WASHINGTON, D.C. — It was the best of times and the worst of times. Charles Dickens said that in “A Tale of Two Cities.” But I’m saying it now for me.
The worst of times is that at age 92, I must give up writing for General Aviation News the happenings in the nation’s capital and the various organizations based here.
It has been a great ride. Over the past 18 or so years I have enjoyed trying to keep GAN readers informed from here. I thank Ben Sclair, publisher, and Janice Wood, editor, for the opportunity.
And I thank my wife of 71 years for putting up with me and my work. And, thanks to my family who are so patient with me.
I have had a great ride since beginning my work at The Louisville Courier-Journal and Times newspapers at age 16, working two years after school and in the evenings. After graduation I went full time doing art work in the circulation promotion department.
A year of that and the writer became ill, so I had to write as well as draw. “You are a better writer than artist,” they told me. So, I changed. Another year and The Cincinnati Enquirer called. I moved.
After discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, I joined the Hearst Organization as promotion manager of The Oakland Post-Enquirer in Oakland, California. Randolph Hearst, one of William Randolph Hearst’s five sons, was assistant publisher.
Randy was talking with me one day and said he liked my work. “Because my name is Hearst,” he said, “everyone here agrees with me. You are the only who disagrees. That’s good. When you have two people who agree all the time you have one too many people.”
He taught me much about work. “We will agree on what is to be done,” he said, “and then it is yours to do. You are going to make mistakes, but if you do right 51 percent of the time, we’re ahead.”
Randy was a large part of my newspaper career. After the Oakland newspaper stopped publishing, we were both part of the San Francisco Call-Bulletin, he as publisher, me as promotion manager. Four years later, I left San Francisco and went to New York City to Hearst Promotion Enterprises. Here we worked not only to help Hearst newspapers with their promotions, but also all other publications that carried Hearst’s American Weekly Sunday magazine. That started me touring the country.
Hearst’s New York Mirror was the second largest newspaper in the U.S., led only by the New York Daily News. Circulation dropped, so I was transferred to The Mirror. Through various promotions and public relations programs and some work with the editor, The Mirror again gained second position at the next circulation reporting.
One day, Randy Hearst called to have lunch. I was to start a public relations office in Hearst general management. We had this for a year in the 1950s.
My interests to fly aircraft channeled me to aviation. I later earned my single and twin engine and instrument ratings.
A brief stint on Flying Magazine and I came to Washington to be at the Utility Airplane Council. This consisted of Piper, Beech, Cessna, and Aero-Commander aircraft and Continental and Lycoming engine companies. I was fortunate enough to work with Mr. Piper, his sons, Olive Ann Beech, Dwane Wallace of Cessna and others when general aviation was growing fast.
Flying took my interests and I moved to be Senior Vice President of Public Relations of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. At retirement age they let me go and after a couple years of freelance reporting, FLYER newspaper — later to become General Aviation News — assigned me to report from Washington.
I am telling this not to brag, but to inform you of the type of people who make up General Aviation News.
It has been a great ride over these 76 years. These have been the best of times. But it is time to leave the hangar doors closed. Thanks for reading me over these years.
May you have wind beneath your wings and always fly with a tail wind. Goodbye.
Charlie,
As a young journalist who continually finds himself funnelled back to aviation, your letter and the comments following left me filled with admiration. When I think about my career ahead and the retirement letter that I will inevitably write someday, I can only hope to have it’s comment feed filled with the kind of responses you’ve received from your colleagues here. This craft is one of permenance – not only in the written word but the impact you personally make; on readers, colleauges, competitors, friends, anyone who crosses paths with your work. You have left a legacy that has carved it’s place in the annals of aviation history and I thank you for paving the way for those like me…I can only hope to do the same for future generations and offer a sliver of the inspiration you have given me.
Respectfully,
Aran Eversman
Well done, Sir. Well done.
Charlie, you’re the best! Won’t be the same without you at those stuffy DC events. You will be missed. Best to you in the next phase of life.
You are absolutely irreplaceable, Charlie. I am so blessed to have worked with you over the past 10 years. Thank you for your thoughtful and meaningful writing on GA issues. You have most certainly made an impact on thousands upon thousands of readers. Best to you in retirement. You will be missed, but always welcome at AOPA. Come in and see us often!
I had the honor of working with and learning from Charlie at an early age in the 80s at AOPA. You’ll always epitomize the true GA professional, one helluva writer, teller of the worst shaggy dog jokes in the world and a consummate gentleman in my eyes, Charlie.Thanks for these and so much more…enjoy a much-deserved retirement.
Great career. We all have many stories, you should write a book. I am 90.6, like you trying to walk away from 70 years in aviation. A x Navy pilot WW2. I still fly my T Craft BC12D. Hard to give it up. Good luck.
Charles:
There are few who can provide a legacy such as you have just outlined. I am indeed sorry
we never had the opportunity to meet. All I can say is “many thanks for your dedicated and
diligent journalism over so many of GA’s formative years. We hope you shall continue to keep those hangar doors open on the good days and keep em closed when its dark.
Mel Dorr
hello, charlie
since subscribing to GAN, you have been informing me in terms and language i can understand what is really going on in that wonderful city of puzzles and contra-puzzles what is really going on
you have had a amazing life
take care, and a happy new year 2015 and any others you can board on new year’s day
ann
Very interesting story. Best wishes in retirement! jb
Thank you and God speed, Mr. Spence. You will be missed.
What a great story about a wonderful life! Thanks for sharing it and thanks for all your contributions to GA.
Thank you for taking us along with you on your great ride.
With such a great body of work that so many have enjoyed for so many years, I offer you a heartfelt “thank you! Job well done!”
Mr. Spence,
Your high quality journalism will be missed. Godspeed.
David Carr
I have been reading Charlie in one place or another since I began flying and am especially grateful for his insights from Washington DC and the politics involved in aviation there. Not a lot of folks understand the ins and outs in Congress or the FAA and I will miss his work. You have done a lot of good for us.
The very best of luck!
Mr. Spence,
Yours has been an incredible journey. I’ve enjoyed reading your articles. Thank you for your service to our country during your time in the Marine Corps. You’ve had a long and productive life! Best wishes!
To all:
I have known Charlie since his AOPA days. What a gentleman to work with. His efforts to represent and articulate the needs of general aviation are sincerely appreciated. While he
was at GAN, I made it a point to always read his column as it often contained informative copy. I ran across him most recently at the AOPA Fly-in at Frederick this year and spoke briefly with him — always curious, always asking, always intersted in the GA “goings-on” in Washington. Charlie: you will be missed — Godspeed!