Me 262 PROJECT - IN MEMORIAM

As the emissary of the Me 262 Project, it was my sad duty to convey news of the untimely passing of my friend, and CFII's President, Mr. Stephen L. Snyder on the 19th of June, 1999. On his 64th birthday, while flying his prized F-86, Steve was involved in a fatal crash while making a low-level pass near Medford, New Jersey, USA. We may never fully know all of the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, but Steve was truly a world-class pilot and flying the Sabre was among his greatest pleasures.		\
Steve was a man of many talents ... a superb aviator, record-holding parachutist, aviation industrialist, engineer, visionary, inventor, historian and mentor. He lived many lifetimes in the space of his years upon this earth, and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him. *Where do we go from here?* he Me 262 project was the direct result of Steve's lifelong determination to accomplish what others could not, and -- more than anyone else -- he longed to see this historic jet's triumphant return to the skies. In the face of overwhelming odds and great adversity, he alone made this program what is is today. In accordance with his wishes, the effort will go forward as planned. A transfer of ownership to CFII's preexisting clients was agreed upon in early 2001, and the situation is "business as usual" on the Seattle production line. *The reflections of "An American Original."* In a 1998 Flight Journal article entitled Flying the F-86, Steve wrote of his passion for aviation in general, and the Sabre in particular ... One thing, however, is absolutely certain. I very much appreciate the opportunities in my life that allowed me to live one of my fondest dreams. If there's a lesson here, it is that if you dream long enough and hard enough, it actually can come true. ... and so we bid farewell to this remarkable man; a man who dared to live his dreams. Charles D. Petrie Webmaster