Blue Skies - Art Vance

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

BLUE SKIES ART VANCE. My prayers are with the family."HIGH FLIGHT" poem dedicated to Art.
Lockheed Bob

[Airracer75]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

I've known Art Vance for over 20 years Iwill miss him. My prayers go out to his family................BLUE SKIES ART

[Unregistered]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

Had many conversations on the phone with Art over the years with respect to insurance and racers and warbirds and safety.
I listened intently at NWOC 2 years ago as Art described his previous brush in the Corsair.
I've read his Mustang book about 10 times.

Floored today to hear of his loss.
John P's comments summed it all up so well.
The Vance family has to know that every warbird pilot and fan in the USA is thinking of them tonight.

See you when I get there Art.

TJ

[tjyak50]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

ID.
Sorry, didn't identify myself in previous post.

Logged in now.
TJ

[SBA CrewChief]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

I cannot belive it - what a loss we have had. He influenced so many lives. I will miss his quick wit and always a story, to say the least. I feel so fortunate to have been his Crew Chief on Race 16, Race 15 - Furias, and finally Speed Ball Alice #31. He is surely among all his Warbird friends now, Lloyd, Frank, John, Bob, Gary, Mike, and so many more.
Larry R, CC-Race 15, 16, 31.

[Unregistered]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

Shocking....How can it be?

Art was more than a friend, he was like a second father to me. I could always count on him for support, answers, a good laugh and countless other ways. Art was a pivotal person in our own P-51, lending a hand whenever we asked.

I will forever more have a empty space in my heart that will never be filled again. I will always know he is on my wing, watching over me like he has for so many years.

Until then old friend, Blue Skys and Tailwinds....
I hope to fly on your wing again.

Brant "Brylcream" Seghetti

[Keith Dunlop]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

I want to mention that Art had a great heart also, last year he flew his mustang solo over my father the ex mustang pilot's memorial service, a friend called, he came and he will not be forgotten!
From all of my family, Thank You,

[Unregistered]

Rest easy old friend

I'm not involved with air racing... But, I've known Art Vance over many decades with the airlines [Flying Tigers & FedEx]. Art Vance had the greatest most understated sense of humor of anyone I think I've ever known! Art possessed great character and was a pilot's, pilot in every way imaginable! Professional, gifted and humble in the fine art of aviating.

I just want to say that he had many friends outside of air racing circles who will miss him too. Art was dealt a bad hand, which ended tragically and I am so sorry for his family.

Rest easy old friend.

Archie Hall

[Reno Box A-40]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

we've enjoyed the races for so many years. although i never had the pleasure of meeting mr. vance, i know of the great respect the race community has for him. he will be greatly missed.

[Unregistered]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

I'm numb. I've known Art for 20 years and never thought that he would become a member of 'The List'. I heard the news from CJ and have been mulling it over for days. Every day the idea sinks in a little deeper that Art won't be around on the tarmac dispensing sage aviation wisdom and making wisecracks. It doesn't sit well. We lived by his wisdom and laughed at his wisecracks. He would call occasionally and instead of hello he would say "This is Art Vance from Sebastopol California." That always brought a smile since I also live in Sebastopol.
He loved his community. He and Dan flew many flights in the Mustang that had been donated to community causes. He was so proud of how Dan had grown into being a very accomplished warbird and airline pilot in his own right. They were the 'Vance Bros.' Heck, he was so proud of everything that his family did. My heart goes out to you Judie, Dan, Debbie, Sharon and families.
His passion for flying and aviation history never waivered. He was always there if you needed help with your project or a connection to a source. He was always interested in your progress in your aviation goals. He was integral in the creation of the Pacific Coast Air Museum and wrote several insightful articles for the newsletter when I was editor. One article in fact was titled 'The List'.
God speed Art Vance from Sebastopol California.

Jo Dempsey

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

Reprinted from Email with permission:

Hello Unlimited Members & Other Friends,

First let me thank all of you on behalf of the Vance family for your many
kind words, thoughts, prayers, offers of assistance, etc. What an
outpouring of love and support. Truly a tribute to a wonderful man!

Memorial

The Vance family cordially invites you to a "Get Together" to be held this
Saturday, 10/15/05, at Art's hangar at the Sonoma County Airport (STS) in
Santa Rosa, CA. The gathering will begin at noon.

Contributions

The family has requested that any contributions be made in Art's name
directly to Cure Autism Now. Art's grandson, Winland, lives with autism.
Art would have been pleased to know that "his life" helped to further the
research of and find a cure for autism. The best way to contribute is to
mail a check directly to:

Cure Autism Now
5455 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2250
Los Angeles, CA 90036

For record keeping purposes, be certain to write Art Vance on the memo line
of your check. Should you prefer to make a credit card donation, please
call Ben Engel at (888) 828-8476 ext. 723. To learn more about Cure Autism
Now please visit their website at:

https://www.cureautismnow.org

Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free
to contact me directly. Thank you again for your care and concern during
this difficult time. We hope to see you in Santa Rosa on Saturday. God
bless you all.

Cindy Johnson
tcguys@pacbell.net
(925) 689-8226

[Unregistered]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

I hadn’t met Art before the flight. My P-51 ride not a month ago, after the Saturday Gold race. After meeting him, and yes, finding out he was from Sabastapol, the pre-flight was brief. You a pilot? Yes. Good. Been upside down? Yes. All right then. After helping me strap in, he climbs in and that’s when I notice HE has a parachute. No worries, this IS a race plane after all, and he is THE guy you want to be driving. The flight was great, finishing with a wing low show pass down runway 26. I’ll never forget my 49th birthday, and I’ll never forget the short time I got to fly with Art Vance. Godspeed Art, and condolences to the family and friends.

"FedEx Bob" Miller

[Paul Muller]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

I flew with Art in Speedball Alice early this Spring. I remember him pre flight kneeling down to put air in the tires while in his hangar. I was making small talk and said to Art; "P-51 pilots are the coolest guys in the world". He looked up at me and said "You are probably right". I was right.

[C-96 Cathy]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

Having known Art for over 20 years I find it hard to believe that his smiling face won't be back at Reno. In my 20+ years of attending the Air Races I had the opportunity to get to know Art and appreciate what a true gentleman could be. Art never made me, or any of the other women, feel like we didn't belong. He wouldn't hesitate to talk shop with us, answer questions (never mentioning they might be stupid ones), or just take the time to say hello. You always felt safe when Art was around and that will be sorely missed.

[Bill@Interstell]

Re: Blue Skies - Art Vance

I've been stunned since I read about this.

Perhaps a small mpeg tribute will help, at least me, feel a bit better.

I find if I copy the link to my clipboard, then open Quicktime use open file from URL and paste the link in. It works pretty well.

Oops, bad URL, let me fix it...