30 Years North American Tour

30 years ago the VFW 614 made its North America Tour
The following letter arrived from Bill Mellberg

Greetings, friends and colleagues! It is hard to believe that it has been 30 years since the VFW 614 made its first (and only) North American Demonstration Tour. It was quite a treat for me (a 'kid' just out of university) to be responisble for planning that tour on this side of the Atlantic (much more planning was done on the other side of the Atlantic), and to greet 'OY-TOR' and meet her crew in Washington, D.C., when it arrived at National Airport near the end of the tour. (During most of the tour, I travelled a day or two ahead of the airplane -- checking the arrangements in each city along the way.) What a thrill it was to finally see the airplane -- and to fly in it, as well. The final part of the tour through New England was marvelous. The fall colours were fabulous. And what fun it was to spend that week with the VFW personnel who had travelled from Germany on the VFW 614. My only regret is that we did not sell any VFW 614s in North America (although we came close with Air Florida). But I still have many fond memories of that tour, and of my visit to Bremen the following winter. Bill

8.10.2005