Pamela Riddle Bird: Last correspondence

A dire premonition is the rest of the story

A last email from Dr. Pamela Riddle Bird to Burt and Tonya Rutan, just 62 minutes before Bird took off from the Bird Aviation Museum’s airstrip with close flight instructor friends Tookie and Don Hensley, gives a glimpse into her own life with her husband, Dr. Forrest Bird, who died in August this year.

It also shows her empathy with Tonya, who until just before the flight, was slated to accompany them to Maine. Ten minutes after takeoff, Bird’s Cessna 182 was lost from radar contact and its Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) started transmitting a distress signal.

Over the years since the Rutans moved to Coeur d’Alene, both couples became fast friends. Common interests, particularly aviation but also innovation, provided a base of shared experiences but genuine appreciation and friendship soon followed.

“We were so impressed and taken with the Birds' accomplishments and with their personal warmth,” Tonya said.

As far as inspiration goes, it was Bird who first suggested that Tonya learn to fly. Tonya had been a passenger with Burt on many flights, but Bird encouraged her to learn to fly herself. After Tonya began flight training in pursuit of her Private Pilot Certificate, Bird invited her to fly in her Cessna 182 with Tookie on the 2014 Air Race Classic, a women’s coast-to-coast air race formerly known as the Powder Puff Derby. Tonya looked forward to spending more cockpit time with them on the long trip to Maine, getting both additional stick time but also long-cross-country experience in navigation and flight planning.

Two nights before Bird and the Hensleys departed, Burt woke from a nightmare in which he saw airplane wreckage along with Tonya and Bird. Without mentioning the nightmare, he asked Tonya not to go, that she was needed at home to help with the final preparations to taxi and flight test his latest aircraft, the SkiGull. Tonya informed Bird that she needed to stay with Burt during this crucial time.

About an hour and 20 minutes after the crash, friend and fellow seaplane pilot Olson Fenwich of Cavanaugh Bay on Lower Priest Lake called to tell them that Bird's plane was down and that the ELT was activated. Tonya called several of her pilot friends and her seaplane flight examiner Mike Kincaid of Hayden was immediately available in his float-equipped Cub. They took off and monitored Civil Air Patrol (CAP) activities while sitting on the lake at the north end of Lake Pend Oreille. Other than the CAP, they were the first to hear that the crash was not survivable.

Here is Pam Bird’s email to Burt and Tonya, sent at 7:08 a.m.:

From: Pam Forrest Bird October 8th, 2015 at 7:08 AM

To: Burt home Rutan Tonya iphone6 Rutan

From Pam

Dear Tonya and Burt,

Good morning. Just a note to let you know that Tookie and I did not leave yesterday. A 1937 J2 Cub was donated to the museum and was delivered yesterday. The bare necessities of instruments only — altimeter, gas, tac, compass only. No radios, etc. The plane is in great shape. The weather was setting in and we decided not to go so hopefully will take off early this morning depending on weather.

Tonya, Tookie and I knew you were torn about going. You made the right choice to stay. Burt, I know that you felt bad as you have worked so very hard day after day, night after night, etc. like a maniac. Few understand the roads traveled that you take. Forrest would always hate it when people would say, “Oh, he was lucky….” having no conception of what it took. I know that you both will be incredibly busy with the film crew, people visiting, etc. and trying to get something accomplished. Tonya, you are soooo needed there to be at Burt’s side. I can remember 3 years ago when from May until Jan when we went to Palm Springs that only 12 days in that entire time we did not have company. 15 peope and under, I would cook for, over 15 guests someone else would. It is a full time job just being there and doing whatever is needed at all times to make things behind the scenes happen. It is the little things that make success or failure. You both are an incredible team. The footprints on mankind will be left by you, Burt, and each footprint has an invisible heart on it with Tonya’s print over yours. Enjoy the time. I know it is hard, exciting, trying, etc. Enjoy each together.

Love,

Pam

Being busy at the moment, this is Burt Rutan’s brief response to Bird eight minutes later.

From: Burt home Rutan October 8th, 2015 at 7:16 AM

To: Pam Forrest Bird Cc: Tonya iphone6 Rutan

Re: From Pam

Wow!

A real tear jerker…..Pam, thanks for that.

Burt

And here is Tonya’s response to Bird written while the crash was happening and sent just a couple minutes afterward.

Tonya Rutan October 8, 2015 at 8:22 AM

To: Pam Forrest Bird Cc: Burt home Rutan

Re: From Pam

Dear Pam,

I know you understand better than anyone how disconcerting our fast-moving and chaotic lives can be. Burt often slips out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to work on the airplane without waking me but that night he sat bolt upright and said simply “don’t go, I need you.” I didn’t even ask what he was talking about. No explanations needed. Until that moment, I had under-estimated the amount of pressure he was under. My excitement and anticipation for the adventure had blinded me to his stress.

My heart and my brain will be with you as you fly cross-country. I was looking forward to honing weather planning and navigation skills. I guess I’ll do it by computer now, so keep me posted on your flight. I can use pilotage to fly around town, but am still clumsy with cross-country planning tools. That’s something I want to improve.

Burt says we can track your progress with your tail number if you file with Flight Following. Let us know if that’s what you plan to do.

Send pix! I’m looking forward to hearing the stories, especially about that rascal Don.

Love, Tonya