Jim Gottschalk

Although he had been a club member for only a month when he died, Jim Gottshalk had been flying in these parts for ten years. Back in 1998 he had built his trike in a hangar at Front Royal that he shared with Bill Jacobson who was also building a trike. The two of them flew all over in those days. Jim had a commercial ticket and a Beechcraft Bonanza, but out-in-the-air flying was where his heart lay. At the time of his death, he was flying off the last hours he needed before getting his trike instructor's license. He planned to give trike lessons at the Airpark and spread the joy of our kind of flying.

He would have made a great instructor. because he was such an energizer with a mischievous sense of humor. His siblings describe him as the one who would get everybody up off the couch and out doing something fun. They also described him as someone who loved flying and did it well.

Jim's death was particularly tragic because he was young and because he left a wife and three small children behind.

His ashes were spread on the main runway at the Airpark. One of the trees has a memorial plaque to him.