Stunt pilots share tales from life in the clouds

FALLS VILLAGE — They could fly through the air with the greatest of ease. Stunt pilots Stan Segalla and then his son Bill entertained audiences for years with their precision antics in the sky. Bill recounted their story as the guest speaker at the last session of the First Tuesday at 7 program on Sept. 2 sponsored by the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society at the South Canaan Meetinghouse.

He began with some history, noting that at one time there were four airports in Canaan. The original one, built around 1920, was in the vicinity of the current Troop B police barracks on Route 7, north of town, and had three grass runways.

When it eventually closed due to the state upgrading Route 7 in the late ‘50s, Stan Segalla, Brooks Conklin and Dick Bunce decided a new airport was needed. They bought land up close to the Massachusetts border on what is known as the “Dump Road” and put in a 2,000-foot grass runway, adding another 1,000 feet in 1965. They owned it until 1980 when it was bought by Lawrence Smith.

There was talk of converting the airstrip into a commercial airport, but there were too many trees on the site to extend the runway, said Segalla, so it remained private. At the time, there were 25 planes based there along with gliders, but eventually the gliders were removed due to complaints from neighbors.

“There was a very vibrant business there,” said Segalla, “But then the aviation industry took a downturn and the airport closed.” It was later purchased for $1.3 million by then 27-year-old Ryan Salame, who is now incarcerated for cryptocurrency scamming. The future of the airport is in limbo, said Segalla, who then turned to talking about his dad.

Stan Segalla was a World War II veteran as part of the 5th infantry. His first plane ride was when he was leaving England to return home. Soon after, he began flying U-control planes and then found a real plane for $300. With no formal training, he started flying in 1958, learning all he knew from books.

“He was a very gifted guy,” said Segalla of his father. “He didn’t have much schooling, but a lot of common sense. He was probably one of the most professional pilots I ever flew with.”

Over the years, Stan Segalla had more than 31 planes, most of which he built. “There were always planes in our garage,” Segalla remembered with a smile.

Then he got into aerobatics after visiting the Rhinebeck Aerodrome, a place that held a special draw for him. He would spend every weekend there. Billed as the “Flying Farmer,” he performed daring stunts involving precision flying and “became one of the most respected airplane pilots in the country. People were in awe of what he could do. They came from around the world to watch him fly; he was that good.”

Yet, he was always very concerned with safety and instilled that in all the young pilots he mentored.

Segalla then explained how flying got into his system. As the youngest of five, he would often spend time with his father at the airport and the aerodrome. His first solo flight was at age 9, when his father, out of the blue, gave him the go-ahead to take a plane for a spin. He received his license at 14 and obtained his commercial license on his 16th birthday; the first to do so. At 17, he purchased his first bi-plane.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Segalla began flying in air shows. In 1993, he and Bill Gordon joined forces to be part of the airshow circuit as the Iron Eagle Aerobatic Team, flying all along the East Coast and then expanding to Central and South America. Segalla retired from air shows nine years ago to spend more time with his growing family.

“I still fly and enjoy it,” he told the audience, which was filled with several of his siblings, friends and fellow pilots. He is manager of Triumph Aviation LLC at the Canaan Airport and runs a Young Eagles Rallies program to encourage young people from ages 8 to 17 to consider the field of aviation by taking them flying. “I want to see aviation thrive.”