When I was young, I had fantasies of becoming a test pilot. I'd done some test flying in the F-51 and lesser airplanes, but with no college at all, no money, and very poor high-school grades, it seemed an impossible prospect. Then I joined Air America in 1963, and the money started flowing into my formerly anemic bank account. (I was down to $3.95 in my checking account, and owned only the contents of one suitcase when I showed up in Laos.)
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/features/pelicans-perch-61test-pilot-school