When Morris "Maurie" Steier got his pilot's wings 65 years ago, he had no idea that he was starting a family tradition — one where the sky's the limit.
Steier enjoyed "an early celebration" of his 91st birthday Sunday — the actual day is Nov. 11 — surrounded by family members and their eight Beechcraft Bonanza airplanes at the North Omaha Airport. The family patriarch was the first to land, setting down his 1955 Bonanza as easily as if he were parking a car outside church.
"Planes are much safer than cars," Steier said, his blue eyes twinkling. "A lot of times my wife, Marian, won't go somewhere unless we're flying, which is always all right with me."
Steier, who has been married 68 years, said that many times he and the wife will get an itch to visit Denver or some other city, and off they will go.
"It takes about three hours to get to Denver. We'll have a nice dinner and see some of the sights," he said. "The next morning we're back home before noon."
The Beechcraft Bonanza is the Steier family plane of choice, Steier said, because it's relatively small, easy to handle and can cruise at around 170 mph. The planes can carry between four and six people.
Three of Steier's eight children are among the 21 licensed pilots in the family. His 80-year-old brother, Elmer Steier of Whittemore, Iowa, and many of his brood also fly.
Maurie Steier, who lives in Omaha and still works as a pharmacist, said he learned to fly after returning home from World War II.
"A lady from the (Veterans Administration) told me that some of the vets were down at the airfield learning," he said. "It just sounded like a good idea and I've been taking off and landing ever since."
Elmer Steier said he "got flying fever" from his older brother and "never could get it out of my system." Elmer and some of his grandchildren get in much of their air time as crop dusters.
Elmer said his biggest thrill in flying came in 1997 when he restored a twin-engine 1943 Cessna T-50 that flew during World War II. He showed it off at the annual EAA AirVenture Convention in Oshkosh, Wis.
"I also passed on the flying fever to a son-in-law and three grandsons," he said. "Now I have a granddaughter who lives in Omaha learning to fly. The flock just keeps growing."
Tim Steier, a nephew of Maurie and Elmer, has the largest fleet in the family, with seven airplanes. He runs the airport in Blue Earth, Minn., and also works as a crop duster.
"I love the freedom of the sky," Tim Steier said. "You get to see things most people don't, including some pretty wonderful sunsets and sunrises. You also see all the (agricultural) bounty of this great country."
Tim Steier said people might think of flying as an expensive hobby, but it might actually be a little cheaper than recreational boating or belonging to a country club.
"Heck, for $15,000 you can get a nice plane and for $100 a month you can rent hangar space," he said. "You get a lot of freedom for that price."
Contact the writer: 402-444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com
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