Flying commonplace for Tibbs family
Air travel is still curtailed by the coronavirus, and the dream of an airplane in every driveway is still a dream.
But an article in The Daily Oklahoman on Oct. 5, 1924, told how Burrell Tibbs and his family were living the dream:
“In the days long before the ten-millionth flivver was given its coat of paint, there were few persons who predicted that some day the family automobile would be replaced by the airplane.
“At the time those wise men little dreamed that their prophecies would be fulfilled so soon.
“Mr. and Mrs. Burrell Tibbs of Oklahoma City, put the old car in discard years ago for long trips and Sunday afternoons, instead of bringing out the family flivver for a spin into the country, Mrs. Tibbs just bundles up the babies and the whole family hops half way across the state and back in the family airplane.
“Ruth Tibbs, who is 7 years old, has been flying since a few days before she was two months old. It has grown to be so commonplace with her that 'stunting' is the only kind of flying out of which she can get a thrill.
“She took her first jump at Marland, Texas, and at the time was given space in many newspapers over the country as the youngest passenger to ever to ride in an airplane. ...
“Jean is the youngest member of the Tibbs family. She is seven months old and takes her flying with less concern than any other member of the household. Wrapped snugly in her blanket she devotes her undivided attention to her bottle, and once off the ground, is soon lulled to sleep by the droning of the motor.
“Not so with Ruth. From the time she takes off until she drops back to earth, her head is over the side of the ship, and little of the scenery passing below escapes her eye.
“If one would ask Mrs. Tibbs if she didn't feel uneasy about taking the children up, she would smile as if to say, 'Why, you wouldn't be afraid to take the children out for a drive around the park, would you?' The Tibbs have just that attitude toward flying.
“Tibbs has been flying since 1913.”
Pioneer aviator Charles Burrell Tibbs died in 1965.