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"Non-Sked Fred"


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"Non-Sked Fred" Kreppein, an icon in the commercial Herc community passed away early this morning after a long fight with cancer. He was the first captain I flew with as a commercial FE.

Fred started his aviation career as a Connie FE flying on the North Slope of Alaska. He was also an Electra FE with Saturn Airways. He then moved to a window seat with them. For a time, he also flew USAF C-130E's for Byrd Air into Phnom Penh, Camodia. He then went to fly Khadaffi's C-130's back a forth between Libya and Nicaragua. From there, he flew for Southern Air Transport and Transamerica. I flew with him at St. Lucia Airways, Transafrik and Frameair. His last flying job was flying C-130B's for the Botswanan AF.

Don R.

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Don:

Fred and I flew together all over Europe, Africa, the Middle East and during several extended stays down in Angola, back in the 70s, for TIA. Just an awesome individual and supurb pilot.

Fred was big on investing in real estate and owned rental properties in some of the worst locations throughout Oakland. His business card stated: Fred Kreppein, Commercial Pilot/Slum Lord.

I was furloughed from TIA in about 78, but Fred and I managed to stay in touch with each other. I was living in London in 79 when he called me up one day and asked if I was interested in a gig; but he wasn't permitted to tell me anything about it. He gave me an address near Barkley Square and off I went in a cab. I knocked on the door of a non-descript house and was greeted and welcomed in by a very non-descipt gentleman. Over the course of the next hour I went through probably one of the strangest job interviews that I've ever experienced.

I was provided with the following info: C-130 operations in N. Africa, one year contract (extendable), top class living conditions, big money. At the conclusion I was told that the aircraft were being acquired, I had the job and I would be contacted soon, so be ready to go ASAP.

Fred called the next day to congratulate and said he'd keep me posted.

Well nothing happened because the aircraft in question were the infamous Billy Carter H-models that Libya had purchased from LM and that ultimately rotted away in the GA humidity for the next 35 years, before being scrapped last year.

However..... about 6 months later Fred called again and wanted to know if I was interested in joining him down in Libya, flying for Libyan Arab Airways. They'd managed to get their hands on some ex-Canadian L-100s, that had been purchased covertly through Luxemburgh. Unfortunately, I'd already gotten myself employed and married, so I reluctently had to turn him down.

Fast forward to when the US Navy drew the Line of Death off the coast of Libya, just prior to Ronny Raygun sending in the 111s and carrier aircraft. Fred called me up in the middle of the night to let me know that he was safely out of Libya and headed back to CA. When I asked him how it was going and asked if he was going to go back to Libya he told me that he'd done some crazy things with a Herk during his career, but going up against a Tomcat with one just wasn't going to happen; so not just no, but hell no.

That was the last time I spoke to him.

RIP Old Friend.

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Late last year there were big doings going on related to the possibility of returning them to service with the original buyer. As with everything else related to this story there was much intrigue and drama, but unfortunately no happy ending. The bottom line was that they were all in sad, sad shape and declared BER. I disengaged once informed that contracts were being negotiated for disposal.

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A friend suggested I post this photo. It was taken in December 1985 at the end of our contract flying famine relief flights in the Sudan. Fred is on the far right with the sun glasses. BTW, I'm toward the left with the Lockheed ball cap & the moustache (long gone).

Don R.

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  • 4 weeks later...

QUOTE "Thanks Don for posting your list of fascinating and some forgotten journeys that Fred took. I am no longer married to Fred but I am a very dear friend and spoke to him 5 weeks ago before he passed. Always the entertainer laid back to the point of sometimes having to put a mirror over his mouth when he was in the left seat! Fred was one of a kind. during the Khadaffi' time he used to tell me stories that only someone in the line of business you and he were in could believe. later on at Southern with Buzz Sawyer and his tragic death things got serious and the whole Iran Contra thing transpired. St. Lucia and Tepper I went along as "unofficial load mistress" and sat on the bunk behind the right seat and was fascinated by all that went on. Then just when I was getting comfortable I would be deposited in some Island in the Carribean or the closest place where they could dump me to their final destination. Then I was instructed to appear on the runway on a certain date and hang around. I did that often and just as I would be about to give up and leave I heard that familiar sound of Juicy Lucy or whichever C-130 with was coming in and proceeding to land on a very short runway and stop at my feet just like the movies. Once I was inside, off we went and I could not wait until I was invited to join them again. It was difficult being married to someone in the business non-scheduled. I never knew when we would be alone or if we would be joined again. It takes a certain kind of woman to be that easy going. Of course at that time Vodka was becoming a great best friend and lonely hours looking at thousands of pics of trips gone by were enjoyed. When Fred was home It was not like our lives were crazy running around here and there. It was quite the opposite with us. Fred liked to stay home and talk to his buddies and line things up and read the papers and have expectations if things looked like they needed help in places that I can't spell. And then the day of departure. He trusted me and told me a lot. But I have to admit that Fred was married to his work and the people especially Tepper and Transafrik crews which I regarded as my family were like his kids. Later on things got kinda weird jobs seemed scarce Fred was clearly not happy and completely out of his comfort zone. Eventually this changed and he was off again to somewhere I would rather not mention. somewhere which in my view, our marriage seemed to come to an end…….Fred and I decided to part company, I never did remarry and we were still good friends. He remarried Rinah and brought her to America and they spent their time in Florida. I spoke to him lots of times after that. We laughed about stuff that we had done together and when Matt called me and told me that Fred has passed, I was sad and still am. There are certain kinds of men that do what he did. I was fascinated and loved the excitement. I did not think my life was any fun for a long time after that. Then one day I woke up and realized I had joined the real world and I fit in and things started to fall into place. Fred will be forever in my heart and I wish his wife Rinah a happy and painless recovery from her loss of him. We are all 6 degrees. never to be forgotten. Hats off to Fred he was a kind man with very little resentment and lots of acceptance. HelsK{/QUOTE}

"Non-Sked Fred" Kreppein, an icon in the commercial Herc community passed away early this morning after a long fight with cancer. He was the first captain I flew with as a commercial FE.

Fred started his aviation career as a Connie FE flying on the North Slope of Alaska. He was also an Electra FE with Saturn Airways. He then moved to a window seat with them. For a time, he also flew USAF C-130E's for Byrd Air into Phnom Penh, Camodia. He then went to fly Khadaffi's C-130's back a forth between Libya and Nicaragua. From there, he flew for Southern Air Transport and Transamerica. I flew with him at St. Lucia Airways, Transafrik and Frameair. His last flying job was flying C-130B's for the Botswanan AF.

Don R.

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Thanks, Helsie. A great tribute to Fred, a true legend in the commercial Herc world.

BTW, for those reading this thread, Fred got out of the USAF as a 2-striper instrument specialist. I really can't picture that!

Still trying to send you some photos of the St. Lucia days.

Don R.

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  • 8 months later...

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