(3:06 min) (04 of 17) Flying business
June '47 bought an airplane and started work mostly near Aniak, Fairbanks, Circle, Fort Yukon wound up in Central. Went to Globe Arizona in the winters to take classes in air mechanic and everything...
(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...
(3:15 min) (05 of 17) Back to teaching
Bad fire season too many people crashing. Took job flying for Trans-ocean airways, then flew Korean air lift for military. After war too much competition from Wien Airways so went back to teaching. ...
(3:16 min) (03 of 17) Army, teaching and Fish & Game Trained in Sta. Maria California (Moffitt Field) finished in 1942. James C. Ryan old instructor talked about jobs. Got out of Army during WWII to teach school, took Gov. Gruening and Rep....
(3:20 min) (15 of 17) Change and familiarity
Man ran out onto ice and was waving arms Red thought something was wrong so landed and man just wanted to say hello. On a trip to Huslia with a fur buyer.
(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.
(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...
(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.
(4:02 min) (02 of 17) First job Bill Shoddy & George Gilbertson. Roomed at Francis Doyle's boarding house now National Bank of Alaska, in the Northward Building-$68 a month. Went to look at the University, if he enrolled at University room...
(4:02 min) (07 of 17) Being a live coward
Single engine planes are dangerous, no back-up. Coastal Geodetic Survey Tigvariak Island. Had to get them to Barter Island--white out cloud cover turned around and went back passenger complained.
(4:15 min.) (06 of 28) 6. WWII Some of his friends went to Canada to fly with the Royal Air Force [RAF]; many of them did not come home. George went to Africa to build runways and supply aircraft. He was with Pan Am/World Airways (Pan Am...
(4:16 min) (13 of 17) Flying for DGGS pt. 2
As a pilot for Division of Geology and Geodetic Surveys had emergency call to fly in whiteout conditions to get a badly burned man at another station. Flying under 200 ft. elevation so not to miss...
(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...
(4:38 min) (06 of 17) Flying history, quit commercial flying 1960 quit flying so he could spend summers furthering education. Sam White gave advice, Harold Gilliam, Wien's, the real bush pilots or first wave of air pioneers. More...
(4:39 min.) (02 of 28) 2. Early years -- parental influences Father flew in World War I [WWI] and after war, he bought Navy surplus flying boat and flew on the weekends. His mother also got interested in aviation and they flew weekend tours...
(4:40 min) (12 of 17) Flying for DGGS pt.1
As a pilot for Division of Geology and Geodetic Surveys had emergency call to fly in whiteout conditions to get a badly burned man at another station. Flying under 200 ft. elevation so not to miss...