This is the story of an aviator who started out in flight training prior to World War II. The narrative chronicles his experiences through the tremendous and rapid development of aviation in all its phases. It tells the story of the evolution and growth of a working pilot, in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean and Asia. After the war, the civilian use of surplus military aircraft and war-trained personnel became commonplace, setting the scene that allowed -- and at times forced -- this young pilot to mature into a seasoned aviator.Surplus aircraft were put to civilian use in upstart airlines, both domestic and foreign. Then began the battle between the established scheduled airlines and the upstarts. It was a no-holds-barred battle for survival. The author's journey then took him through a hitch with Peruvian International Airlines to find some security and economic growth, and later a labor union battle with a major U.S. commercial airline. Meanwhile, the civil aircraft movement of military troops put him into the middle of a bidding war that threatened pure starvation as he gasped for his own economic survival.Later, he served a tour of duty during the Korean War, which was not a war supported by dedicated politicians. Subsequently, this man was on the front lines of the Cold War and was integral in establishing the Distant Early Warning System of radar stations across the Canadian Artic. During his career, the author also gained experience with PBY amphibians and flew old warbirds that were one meager step from the junkyard.His journey continued through the rise of corporate aviation and the conversion of military and airline aircraft to corporate use, along the way becoming a corporate pilot.After a lengthy and illustrious career, the author retired from aviation. But far from being content to relax in retirement, he began a second career at the age of 39: he founded a boatbuilding business, creating boats with breakthrough designs and innovative engineering.This is his compelling story.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/features/a-pilots-history-chap-1-flight-training