EAA STORE
Romance in the Air During Fall Color Flight
EAA staffers arranged an aerial proposal on the AeroShell Square ramp.
Larger view
Kendall, Paul, and Jill aboard EAA’s Ford Tri-Motor after she said “yes.”
October 14, 2010 — Last weekend’s Fall Color Flight aboard EAA’s Ford Tri-Motor is one Jill Bowers will never forget. Flying with her daughter, Kendall, and her boyfriend, Paul Reynebeau, the airplane took off from Pioneer Airport and banked over Wittman Regional when Jill noticed colored letters on the convention taxiway that read, “JILL, WILL U MARRY ME? -PAUL”. At that moment, Paul produced an engagement ring and she quickly said “yes!”
The flight was planned on the prior Friday when Paul asked EAA if they could help him pop the question to his girlfriend in a unique way. He had already purchased Fall Color Flight tickets and pilot Cody Welch enlisted the help of EAA facilities manager Steve Taylor. Within a few hours, hundreds of colored traffic cones were placed on the open ramp at AeroShell Square to form the momentous words.
Since the flight was scheduled for Sunday, the cones sat in place there for two days, and some overflying aircraft reported seeing the message.
After Jill accepted, the rest of the Tri-Motor passengers applauded. Welch radioed the Oshkosh control tower and volunteers and visitors on the ground at Pioneer Airport, who cheered for the couple when the aircraft landed.
