Saturday noon came and the air was bone dry and cold. I heard 2 airplanes. I walked out 1st was a yellow Piper Cub and behind that was what looked to be a classic vintage Cessna 150. They landed to North. The Cub had a long backtaxi to the café and the 150 landed and parked beside the Cub. The plane nut in me started showing through as I had a big grin on my face. Those kinds of airplanes were the kinds of airplanes I wanted at my café they had character and were generally flown by characters. The Cub its connotation grass strip summer time in the 50's care free feeling the joy of flight somewhat demanding but a fine airplane. A Piper Cub brings to mind images of innocence and childhood. From the name to its construction deep within a pilots mind a Piper Cub equals childhood in its more pure and simple delights. It taught two generations how to fly. The vintage Cessna 150 its straight business like tail substance not style its long fuselage taper this is airplane not a car. The Grey and blue paint job elegant understatement. One approaches an older Cessna 150 with respect yes it is slow yes it is somewhat under-powered but it is an honest airplane an airplane that does not try to look sleek, an airplane that does not try to look like a car. I knew what was coming and felt all the expectation of birthday boy awaiting opening of his gifts.

Lionel came out of the 150 with an older gentleman skinnier with snow-white hair and a wrinkly face. The Cub had a man with a full beard and a fresh faced kid that I later recognized as Joey the new manager of Kerrville Aviation. An order was placed for four burgers proceeded by some of that stout coffee that the café was famous for. I went work on the burgers and Clint made a fresh pot of his coffee that steamed out warmth. Within 10 minutes it was all served and the conversa-tion began over the counter. Joey and I were the young underlings in this meeting of the brotherhood of aviators. Our opinion was given when asked for but with few flight hours we had lots to learn and pitifully little of value to contribute to the conversation. I was asked what I thought about the 180 horses in the Decathlon. I replied swatting the tail to keep it from yanking the nose right on take off was hard to do and take-offs from the Café were always interesting. I did make the comment that in the air I liked the near ballistic missile climb rates and a good cruise speed. I asked about the differences between the vintage 150 and later models. The response I was given needs less rudder faster to keep the ball centered thanks to its big straight tail and rudder it also had better rate of climb. The older 150 is both lighter and sleeker than later models. It was uninfluenced by car design. I also asked about the Cub. The comment I got was it was to be flown either early in the morning or later in the evenings during summer time. It had low wing loading(weight of the airplane per area of wing)and every bump in the air is magnified by it being more a powered kite then solid airplane. I then asked a question about the cold temps improving climb. Lionel made the comment was unbelievable. The wing had plenty of air to bite and engine could chill out while making more horsepower in the colder air. Yes true airspeeds were down and no leaning was recommended with the super dense air but all in the entire airstrip was worry free. Joey and I sat and listened. I kept the coffee going as fast the stories about other pilot's thunderstorm encounters and dealings with Louis Schreiner field noted in pilot's logs as (ERV) were retold. ERV's location made for some things on windy winter days sinking spells could happen on the north end of the field. With a crosswind blowing conditions could be different within yards away. 20 was partially covered by buildings and the valley it was located in once you get out of away and the wind was blowing you could kicked over the Mooney factory on the west side of the field. I was making all sorts of mental notes. Also seeing a Mooney doing touch and goes did not mean ERV was above minimums with its pattern altitude at 1,000 above ground level referred to as agl. Many a Mooney had been seen going through clouds in the pattern as habit. The new O-vation was coming out it the place was busy with demo flights and test flights. I was given a lecture on the speed that a new Mooney could do and how short of a distance Comfort to ERV was specially when a Mooney was descending and preparing for a low pass over the airfield. A truly wise man learns from others mistakes and others wisdom and I was being given an opportunity to do so. I was making all sorts of notes in my mind trying to absorb as much of the free ground school as possible. As Lionel left he made the comment "This is a great place for a hundred dollar hamburger I'll tell others to come just promise me you won't drool over a Stearman or a an old Birddog." I replied, " I'll try not to."

I walked out and watched each airplane take off. The tricycle geared 150 was the first one in line. I heard the engine get run up to full. The breaks were released. The airplane had a roll of about two hundred feet into the still stiff chilly headwind and climbed off smartly. The cub took a larger area to accelerate but lifted off just as quickly and followed the way of Cessna 150.