This recent photo finds Ed Swearingen showing off his most recent pride and joy, the SJ30 personal business jet that represents some of the engineer’s most innovative designs.

Ed Swearingen's work doesn't seem like magic to him. The remarkable transformations that this inspired aircraft designer applies to airplanes seem natural, even obvious. But to pilots and engineers with the know-how to appreciate his visionary designs, the innovations both large and small that Swearingen has imparted upon the aviation world can seem like alchemy. A mostly self-taught engineer who made a name for himself as Dee Howard's renowned "miracle mechanic," Swearingen learned the airplane development business at the side of aviation's most famous entrepreneur, Bill Lear. After introducing groundbreaking modifications for existing production aircraft in the 1950s and 60s, Swearingen followed his own dream by launching a spirited campaign to produce new, revolutionary aircraft.

Remembering Gentleman Ed May '09 At the age of 18, Ed Mehlin became the youngest flight instructor in the Civilian Pilot’s Training program. He taught primary students in Army Air Corp and Navy contract schools in Denver and Boulder. Eddie Mehlin needed money, because he needed to fly, and it wasn't cheap! When he had scraped together $3, he took his first plane ride. After that, he needed $9 for each lesson he'd take at Denver Municipal Airport on Quebec Street. He diligently delivered newspapers on his bicycle and earned more money singing in the church choir. Born on Aug. 6, 1924, Edward "Eddie" Joseph Mehlin's passion captured him a little too early. The official age to solo was 16, but at 13, he had so intently learned his lessons that his instructor allowed him to fly alone in an open cockpit Waco UPF. When he was 15, he couldn't wait any longer to get his pilot's license, so he added a year to his birth date on the needed paperwork, triumphantly soloing in 1939 in a 65-horse-power Luscombe, a few months shy of the required 16-year age requirement.

Natasha Pavlovich: Future Astronaut May '09 Pavlovich holds the three flags of her birth country, her host country and her homeland after reaching an altitude of 86,000 ft. in a MiG 25 in 2004. She is the first person of Yugoslavian origin to reach that altitude. "I flew to an altitude of 86,000 ft., and did some aileron rolls and turns. Together, the pilot and I did an eight-point turn, a four-point turn, inverted flight, a wing over and some loops. It was really fun, and I was very excited about it," recalled Pavlovich. Carol L. Osborne, Historian of the Early Days of Aviation May '09 Evelyn “Bobbi” Trout behind camera as Carol L. Osborne interviewed legendary Air Mail Pilot and and Early Bird of Aviation pioneer, Walt Addems. Carol L. Osborne is a remarkable woman, having dedicated much of her life to recording and preserving aviation history in video, photographs, books and multimedia. Her goal has been to preserve memories and "bring our pioneer aviators back to life on screen." But not for money, mind you. In fact, there has been no financial compensation.

Ed Swearingen: The Wizard of Aviation Design - Living Legend Ed Swearingen’s Lifetime of Invention By Clayton Moore Stories of Two World War II Big Bomber Crashes in Wyoming By Richard G. Hansen Remembering Gentleman Ed Carol L. Osborne, Historian of the Early Days of Aviation B-17 Airpower Heritage Week and Hangar Dance Blue Angels Open the 2009 Season at El Centro By John Wright Eagle Creek Takes Delivery of its First Embraer Phenom 100 Arabian Consortium Bids to Acquire Textron Cessna and Bell Helicopter Involved New Addition to the Viper Family: Viperjet LXR MiG Hunters By Larry W. Bledsoe Netherlands celebrates their centennial of flight

26-Year-Old Pilot Sets Around-the-World Speed Record By Jack Elliott The Top 100 GA Airports Natasha Pavlovich: Future Astronaut By Henry M. Holden 2009 Sun 'n Fun Lives Up to Its Name By Jack Elliott The Spirit of St. Louis Flies Again!

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