The aircraft's owner, ARA member Robert P. "Pat" Ryan obtained and restored the aircraft after it was sold by the Air Force and flown to California. Ryan is the son of the late Colonel William A. "Sleepy" Ryan, who served with the Air Rescue Service from 1953 to 1968.The younger Ryan served the USAF as a Rescue helicopter pilot and flight surgeon, is a practicing physician and also flies for Continental Airlines out of Houston.

Air Rescue Association members welcomed the reconditioned airplane at San Antonio Int'l Airport on Sat. morning, Aug. 30, and were treated to a flight to Canyon Lake, where each of the pilots performed takeoffs and landings on the lake. For most, it had been about 40 years since they had been in the cockpit of the Albatross, and for these seasoned pilots it was a thrill to be able to try their skills at the controls once again!

The original version of S/N 51-5303 was an "A" model, but underwent modification in the late 50's and is now an HU-16B, sporting an extra 16 feet of wingspan and a maximum gross weight of 37,000 lbs. Several performance characteristics have changed.

Guests of pilot-owner, Bob Ryan for this memorable event were retirees LtCol Shad Shaddox, LtCol Tony Saenz and Colonel Flavious Drake, all of San Antonio.

Shaddox flew the SA-16 in the "tri-phibian" configuration for land, sea and snow rescue work at West Palm Beach, FL and at Thule AB, Greenland. Tony Saenz served in many Rescue assignments amassing a total of 6800 hours flight time in the SA-16. Flavious Drake served Air Rescue several years, five of which were in the SA-16. Other Daedalians, contacted by phone also remembered their experiences with the old SA-16: General Bill McBride, Bill Darnell, Bill Fritz, Clyde Laws and others.

At present Bob Ryan's rebuilt SA/HU-16 is based in Montgomery Co. Airport, Conroe, TX. Bob flew into San Antonio accompanied by his copilot, LtCol (Ret) Chuck Manning of Melbourne, FL and Flight Engineer, Don Simmons of Houston.