OT: Most Famous aviators you've ever met

[AlexPeterson]

I forgot one interesting one - Bob Caron, the tailgunner on the Enola Gay, worked with my wife in the '80's.

[keithschult]

Bud Anderson, Bob Hoover, Mike Melville, Dick Rutan, Giles Henderson, Paul Dye,

&, Doug (Do I owe you money?) Reeves at Airventure 2006.


Then there is my uncle, SGT. Charles A. Schult, B-24 bombardier, who lost his leg in a crash landing in WWII. He spent decades after the war working for Beechcraft, retiring in the mid 90's. I have always respected this gentleman, who has always been big-hearted and generous to a fault. He now lives in Salina, KS.

[Brambo]

Robin Olds and Tex Hill, both had flown with my grandfather.

[lostpilot28]

A year before he passed away, "Gordo" Cooper was the guest of honor at the Camarillo airshow in southern California. I've always loved the movie "The Right Stuff" and wanted to see him. I got a picture with him and he signed my Collector's Edition copy of The Right Stuff. Very nice guy.

[Paul Best]

March 3, 2008--10:55 am

While waiting for pickup one morning in New York City, I realized that I was standing next to Wally Shirraa and we began talking. As other crew came up, the talking became really animated and jokes were flying, hands were imitating airplanes and it was a wonderful 10 minutes. Then, suddenly, his wife was standing next to us and the conversation lagged. What a great guy and I would have loved to share a few adult beverages with him just to hear his stories.

[MacNab]

I have an endorsement/autograph for an aircraft checkout in my log book from a retired Air Force Thunderbird pilot and team commander. He flew with the team in the days when they flew the F-100 Super Sabre. I'm not going to drop his name here for privacy reasons, but he sure did teach me a thing or two about flyin'. Some of the best and most grueling instruction I've ever had. I was a sweaty, ragdoll, of a basketcase after each of the two days I flew with him and mentally debriefed for at least a couple of weeks after the experience.

Sat next to Frank Borman at the airport cafe in Las Cruces when we were passing through there one Saturday on our way to New Orleans. He keeps his P-51 at the Las Cruces airport. Didn't want to invade his space, so I just kept it limited to an exchange of greetings, but I *really* wanted to bend his ear.

[gpiney]

A couple of weeks before I got my PPL, a Beech Baron landed shortly after I finished a practice flight. The twin pulled up to the ramp and parked. The occupants disembarked the plane and came into the FBO's building. Two girls in their early teens and a woman. They were followed shortly by the pilot - Cliff Robertson. The girls and their mom were going to a local amusement park for the day. Cliff came in to call them a cab. After the cab came Cliff hung around like typical Ramp Rat. He gladly autographed my log book with his 'backward C' Charly. He also gave a couple of us a tour of his plane. He then flew back to Long Island for the day and came back that evening to pick up his wife and girls. A really nice guy who loves aviation.

[mlwynn]

I had the privelege of taking care (I'm a surgeon when not building aircraft) of Buster Keaton. I'm not sure what his actual first name was, everyone called him Buster. He was one of the original Flying Tigers in China before the US entry into the war. He has sinced passed away, but was always good for a flying story. As an interesting "small world" story, I sent him to an oncologist here named Peter Wong. Turns out Peter's father was on his ground crew in China. Floored me.

I still have an autographed picture on him in his cockpit hanging in the shop.

Michael Wynn
RV 8 Fuselage
San Ramon, CA

[mhflyit]

I met Sir Douglas Bader @ St Pierre Golf Course, UK in the late 1970's.
Battle of Britain fighter pilot despite losing both legs in an aircraft incident in the 1930's.

[enielsen]

Bruce Dickinson - Lead Singer of Iron Maiden