gears.