Builders:
Several hundred people from our area put on nice clothes yesterday morning, and drove over to Russell road. We were there to try to say goodbye to Bob Woolley. I say try, because he was so full of life, it seems completely impossible he is gone.
.
He was killed in a midair collision 14 days ago. None of the circumstances matter, it was just two very good friends, supremely skilled aviators, out having fun, in a matched set of RV-4s. They were the two most respected men at our airpark, both Vietnam combat aviators, and we came damn close to losing them both.
.
Do you think of yourself as emotionally tough? Do you have a personal picture of how an aviator comports himself? Try this: Dave, the other pilot, got out of the hospital in a wheelchair so that he could have his son push him to the table bearing Bobs flag, where he carefully spoke to everyone present about what an outstanding human being Bob had been. You could spend a lifetime in aviation, and never see 10 minutes like that, and quite frankly, I hope you never have to.
.
If you are from far away, but Bob’s name sounds familiar, here is the connection; Bob was Panther customer builder #1, He was the first person Dan let fly the prototype, he did the first flights in many of them, and he did the test flying In Paul Salters, 3.0L Panther. Several years ago, Rachel Weseman shared this short biography of Bob on the Panther website: https://flywithspa.com/meet-panther-beta-builder-robert-bob-woolley/. Read it carefully, the thoughts Rachel shares tell a story of just how attached to Bob Rachel and Dan have always been.
.

Great Job.
William,
You write amazing stuff about airplanes and engines, but your very best writing is ALWAYS about people.
Thanks for what you do and thanks for sharing. It makes a difference to more people than you know.
Bill
Thank you for an emotional and thoughtful read, from someone who does not know either of you.
Mark, Thanks for the note. The anguish of losing an irreplaceable person has been felt by many people, the names are specific only to those who knew them, but the understanding belongs to anyone who loved someone who left too soon.
William,
I have learned so much about life from your writing. It sounds strange, but Thank You. This brought chills to me: “If you didn’t have a chance to know Bob, I’m the one who is sorry for your loss”.