"The World's Largest Family-Owned, Public-Use Airport"
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 Walter Cable Walter David Cable, born Aug 7, 1926, earned his pilot's license in 1944 before he entered the Army Air Force. He joined the CAP when Dewey was the local commander and helped his dad at Brackett Field. He helped ferry the Porterfield from Bracket out to Silverlake on weekends for student training. The plane didn't have enough gas to make the trip non-stop so they had to land on the highway on the way out to gas up. Walter had barely started his Army Air Force flight training in 1945 when the war was over and he was discharged shortly thereafter. He immediately went to work for his father on the airport and has been there ever since. First, he got his instructor's rating and flew as a flight instructor for a number of years before becoming a flight examiner. During those early years he logged over 6000 flying hours and has been the leading force behind the flight school and the airport itself. Walter is a natural pilot and could fly almost any aircraft. He was always being called upon to test-fly homebuilts for the first time and even taught himself how to fly helicopters. Over the years he has owned a Stearman, an AT-6, a Staggerwing Beech, and two Bonanzas. Walter was also in charge of aircraft sales, and when Lynn Person left, he took over aircraft maintenance as well. His son, Rob, is now in charge of Foothill Aircraft sales and service where he runs the maintenance department. Rob and his wife, Joyce, have two sons named Curtis and Kevin who are now working at Foothill Aircraft. Walter and Marliyn's daughter Debby is a teacher in Ohio and she has two sons Jonathan and Jason. On Tuesday 11 January 1966, Walter set the single-engine altitude record of 39,334 feet using a stock 1966 Cessna turbo 210 Centurion. He broke the previous record of 35,070 feet set three months earlier by Marvin Smith of Long Beach in a modified 210. Walter took off from Cable Airport a little after ten and his brother, Roger, was flying a twin engine Aero Commander chase plane. Walter circled Cable Airport and then over Ontario as he continued to climb. When he received clearance from Los Angeles control he headed for Catalina Island and shuttled between Catalina and Long Beach as he continued to climb. Roger stayed at 22,000 feet and acted as a communications link between Walter and the various ground stations. As he passed through 25,000 feet the windows frosted over and he had to fly on instruments. As he climbed higher some of these instruments became inoperable due to the altitude and eventually he was left with only the turn and bank indicator to maintain level flight. Walter stayed above 39,000 feet for 45 minutes and maintained the peak level for about eighteen minutes. Running low on fuel he started his descent and landed at Cable at 1:30 pm, 3 hours and 9 minutes after he had left. The following year, on Saturday May 13, he shattered his own record by flying to a height of 43,699 feet. This time flying a 1967 TurboSystem Cessna 210 Centurion, powered by a 285-hp Continental Airesearch turbocharged engine. Roger again flew chase plane duty, but this time he flew a twin-engine Cessna Skymaster. In addition to serving as Walters communications link to various ground stations he broadcast live to the listening audience of KKAR radio. Walter was still climbing 100 feet per minute as he passed through 40,000 feet. By the time the plane reached its maximum altitude, it was in such a steep attitude that he was literally "hanging on the prop" clawing for every foot of height. The outside temperature was 60 degrees below zero and the cabin heater going full blast gave little relief. One hour and forty-five minutes after takeoff, Walter had reached 43,699 feet setting a new world Class-l.c altitude record for light aircraft, which still stands today.
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