Alltrikes

--- In FLY-UL@yahoogroups.com, mpoliak@... wrote:
>
>
>
> Friends,
>
> It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the
> passing of Dean Batman this afternoon at 4:30PM. Dean beat cancer
> several years ago but the drugs left his lungs permanently damaged.
> The last 2 years has required oxygen but he seemed to keep trudging
> ahead. A fall left him banged up but he gradually recovered.
> Then his heart issues returned and a downhill slide began that had him
> constantly trying to recover only a little less each time.
>
> Dean was an instructor in fixed wing and weight shift for many of
> us. Dean had varied careers being a radar technician in the Air
> Force aboard an AWACS plane, an FAA systems engineer at ATC, a computer
> high school teacher, an atomic cyclotron technician and then finally
> retirement with a huge passion for flying a trike. He started out in
> the early days of UL's making foot launch flat kites, flat kites pulled
> behind a boat, hang gliders and then on to several fixed wing ultralights
> before moving to trikes although he was a private pilot. Dean was a
> strong supporter of the small guy learning to safely follow big dreams
> with a little help from those who learned from the college of hard
> knocks. He helped plan many early cross country trips in Challengers
> as well as trikes. He loved his trip to Kitty Hawk for the 100 years
> of flight celebration and assisted the Indy Flyers in our trip to Monument
> Valley.
>
> More than anything else, Dean helped others enjoy
> flight in many different ways. From an instructor, to fundraiser for
> children's hospitals, to supporter of trikers in Operation Migration, to
> including ultralights in Midwest air shows, Dean whole-heartedly made his
> vision of flight come to life for all of us.
>
> Our friend has
> left us to be cared for in a much better place. God will surely
> shine upon Wilbur Dean Batman who has always given of himself without
> asking for anything in return. He gave us a vision, a dream, a path to
> follow with him and always a smile. He will be sorely missed by
> those of us who loved him dearly.
>
> Godspeed, Dean.
>
> Your friend and wingman,
>
> Mark Poliak
> Astra HKS
> Indy Flyers
> Westfield, IN
>