Bette Bach Fineman, author of Patterns...Tales of Flying and of Life

Welcome Bette Bach Fineman, pilot, author, editor and another of my talented airpark neighbors!

With so many interests how would you characterize yourself?

I have always sought to be a person before being a wife and mother.  This makes me more interesting to both kids and husband.  I have always felt it was the right thing to do to maintain one's individuality in order to face losses of one or the other, which I have survived both.  I am a pilot of more than fifty years, editor of a few major books and many minor ones, an artist, former performer and now just  lover of music, all of which makes me worthy of anyone's time for conversation.

Tell me about your relationship with flying and the aviation community.

Married a USAF pilot as a teenager, flew with him in small planes for 13 years.  Raised my 6 children at airports for the next 8 years, married another pilot for thelast 31 years.  Owned 14 different airplanes.  Unable to give up aviation, to the detriment of my checkbook.

Tell me about your book, Patterns; Tales of flying...and of life.

It started with a few articles I wrote for aviation magazines like Private Pilot, Air Progress and others.  I started recounting other airplane adventures until I had enough for a small book, and those who read it encouraged me to put more in the book to explain my personal situation surviving as a single mother, airplane owner and professional editor, moving the family around the country to seek my destiny, which was not found at a big publishing house in Boston, but a small grass airfield in Vermont.

What is the best part of living on an airpark?

Walking out of my kitchen door and getting in the airplane, plus being surrounded by neighbors who understand the fascination with flying.

What kind of books do you like to read? What's your favorite "flying" book?

Mysteries, mostly Agatha Christie (who I never have the urge to rewrite)  and classics like Alexander Dumas, Jane Austen, Daniel Defoe. For aviation, Nevil Shute's and St. Exupery's poetic stories.

What are you writing now?

A book for my granddaughter about a little bear who has traveled the world in an airplane, boat and camper.

 

Born in California, graduated from Wilson High School in Long Beach at age 16.  Worked in offices, married a jet pilot, started a family that numbered six...Kristel, Robert, Erica, James, Jonathan and Bethany.  Six grandchildren, six step-grandchildren. Owned great numbers of cats, dogs, cows and one horse. Started flying in 1958, but didn't solo until 1968.  Has been an airport ramp rat ever since, a good thing, because that is where she met Jonathan Fineman, in 1978.  Now living ever after connected to an Arizona hangar. 

"I have been scattered in many directions, tried lots of things, am good at a few...achieved success in helping authors see their work in print, happy I put some of my flying tales down for my family and the enjoyment of others.  Some of my children take advantage of my mentoring, art direction and editing, some do not.  I have never sought the love of my family, just respect.  In turn, I have received both." Bette Bach Fineman

 

Read the first Chapter of  

Patterns: Tales of flying... and of life 

Other writings can be found at www.friendsofaviation.net 

and a new soon to be launched aviation site tentatively titled WhyFly?.

 

See Bette's website for ordering information. 

*Photo of Bette and her Champ by Steve Ayers, Verde Valley News