Cleon Biter

[donkaye]

I was shocked and saddened when I opened up and read the latest issue of the MAPA Log and saw that Cleon Biter “Flew West” last month after a battle with cancer.  I’ve known him since I first started teaching for the Mooney Pilot Proficiency Program as a new Mooney instructor over 20 years ago.  He was one of the best pilots I have ever flown with.  He was one of the first Master Flight Instructors.  

As a meteorologist, he really knew and understood Weather, and every time I taught for the PPP and would sit in and listen to his weather presentations I learned something new.  After one PPP in Jefferson City a number of years ago, he took Wayne Fisher, another great instructor, and me back to Kansas City where we got our flight back to our home cities.  He flew with perfection. While in the FBO I asked him to review how he did a preflight weather briefing.  We headed to the computer and he took the time to detail how he did it.

 

Since he was in Colorado, I recommended many students in his area to get their transition and other training from him.  I always got positive feedback from them.

 

The flying community and especially the Mooney flying community lost a great teacher.  He will be greatly missed…

[midlifeflyer]

I was also saddened by his passing when I heard about it last month.

Many of us in the Colorado aviation community (I lived and flew there for 20 years) knew him and those outside who traveled for mountain training were very lucky to have him as their instructor.

[Vance Harral]

I attended Cleon's memorial service last month here in Longmont.  He was indeed a great meteorologist, pilot, instructor, builder, and - most importantly - friend.  He taught all the partners in our Mooney in one capacity or another - basic transition training, instrument ratings, even my CFI.  One of the last conversations I had with him was regarding an issue with a student, and he was helpful as always.  It was a privilege to know him, and to have flown with him.

You'll all be pleased to know Cleon was flying right up until a few weeks before he left us.  He recently completed building a Rans S-19, which was as impeccably constructed as you might imagine.  A friend of his who also built an S-19 spoke at length during the memorial, about how valuable Cleon had been helping him construct his airplane, and fly it thereafter.  There were many pictures in albums at the memorial of Cleon's life in aviation, flying everything from that S-19, to Learjets, with a couple of Mooneys in there, too.

Cleon was a great role model as an aviator, and the local aviation community was well represented at his service.  For those of you so inclined, Cleon asked anyone wishing to remember him consider making a contribution to EAA chapter 43: http://www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com/book-of-memories/2791439/biter-cleon/obituary.php

But as great an aviator as Cleon was, he was an even better person.  Cordial, humble, informative, helpful, everything we aspire to be.  I miss my friend, and I grieve with Toni and the rest of his family.  Godspeed, sir.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Vance Harral

[Jeff_S]

I am saddened by this...hadn't read that issue of MAPA log yet so this is the first I've seen. I only flew with Cleon one time, when he was giving me a mountain checkout back in 2011. But he was a great educator and very calm...especially when we were coming back into Longmont and I realized I had my altitudes wrong and was 1000' high on downwind. I went into a pretty aggressive slip to lose the altitude and came in on final right on the numbers. I was pretty (overly!) proud of myself but Cleon didn't say a word...either he thought it was ho-hum, or he was just happy to get out of this flatlander's cockpit. Either way, a true gentleman and fun to fly with.

[Yooper Rocketman]

Thanks for posting this Don.  I flew with Cleon for a mountain flying course back in the 90's.  He was my sister's primary and IFR instructor when she lived in Longmont.  I was extremely impressed with him and he is the only flight instructor I ever flew with that, during the last leg back in to Longmont, asked ME how I thought he did as an instructor.  A true gentleman and terrific flight instructor.  I will have to forward this info to my sister, as she is living in N.C. now and I am sure has no idea Cleon has left us.

Tom

[Vance Harral]

2 hours ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

he is the only flight instructor I ever flew with that, during the last leg back in to Longmont, asked ME how I thought he did as an instructor.

I can't emphasize enough what an impression this behavior made on me.  When Cleon was giving me instruction for my CFI, he regularly reminded me that he "didn't know everything", asked for my input on things like terminology and teaching approaches, and debriefed our lessons by actively seeking critique on his own teaching.  This from a guy with thousands of hours in a huge range of aircraft, to whom my experience matches up like the proverbial gnat.  I like to think one of the ways I honor Cleon is by seeking input from my own students, and maintaining a sense of humility regardless of experience.  We're all just students at some level, and Cleon was such a great example of that positive attitude.  Thanks for reminding me of that today.