Profiles

Jim Slade was born December 4,1936, in Morgantown, W.Va. As a kid he washed airplanes for flight time, earning his pilot’s certificate 15 minutes at a time. His deep voice and ability to think on his feet pointed him to a career in radio journalism, and during his 40 years in the business he covered […]

Hazel Sig-Hester was born March 3,1922, in Grinnell, Iowa. Her family lived on 3rd Street, Hazel was the thirdchild, and Grinnell was the third town her parents had lived in, so it’s easy tosee what her lucky number is. Hazel’s father took a ride with Charles Lindberghwhen he passed through Iowa giving rides, and her […]

Noel Merrill Wien was born April4, 1930, in Virginia, Minn. His father, Noel Wien, was born in Lake Nebagamon,Wisc., went to Alaska in 1924, was the first to fly the 350-mile route fromAnchorage to Fairbanks, the first pilot of a passenger flight from Seattle toFairbanks, and the first pilot to fly over and beyond the […]

On the morning of June 18, 2002, Scott perished doing what he loved:practicing aerobatics in a Yak-52, in the mountains of Brentwood, Calif. He hadrecently been working to advance his aerobatic skills, and placed 13th among 19pilots in his first competition, at Paso Robles, the weekend of June 8. He hadalso flown aerobatics in Citabrias […]

Wally Roberts was born October 22,1936 in Pasadena, Calif., close enough to the Monrovia airport to see airplanesin the pattern. Around age 12, he watched a PT-13 auger in after stalling at thetop of a loop, killing the pilot and his girlfriend. For a while after that hehad a phobia about airplanes, but when that […]

Myron Collier was born June 8,1930, on a farm near Butler, Ohio. He built model airplanes and, though hedidn’t know any pilots, knew he wanted to be one. An hour’s worth of instructionwas too expensive, so he paid for 15 minutes at a time. What he lacked infinances he made up for in determination, and […]

Michael Nolan was born October 24,1949, in Van Nuys, Calif. His first flight was in a PSA DC-4 out of Burbank,Calif., and he was hooked instantly. He learned to fly in late ’68 while he wasa student at L.A. Valley college, soloed on March 1, ’69, then earned a two-yeardegree from Fullerton College and studied […]

Robert L. Buck was born January29, 1914, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. At age 15 — inspired by Lindbergh’strans-Atlantic flight — he and a friend built a glider and Bob taught himselfto fly — sort of. His first flight in the glider ended shortly after takeoffwhen he mushed into the ground from 50 feet. He refreshed […]

John L. Baker was born July 8, 1928, in O’Neil, Neb. He started flying at 15 and went into the Air Force five years later. He flew fighters in Korea then taught fighter gunnery at Nellis, Pine Castle and Luke. After his military career, Baker went to law school in Omaha, and graduated with honors. […]

Stayce D. Harris was born June 8, 1959, in Los Angeles, Calif. She graduated from 71st High School in Fayetteville, N.C., in 1977. In 1981, she earned a bachelors degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California, earned her Air Force commission from USC’s AFROTC program, and began flight training at […]