For the love of flying

 

 Harold Hamp, 78, of Elwell, owner of Hamp Skyport, stands in front of a Cessna 182 airplane Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013. The airplane which is in for an annual inspection, sits inside of a hangar he built outside of his house in 1981. Hamp who served in the 433 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in the United States Air Force, began building the Safe Start Starter System after accidentally hitting the throttle while climbing into a plane after starting the engine by hand. The Federal Aviation Administration approved Hamp's design for the Safe Start Starter System in 2008. 

 

Harold Hamp, 78, of Elwell, owner of Hamp Skyport, demonstrates the assembly of a Safe Start Starter System in the workshop of his airplane hangar Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013. Hamp who served in the 433 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in the United States Air Force, began building the Safe Start Starter System after accidentally hitting the throttle while climbing into a plane after starting the engine by hand. The Federal Aviation Administration approved Hamp's design for the Safe Start Starter System in 2008. 'Every time it started, they got a big smile on their face.' said Hamp. One reason for inventing the system, was to protect pilots who rely on hand propping their planes to start them. 'There have been people that have been killed from it and people who have lost their arms,' he said. Hamp who has worked two jobs most of his life to support for his family, credits his success to his wife of 58 years, Carol. 'If I need help out there in the hangar, she's come out there to help me. There have been times when it has been pretty rough, but we've made it.'

 (Sun photo by ANDREW KUHN)

Ever since he was a child, Harold Hamp, knew he was going to be involved with aircraft when he got older. 

 “My parents and I would go visit a couple who lived by the airport in Lansing,” he said. “All day, I would be up against the fence in the backyard, watching the planes take off and land. I knew I always wanted to fly.”

Since that day, Hamp has been around planes his whole life.

He took an interest in aircraft maintenance as a teenager, helping a neighbor build and maintain home built planes. As he got older, he joined the U.S. Air Force. He worked on planes as a mechanic, learning the ins and outs of countless planes.

Now 78, he operates a small airport/hangar on his own property. He and his grandson, Mike Hamp are certified aircraft mechanics, repairing and tinkering with aircraft for their customers.

Hamp has logged over 2,000 hours of flight, flying a countless variety of planes. He is a member of a local Experimental Aircraft Association flight chapter, where he shares his hobby with other pilots. Every once in a while they fly to an airport within the state and have a pancake breakfast.

“I didn’t have the money, but I did it anyway. It’s only a little more expensive than owning a boat,” he said.

Hamp earned his pilot’s license at the age of 31. He then purchased a small 1940 Taylorcraft two-seater plane for around $1,200. It’s a small barn-red craft, with a cramped cockpit and cloth-covered wings. He only flies with a compass, an altimeter, an air speed indicator, and a chart. It’s a low-tech system that he takes pride in.

“Back then, mail carriers would drop a rope and use it to tell if they’re too low. If the rope hit the top of the trees they would know they’re too low. Flying now with GPS’s and autopilots are not like the older days. However, planes haven’t changed, just the instruments.”

Hamp said there are fewer planes in the sky now than when he started. The increase in oil prices and the recession has caused many people to cut back on spending. Plane fuel itself costs over six dollars a gallon, and the machines guzzle gas.

His age has caught up with him as well. He hasn’t been able to fly for a year due to some medical reasons, but that doesn’t stop him from staying active. He still works in his shop, making parts and tools.

“Mike does all the work, I just do all the BSing,” he said.

Despite his pristine record as a pilot, Hamp has had his fair share of close calls. He has gone through four forced landings

As he was landing during one of his flight sessions, his landing gear folded up, preventing the wheels from deploying properly. He was forced to land on a flat bottom, which meant he had no control over his plane once he touched down. He ended up skidding along the runway going 90 mph along the turf.

“I never panic. When something happens I just hold my cool and do what I’m supposed to do. It’s more exciting than anything.”

Recently, Hamp came close to hitting his house while starting his plane up. Since his plane was an older model, he had to stand outside of the plane and crank the propeller to get the engine started. As he entered the cockpit, he accidentally hit the throttle, gunning him toward his house. He stopped only 10 feet away once he got it under control.

The incident inspired him to invent a starter for his craft so he could just pull a cable from inside his cabinet.

The starter is composed of a series of gears and a crankshaft attached to an electric drill. He prefers the DeWalt brand, as it gives more torque and lasts longer. It weighs only 11 pounds, which gives it minimal impact when installed on the planes.

The invention earned him a “Supplemental Type Certificate,” an aviation equivalent to a patent. It’s a big safety item, he said. Only he has the rights to build and distribute the starter. It was published in an aircraft journal distributed internationally. He gets calls from all over the world with requests to buy his kits. The invention doesn’t earn him much but it gives him a nice side income, he said.

Hamp has gotten a lot out of the sport of flying, he said. Now he has given something back. After all these years and experiences, he still is in love with it.

“Even now, I never quit learning,” he said. “Every flight is a new experience, you always learn something new. I have to say that I’ve had a pretty exciting life.”

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