CLINTON'S FLYING FARMER Until recently, the majority of P.E.I , farmers carried on mix- led farming, but Elton Woodside was probably the most mixed of I mixed farmers for he combined the role of airman along with his (mixed farming; hence the name "Flying Farmer". This "Spud 1 Islander" enrolled in a flying school, run by his friend Paul Sharpe on June 21st, 1946. On July 19th, 1946, Elton made his solo flight at Paul's Flying Service, the first of the Summerside students. He had never been at the controls of an aircraft before, and went I solo in just seven hours and fifty-five minutes of instruction. A clipping of June 6th, 1947 reports: "A new record in aerial development for this province has I been made by Elton Woodside , a Clinton man. He has been ac¬ claimed the first farmer to build his own airport to operate a privately-owned plane. Taking delivery of a two-passenger Fleet Canuck, which he flew from Charlottetown last Saturday after¬ noon, Mr. Woodside achieved a year-long dream when he landed at his own airport in Clinton. Elton's airstrip lay on top of a hill above his farm buildings, and was 1800 by 300 feet, which gave him a 90 foot elevation just a matter of seconds after the take-off. Each year Elton put on a private air show on his own airstrip, I inviting airmen for miles around. As many as 3000 spectators j would crowd unto his farm to watch. The aircraft was ski-equipped in winter and, when the roads were temporarily snow-blocked, the air-minded farmer made num¬ erous mercy flights to get sick people to the Hospital. He flew an expectant mother from French River to Charlottetown and beat the stork by minutes. Again, he flew an expectant mother from South Rustico to the City Hospital in Charlottetown , where, shortly after, a baby girl was born. During stormy weather, his plane came to be known as "Mercy Plane", and many people owe their lives to his timely transpor¬ tation, when the roads were snow-blocked and an emergency oper- . ation had to be performed. His fame as a skilled pilot, who answer¬ ed all emergency calls, if at all possible, spread around the continent and his skill and daring received wide-spread recognition in the U.S.A . as well as in Canada . He became known as the "airborn newsboy", as he, along with Paul Sharpe airlifted the Daily Guardians to the area, propping the bundles near the various post-offices early each morn- mg, providing speedy service to all Guardian subscribers, often under adverse weather conditions. This service began in 1952. At this time, he was honored by being made a star of a National Film ^oard special film "Eye Witness", which told of the dropping of | Guardians in . Also in 1952 he took over the —33—