Re: Goodbye to a friend

Thanks Mike for the poem and the words about Lars. The loss of life is never easy to accept and I am sure all on this listserve appreciate hearing about a great pilot, family man and person. I think I can safely say all here are sorry to hear of this tragic loss of life and feel sympathy for all family and friends.

Steven Sittig

Mayo Med Air

>From: MikeShuken

>Reply-To: flightmed@flightweb.com

>To: flightmed@flightweb.com

>Subject: Goodbye to a friend

>Date: Sun, 02 Sep 2001 22:27:43 -0700

>Hello List;

>Today in Redding, California, we paid our final respects to Lars

>Stratte. Lars was an airtanker pilot for the California Department of

>Forestry. Last week, while attempting to extinguish a fire, Lars' plane

>(Tanker Nine-Two) collided with another airtanker. Both pilots were

>killed.

>While Lars was killed fighting fires, I wanted to him to be recognized

>on this list. For many years, Lars flew EMS missions in fixed wing

>aircraft based in Northern California. He was an excellent pilot and a

>great guy.

>The service for Lars was attended by over 500 people. Especially moving

>were the poignant words spoken by Lars' son, Ian, and a missing man

>formation flown by S-2 airtanker pilots of the CDF.

>In honor of Lars, I would like to post the words to the flyer's poem

>"High Flight".

>High Flight

>By John Gillespie Magee

> Oh I have slipped the surely bonds of earth

> and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings.

> Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of

>sun split clouds

> and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of,

> wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit

>silence.

> Hovering there I've chased the shouting wind aloft

> and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.

> Up up the long delirious burning blue,

> I've topped the wind swept heights with easy grace

> where neither lark nor eagle flew.

> And there with silent lifting mind

> I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space

> Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

>Lars Stratte loved to fly. We will miss him.

>Thank you,

>Mike Shuken

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