Remerciements à Raymond Fiset du EAA

[PaulD]

EAA Thanks Ray Fiset for 50 Years

EAA Founder Paul Poberezny (left) and President Tom Poberezny (right) with 50-year EAA volunteer Ray Fiset. Photo by Bonnie Bartel

A lot has changed since EAA’s early days. But there has been some constants, one being Ray Fiset, Quebec City, Canada, who this year celebrates his 50th year as an EAA convention volunteer. Ray got a special visit Monday from EAA Founder and Chairman Paul Poberezny and EAA President Tom Poberezny, who presented him with a special plaque in recognition of his half-century of service.
Ray started the first General Information Services booth at the EAA convention and fly-in at Rockford, where he was also one of the first convention campers. “We used a card table and a beach umbrella for the first ones,” he said. Ray, 66, has been coming to these things since he was 16 years old. He has also volunteered at Sun ’n Fun for nearly three decades. He also founded EAA Chapter 173 in Quebec City in 1963 and still serves as its president.

And he’s done most of it without the use of his legs. His heroic act over 40 years ago—lunging to prevent a man from walking into a spinning propeller—left him wheelchair-bound. Ray tackled the man, saving his life, but the prop struck Ray’s head, nearly killing him.

“I came out a winner from that,” he said. “I’m still here. The plane is not, and the guy didn’t walk into the propeller.”

Ray flew a Tiger Moth and his uncle’s J-3 Cub before the accident, sometimes using the latter to get to school.

Ray refers to Oshkosh as an annual family reunion, and he was taken by surprise when the two most prominent members of the EAA family showed up on Monday with the award.

“Both Paul and Tom stop by and say hello all the time,” he explained. “Today didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary when I saw them until they brought about that award. I have no words to describe the appreciation I have.”

The feeling is very mutual, Ray.

[Willy]

Wow c'est tout un exemple de courage que ce Ray Fiset. Je dois dire que je l'admire beaucoup. Totalement dévoué a l'aviation il suffit que de lui parler un peu pour réaliser que c'est un passioné au plus haut niveau. Il sait tout de chaque modele d'avion et il a toujours un contact quelques parts pour avoir réponse a une question.

Félicitation!


Eric

[DeltaMike]

Comme passionné d'aviation, on ne fait pas mieux.

Félicitations Ray, tu le mérites amplement

Daniel