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The FOGHORN
ROTARY CLUB OF HALF MOON BAY
June 23, 2022
Lunch Social at the Pilot Light Cafe
at the Eddie Andreini St. Airport on the Coastside
Article by Dianne Bobko
Photos by Mitone Griffiths
Our meeting this week was a social for lunch at the Pilot Light Cafe at Eddie Andreini Sr. Airport. Pres. Joe had contacted them about such a visit and got a response from Owner/General Manager Shoshana Wolff welcoming us to meet there for lunch. We gathered at the outside tables right by the runway.
President Joe gave a very interesting history of the airport with some great stories sprinkled in. The follow is a list that highlights what he covered:
Section of coastal plateau dropped along hinge fault you see to the west
Discontinuity of aquifer(s) makes for good ground water drafting = wells
Long the home of Ohlone Indians as evidenced by huge maddens at head of wet land beneath Pilar point.
Site of shore whaling operations. Signals from top of point to boats rowed off shore. Try pots on beach to render whale oil.
Rich fertile soil supports productive farming, then and now
California State Highway Department built Airstrip to Army Air Corps specifications with rock from the Quarry in 1942 as an auxiliary airbase to Salinas Army air base.
Gunnery school opened in 1944 across from Point Montara lighthouse; airport used to tow targets by and launch drones doing so
R. Guy Smith, long time developer of Moss Beach had a plan to privatize the airport and sold stocks in an airport holding company - didn’t raise enough capital
Named in honor of Eddie Andreini Senior following his tragic death in 2013. Eddie had learned to fly here in 1953 and based his highly successful aerobatic career here.
Drag Strip days 1957 to 1968 Walking in with a coke; “Where World Records are Broken
Record” (Joe remembers being there for an electrifying run of 185 MPH and 8.15 Seconds.)
Discontinuity of aquifer(s) makes for good ground water drafting = wells
Long the home of Ohlone Indians as evidenced by huge maddens at head of wet land beneath Pilar point.
Site of shore whaling operations. Signals from top of point to boats rowed off shore. Try pots on beach to render whale oil.
Rich fertile soil supports productive farming, then and now
California State Highway Department built Airstrip to Army Air Corps specifications with rock from the Quarry in 1942 as an auxiliary airbase to Salinas Army air base.
Gunnery school opened in 1944 across from Point Montara lighthouse; airport used to tow targets by and launch drones doing so
R. Guy Smith, long time developer of Moss Beach had a plan to privatize the airport and sold stocks in an airport holding company - didn’t raise enough capital
Named in honor of Eddie Andreini Senior following his tragic death in 2013. Eddie had learned to fly here in 1953 and based his highly successful aerobatic career here.
Drag Strip days 1957 to 1968 Walking in with a coke; “Where World Records are Broken
Record” (Joe remembers being there for an electrifying run of 185 MPH and 8.15 Seconds.)
HMB Bakery has a collection of photos and posters on view in Bakery and preserved on line.
Joe Miles air crash story of Ambulance, Corner’s van, Ambulance
The propeller found in tide pool.
Boeing 727 practice landings in mid ‘60’s.
Was a fog alternate to SFO.
Joe also added a WWII pilot story about gunning a fuel tanker truck in France on way back from Germany which was in fact a wine tanker.
Rotary angel flights story about September 12, 2001.
Air field was the Dream Machines and hanger dance the night before.
Then Joe told the Waldo Story - My over-the-back-fence neighbor John McKeon was a retired commercial pilot who joined the local Pilots’ Association at Half Moon Bay (HAF) airport. When he met the Association President she asked him where he lived. In Moss Beach he replied, to which she asked near the beach? John answered no up on top of the hill. Oh by Waldo she responded. How do you know about Waldo he asked and she explained that she tells her students that when they are over Waldo they should have their flaps down and be entering the final landing approach turn! 
You see I painted a 25’ tall Waldo down on the roof of our horse shelter for any kids to see from the small planes buzzing overhead. After hearing that she uses it as an aid to navigation I have more frequently recruited my grand nieces and nephews to keep the paint bright!
While at lunch 3 small planes landed. There were a number of young women who emerged. They were student pilots who were participating in an air race and had landed and then taken off before we finished our meeting.
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Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
United States of America