Page 9 - May 20 TNT

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN CASEY. PISTON POWER SERIES Cessna 310 and Beechcraft Baron by Joe Casey Two special people entered my work life about three years ago, also bringing along two special airplanes: Gerald West with his Cessna 310Q, and Deanna Wallace with a Beechcraft Baron 58. I would have enjoyed life with these two even without the airplanes, but they make the relationship all the more sweeter. For decades, Gerald has been a pillar of leadership and strength at my home airport, Cherokee County Airport (JSO), and is the patriarch of one of the neatest families in the East Texas area. Gerald and his family operate Westcraft Manufacturing, a sup- plier of hydraulic cylinders to industrial markets nationwide. Gerald purchased a King Air B100 that I manage and fly and also gave me access to his other airplanes: a Piper Super Cub and a Cessna 310Q. Gerald has owned the Cessna 310Q since 1978 and it is a creampuff. At first, I was not too excited about the airplane but that was because I was unversed with this fine family of airplanes. Now that I’ve been educated, I fly the 310Q fre- quently and it has become our go-to steed for any mission that seems too small for the King Air. PHOTO COURTESY OF KATELYN WALLACE. May 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 7