“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return”. - John Hermes Secondari Jim Burnham is a man who can talk easily and proficiently about many subjects. But when it comes to talking about his passion for aviation, the eyes light up and he comes to life in a different way.
At the Macomb Municipal Airport Fly-In breakfast held on June 28, Jim was summoned to the announcer’s stage for a special recognition. It was 60 years ago this month that he became a pilot, after learning to fly at the old Macomb Airport, which was located near the junction of east highways 67 and 136.
Burnham grew up in a flying family. He was eight years old when his uncle Harry Clugston gave his father, mother, sister and himself their first airplane ride in a 1948 Stinson Voyager.
Ralph Burnham, Jim’s father, received instruction from Harry Clugston and obtained his license in 1950. His father ended up buying the Stinson they first took a ride in, and the family spent many happy hours flying all over the country.
When the Burnham family wasn’t flying or farming, they could be found at the Clugston Airport, sharing stories with other pilots, visiting with like-minded families, cooking out or just relaxing in general.
Jim’s parents, Ralph and Lillian, at one time also owned a 1955 Stinson, a 1956 Cessna 182 and a 1975 Cessna 172. His mother also received instruction from Harry Clugston and soloed in 1952, flying a 1938 Taylor Craft.
Jim Burnham followed the family tradition and learned to fly. He soloed in his father’s 1956 Cessna after receiving instruction from Bruce Clugston, Marion Cornelius, W.H.
Mourning and Gene Douglas.
Back when Jim learned to fly there was no formal ground school. He earned his license when all a person had to do was buy some books, study, take tests and receive some dual instruction.
Jim flew the 1956 Cessna until 1975, when he bought it from his parents. In a 1993 Heritage Days booklet article, he listed as places he had flown “from Florida to Texas to South Carolina, Vermillion Bay, Canada and many smaller trips in between.” In that same article he listed as his favorite flights Meigs Field at Chicago for a long weekend, and Mackinac Island, Michigan.
Since then, Jim and his wife, Terri, have made regular trips to Key West, Washington D.C., Orlando, Brownsville, Denver, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio and Hilton Head.
Many of their flights are to meet up with adult family and grandchildren.
Burnham emphasizes that he is a stickler for aviation safety and good judgement. He learned a valuable lesson during his training years, when he experienced a potentially serious situation. He was flying a required solo cross country to Peoria and Champaign and upon returning to Macomb he did not “top off” the fuel tanks. Nor did he take any money with him.
It was March of 1967, and on the flight back to Macomb from Champaign the weather changed. He was running low on fuel, in addition to being lost - a terrible combination but one which taught him to be a safer pilot all the rest of his life.
He eventually spotted a town water tower and circled until he could read the name - Astoria. He had been alternating tanks and recording times, as trained to do, and as the engine sputtered on the exhausted left tank, he noted he now had 15 minutes of fuel left in the right tank.
Having regained his bearings, he knew how much time was remaining in his journey and by then the weather had improved. Burnham says “by the grace of God and a Continental engine,” he was able to return to Macomb.
Today Burnham, who has also sailed boats extensively in his lifetime, owns two airplanes. He has a 1947 Stinson just like the one his father had, and a 182 Cessna for more comfortable flying on long trips.
Jim remembers those days at the old Macomb Airport when he was an “airport brat.” He recalls listening to the airport jargon spoken by such local icons as Henry Smith, Dewey Ewing, Darwin McClure and Herschel Mourning.
Jim gives credit to his wife and co-pilot for being a willing passenger. The Burnhams have no plans to stop flying anytime soon. However, Jim says he will know when it is time to quit and he will make that decision then.
As long as his health and judgement are good, he will continue to engage in his passion.
Congratulations to Jim Burnham for 60 years of safe flying, and many more.
