WTA’s aviation program gives thank you ride to Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts owner

Shane Murphy and Ken Dromgold take their places in the cockpit.
Reminder Publishing photo by Amy Porter

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Technical Academy’s Aviation Maintenance Program showed its appreciation to Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts in Southwick in a way that only it could, by offering a thank-you ride in a 1942 Stearman bi-plane to owner Shane Murphy.

Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts celebrated 50 years in business on July 12.

“Mrs. Murphy’s has been a staple of our community for 50 years, constantly giving back to Southwick, Westfield and the local public schools. Most recently, Shane generously donated all the donuts, pastries, muffins, and coffee for this year’s Westfield Technical Academy Aviation graduation ceremony,” said AMT instructor Scott Hepburn, adding, “This flight is our program’s way of giving them some well-deserved recognition for half a century of community support.”

Hepburn and his brother Ed Hepburn, who was present for the occasion, have a long association with Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts, having worked there for many years in their youth, along with their sisters and nieces.

They originally offered the flight to Rose Murphy, who passed it to her daughter, Shane, who now runs the business with two of her children. Rose was on hand to see her daughter take off. “I could not do that, but she loved it and thought it was such a great opportunity,” she said, adding, “This is better than Six Flags.”

Ken Dromgold, president of the AMT advisory board and owner of the vintage WWII trainer, piloted the flight. He said the plane started as a Naval trainer, and after the war, spent some years as a crop duster, as many retired planes did.

Dromgold said he got the plane six years ago and has restored it a few times, keeping everything original, although he did recently put a new wooden propeller on the radial engine. He called the plane pretty rugged, but said it has taught a lot of people to fly.

Now Dromgold’s goal for the plane is to “keep it looking good and give rides.” He flies veterans and auctions off rides for charities. Hepburn said Dromgold also flies every student in the AMT program every year.

Before climbing into the plane, Dromgold told Murphy that she would sit in the front seat, but would be able to hear him through earphones and see him in the mirror. “If you want to fly it, you’re more than welcome to fly,” he told her, an option she said afterwards that she had declined.

“My flight experience was absolutely amazing. It was a perfect day, and the pilot flew over both my house and Drake Mountain, one of my favorite hiking spots. It was wonderful to see it from the sky, and we even did a little wave over my daughter’s house,” said Murphy, who lives in Granville.

She also took some photos on the flight, including a selfie. Dromgold had warned her to hold onto her phone really tightly due to wind shear in the open cockpit. The 1942 Stearman bi-plane can go up to 2,500 feet and 90 miles per hour, Hepburn said.