Ransom Tony Schultz (Tony) came to Alaska in 1938. That same year he bought his first plane and obtained his pilot's license. He began flying for Star Airlines (later Alaska Airlines) in 1940, and in 1950, was chosen as their first chief bush...
(3:47 min.) (28 of 28) 28. 737 200 series
George praises the 737 jets, and describes how much he liked the passengers. They liked him playing the harmonica. George also talked about what it takes to make a great career in the airlines.
(3:09 min.) (27 of 28) 27. Pilot for Governor Egan George used to fly Gov. Egan back and forth to Juneau. Egan liked George's harmonica version of "Springtime in the Rockies". George then flew the Seattle run, which he had always wanted to...
(7:14 min.) (25 of 28) 26. C-47 transport
George flew transport C-47 between Alaska and Seattle. Sometimes on the way down he had to land on Annette Island to refuel. On the way up they always had to refuel to fight the headwinds. He had...
(6:00 min.) (25 of 28) 25. Licensed for DC-3; return to Alaska
George and Bill Conrad discusssed how he'd do the flight. He made it through the testing. George went back to New York and then flew to Fairbanks. The flying was bad on the...
(6:47 min) (24 of 28) 24. DC-3 training
George met a Pan Am Clipper pilot who set him up for training at LaGuardia Airport. He was leasing a Pan Am DC-3 but the corporate heads cancelled the deal. Bill Conrad was the instructor George went...
(3:36 min.) (23 of 28) 23. DC-3 aircraft
George and Merrill Wien got a Stinson ready for instrument flight. George loaded up the family and flew to New York. He started training with the DC-3.
(5:01 min.) (22 of 28) 22. Flying in western Alaska
George still needed his multi-engine rating, couldn't borrow the company plane. So he quit Pan Am and started flying along the Kuskokwim for Northern Consolidated. Towns in the western...
(5:17 min.) (21 of 28) 21. Licenses and ratings
Discussion of the difficulties getting commercial license; the easiest way is to become an instructor. George got his license, then his instructor rating; the instrument rating was more...
(4:26 min.) (19 of 28) 19. Women pilots Virginia wanted corrections made on a display at the airport, adding mention of early women pilots in Alaska. Virginia speaks of things absent in her life and how becoming a Jehovah's Witness helped.
(5:36 min.) (18 of 28) 18. Virginia's students
Virginia's students were varied -- a man who became a jet pilot, a prostitute, and a construction worker named Bullwinkle. She discusses some of her flights to Manly and other interior...
(4:08 min.) (17 of 28) 17. Virginia comes to Alaska
Virginia was given the chance to come to Alaska as a flight instructor; if she didn't like it she was told she could fly home for free. She only instructed for one summer. She came up,...
(6:58 min.) (16 of 28) 16. Virginia speaks about flight instruction
Virginia's first solo flight was on December 7, 1941, but since all flights were canceled that day she had to solo again a week later. Flights were cancelled because of...
(3:43 min.) (15 of 28) 15. Getting air time
George and a man named Grant Ruth trained as flight mechanics. George did some flying of the DC3's. He wanted to fly other aircraft but there were few civilian planes available for sale or...
(4:18 min.) (14 of 28) 14. Pacific Alaska Airways
Joe Barrows set up this airline; he wanted Pan Am to take it over for him. He wanted to fly clipper flying boats. His wife stayed in Alaska and was the first woman (Mary Barrows) to get...
(3:28 min.) (13 of 28) 13. Whitehorse and Fairbanks
George stayed awhile in Seattle and saw Boeing in full wartime production. Eighteen to twenty B-17's a day were produced. He went to Whitehorse, YT. Bill Lavery was a pilot for Morrison...
(5:30 min.) (12 of 28) 12. Next assignment
George drove to Seattle in a car he'd built. In Colorado, the engine caught fire. He made temporary repairs. He had to follow trucks that cut through the snow before him. A woman ran him off the...
(4:46 min.) (11 of 28) 11. Back to the U.S.
Military wanted them to stay and offered George a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. He wanted to get back home for at least a visit, so he flew back with a cargo of latex rubber. Engine problems...
(3:09 min.) (10 of 28) 10. Fighter planes
About 50 P-40's (fighters) were shuttled across by the aircraft carrier "Ranger". These planes were destined to replace the worn planes in China. One plane landed hard and lost a landing gear.