Doughnut Club takes flight

In his many years at the Southeast Missourian, both as a photographer and as a reporter, G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger spent a lot of time and energy covering general aviation and the development of what is now the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

Frony's devotion to aviation is well known. He told me once, he and a pilot friend of his wore out a plane flying around Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois taking aerial photos. It wasn't until many, many years later that I learned that pilot was a friend of mine: John T. Seesing.

Recently, I ran across a story about a 1945 flying club based at Consolidated School of Aviation on Highway 74. The article isn't bylined, nor is the photographer identified. But if I had to bet, I would say Frony was responsible for both.

The story reflects a time when the public's interest was shifting from World War II and the role military aircraft played in that conflict to the promise of post-war, recreational flying.

Do you want to read more about the part aviation played in Cape Girardeau's history? Check out this four-part series published by the Missourian in 2010:

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1642142.html

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1642242.html

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1642488.html

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1642811.html

Accompanying the stories was an aviation timeline:

1907-1947

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1641805.html

1948-1973

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1641818.html

1974-1989

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1641842.html

1990-2005

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1641869.html

2006-2010

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1641909.html