A Nice-Guy Legend is Gone

"Damn. Just damn." That was one of many heartfelt and appropriate comments posted on AVSIG, world's oldest aviation online forum, after legendary pilot Scott Crossfield died in an airplane accident last week. This blog will not join the many who try to figure out exactly what happened in the accident, nor will we list the many aviation deeds and exploits that created the Crossfield legend. Others will report on those areas expertly and in detail. We will comment on the fact that Scott Crossfield was one more nice man. This was a true top gun, ace of the base aviation hero who was approachable and, well, just an all around nice guy. Before I get into this, let me state up front that Crossfield would not have remembered ever meeting me, nor should he. I knew him, but he certainly did not know me. However, he always acted like he did, and that says so much about the man. I first met Crossfield way back in the 1980s when I was a brand new and scared-to-death professional public speaker, booked for a speech at a big Civil Air Patrol (CAP) meeting in Florida. I was horrified when I got there and learned that Scott Crossfield one of my heroes was on the program. My first reaction was a quick prayer that I would neither follow nor precede him. I didn't want anyone comparing us. My second thought was to wonder if there was any way in the world that I could actually meet the man. I did meet him, and was dumbfounded. He told me he had read about me, was delighted to meet me, and happy that I was on the program. I walked off in absolute awe. He could never have known how wonderful he made me feel that day. I learned that was typical Crossfield. He had a way of making everyone feel important. Everytime I met Crossfield after that (not many times, but a few), I reminded him that we were once on the same program, and he pretended to remember. I appreciated it, and still do. BTW, it was understandable that I first met Crossfield at a CAP function. He worked with the CAP for decades, and one of their high awards was called the A. Scott Crossfield Award. It is right and just that CAP searchers found his airplane and his body after last week's crash. I wonder if there was a dry eye among the searchers. We'd like to post your comments. Just click on box at the top.