Abraham Fandrich, the Chief Pilot for the US Forest Service, retired last month. Before he landed a Forest Service plane for the last time as a full time USFS employee, he made a low pass over the Helena Regional Airport streaming smoke in a King Air 250, a tactic usually used for marking targets for air tankers.
After serving as a mechanic for the National Guard, he became a helicopter pilot in 1980 and transitioned to fixed wing aircraft about 25 years later.
He plans to continue flying — in his own plane.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Jerry.