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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Gary Van Meter

Mr. Van Meter first became interested in aviation as a youth after seeing barnstormers perform. After serving in the Army in WW II, he received his A&P license on the G. I. Bill and married Elinor Oakley, in November, 1947. After a bitter winter in Millville, NJ, they moved to California, where he was employed by United Airlines as an A&P. Shortly after Gary was born, a Piper J-3 Cub was purchased and recovered, and “Fritz” used it to acquire his private pilots license. Just before Linda was born, the family moved east where “Fritz” worked for UAL at Washington National, and later at Dulles, until he retired, about 1979. In 1959, he purchased a farm in Nokesville (actually Aden) Virginia, where he built a 1200 foot dirt strip. Over the years, he owned and flew Aeronca Chiefs/Champs and his favorite, a 1956 Cessna 172 out of this short field. A great husband and father who loved flying and sharing this passion with others, he passed away on November 11, 1996 at age 74.