Bob Eaheart

Bob Eaheart was fun to be around. If we met somewhere after flying, Bob was the one who would josh with the waiter and keep us all laughing.

He had retired early from a career as a civilian systems analyst with the Marine Corps, though he stayed on in the Army Reserves, retiring from there as a lieutenant colonel in 2007.

Maybe he retired early because he discovered powered paragliders in 2006, taking lessons at the old Warrenton Airpark from Jerry Starbuck. His wife says that “Flying was his biggest thing. He loved it.”

That’s saying something for a man who also rode motorcycles, had run in many marathons, including the JFK 50-mile, had through-hiked the Appalachian Trail, played senior softball, and was an ace car and motorcycle mechanic.

But flying was the best. He and neighbor CK Chong flew as often as anybody in the Club, usually out of Horse Feathers or the Flying Circus. Then one October evening they got separated — as often happened — and Bob didn’t return. The State Police found him and his crashed paraglider. Bob had a reputation for being a super-cautious flyer, so the cause of his fatal crash is not known and may never be. (Since PPGs are ultralights, the FAA and the NTSB did not investigate the crash.) He was 77, so perhaps he had a medical problem aloft. At least, that’s what everyone hopes.

For now, Bob is off on his next adventure.