Ed Hug's love of flying was sparked by watching a movie scene in 1968. Today, he's a member of UFO, the United Flying Octogenarians — just one of many examples of how the Greenfield resident lives life to the fullest. CONTRIBUTED Sign up for the and get essential news each day. Sign up Greenfield resident Ed Hug immerses himself in parts of our world that many people only get to dream about. His 35-year career within the Navy’s civil service research and development system put him in close contact with undersea worlds and, on his own time, he explored oceanic surfaces during months-long sailing adventures. Hug’s linguistic skills grant him access to foreign cultures. And he’s investigated spiritual and psychological realms, as well, through disciplines as diverse as psychosynthesis, psychodrama and intensive time in a Catholic seminary. Last Saturday’s column touched on Hug’s academic and professional endeavors. Now, since I originally made his acquaintance by asking about a cap he wore atop his head, let’s take a look at how Hug became a member of UFO (United Flying Octogenarians), a nationwide organization of pilots aged 80 or older. It all started when Hug was in his early 30s, sitting in a movie theater: “I was watching a film called ‘The Thomas Crown Affair.’ Steve McQueen was flying acrobatically in a glider accompanied by ‘The Windmills of your Mind,’ a song with very poetic lyrics.” Hug’s interest was sparked and he pursued the activity. Flying a glider involves piloting an unpowered aircraft by taking advantage of naturally occurring rising air currents to remain aloft and to gain altitude. “Gliders are towed into the air by another aircraft via a 100-meter rope linked onto the front of the glider,” said Hug. “The tow plane takes you up to about 3,000 feet, you pull a lever, and you’re free. You can get up to 50,000 or 60,000 feet if you find the right air currents.” Hug flew a Schweitzer 232: “It had two seats, front and back,” he said. When asked what it’s like to fly something without an engine, especially when it comes time to land, Hug said, “One trick is to stay within an inverted cone-shaped distance of the airport. Another is to find updrafts or thermals. Warm air rises up in columns, and while you’re up there, you keep an eye out for clues like wispy clouds or hawks, or hope to encounter a thermal by chance.” Hug emphasized the importance of “flying in a circle to try to stay within a thermal. Also, check the variometer.” A variometer is an instrument that informs the pilot of the rate of climbing and can indicate a thermal. After 13 hours of practice during the summer of 1968, Hug was able to go solo with a student license. “Once winter came, though, glider operations slowed down,” he said. “I still wanted to fly, though.” Join your neighbors and subscribe! Award-winning coverage on breaking news and today’s top stories in and around Franklin County. Food, arts, sports — it's all here. You’ll have unlimited access to our stories, our e-edition, newly-added archival stories, audio and more! Subscribe Today! Hug’s next move was to a gas-powered, 180-horsepower, four-cylinder airplane; he flew Piper Cubs and was able to fly solo after six hours of instruction, given his glider experience. “The Piper Cub was small, like flying a motorcycle in the sky. I loved it,” said Hug. “I also love that flying uses a variety of skills: it’s like going into another world, very different from our ordinary world.” Hug had to use a different set of senses, not unlike when he became a certified scuba diver or sailed away from sight of land in worsening weather conditions. “I’m naturally adventurous,” he said. “I guess it’s why I love learning foreign languages, traveling, and trying new things. These activities put me in other worlds.” Hug’s spirited nature may help explain why, at 87, he appears to be 10 or even 20 years younger than his chronological age. Most Read Source: https://recorder.com/2025/11/21/ufo-sighting-at-87-ed-hug-shares-his-out-of-this-world-experience/