AVIATIONLEGENDS MAGAZINE 2014 AVIATOR LEGENDS Stories of Extraordinary Adventure from This Year’S Thirteen Honorees
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AVIATIONLEGENDS MAGAZINE 2014 AVIATOR LEGENDS Stories of extraordinary adventure from this year’s thirteen honorees. A special publication of BE A SPONSOR ! Over 200,000 Attendees — 28% of State! Arctic Thunder — Still the Largest Single Event in Alaska ! Thanks to all Past Sponsors Be Part of it! Alaska Air Show Association an Alaska 501(c) 3 Non-profit All Donations Tax Deductible — AASA Mission — Provide Aviation Education, Inspiration, and Advocacy AASA Provides Scholarships Space Camps, UAA Pilot Training AASA is Civilian Partner to JBER Supporting Arctic Thunder AASA supports Air Events Statewide Arctic Thunder 2016 Starts Now! — Be a Sponsor — Receive Statewide Print, Radio, Internet and TV Exposure plus Day of the Event Seating and pre- and post-event recognition Email : [email protected] Want to Help Advance Aviation? — Join our all Volunteer Board Contents Lake Hood, Photo by Rob Stapleton 5 EDITOR’S LETTER 16 WIllIAM “BIll” DIEHL 36 RON SHEARDOWN Aviation Pioneers Aircraft Manufacturer Polar Adventurer and Rescue Legend 7 WALT AUDI 20 GARLAND DOBSON 40 WARREN THOMPSON Pilot of the Far North Dedicated Serviceman and Pilot Rescue Mission Legend and Teacher 11 ALBERT BAll, SR. 24 JOYCE GAlleHER 43 NOel MERRIll WIEN This year’s Alaska Aviation Legend program Life of Adventure in Rural Alaska Diversified and Experienced Pilot is dedicated to Albert Ball, Sr. and his adventurous spirit. 28 ROYCE MORGAN 47 KENNETH GENE ZERKel Airline Entrepreneur and Doctor Experienced Pilot and Aviation 12 DICK AND LAVelle BETZ Entrepreneur Longtime Alaska Guides 32 PAUL SHANAHAN True Alaskan Bush Pilot 4 EDITOR’S Letter Aviation Pioneers BY ROB STAPLETON n your hands is documentation of hun- abbreviations. We have, where possible, dreds of years of aviation experience eliminated or identified the usual acro- Ias lived by 13 true pioneers of Alaska. nyms by spelling them out. 2014 These pioneers used various types of air- During the development of the sto- craft as transportation to live a lifestyle ries and interviews, many have asked PUBLISHER that many can only dream of. about how Alaska Aviation Legends are Alice Rogoff The intent of the Alaska Aviation Leg- chosen…well it’s simple; it’s done by their ends project is to record as much history of peers. EDITOR each candidate and their adventures “the Each Legend was chosen by fellow Rob Stapleton best as they can recall.” This process was aviators, friends and family by nomina- chosen in hopes of eliminating mistakes CONTRIBUTORS tions. Late in the year the nominations are Jane Dale, Sabrina Dobson and factual errors for future historians. gathered and reviewed by a committee of Parsons, Gail Galleher, Yes, there will be mistakes because Alaskans with extensive aviation and geo- Joy Journeay, Aili Peyton, not everyone remembers events in their graphic knowledge of Alaska. Viki Spiroska, Rob Stapleton, past in as much detail as others observing Legends are chosen first by age to offer Joyce Zerkel from the sidelines, who were not making the elder most persons into the group. choices and acting to prevail. The hope of Younger nominees are decided by the DESIGN this project is to honor each Legend and amount of people who have nominated Cathy Rhodes tell their story while alive, gather historic them or by recommendation of previously images, video and artifacts that are of rel- honored legends. PHOTO TECHNICIAN evance to their Alaskan aviation lifestyle. In January, the Legends are chosen and Lonnie Burgener Writers Joy Journeay, Jane Dale and I, a letter of congratulation is sent to each interviewed each Legend candidate as as- Legend with details about the process and ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Joy Bax signed in hopes of offering readers a snap- interviews are agreed to, and set. shot of each person’s life and their use of The 2014 Alaska Aviation Legends ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES aircraft project offers the stories and experiences Jesse Busick, Ryan Estrada, Linda Hunting, fishing, running airlines, of these pioneers. While the stories are Gutierrez, Nick Humphreys, public safety, manufacturing of aircraft, or engaging, each writer worked closely with Brandi Nelson, David just for access, all flew over Alaska travers- the subjects to drill down and obtain nug- Nolen, Cyndi Ramirez, Emily ing vast areas of mountains, lakes, glaciers gets of information that could be weaved Rohrabaugh, and tundra where no roads exist. into a biographical type of story. Using the Linda Smith, Erika Watsjold In this group are several women who Legends, their friends and fellow pilots, Copyright © embraced meager conditions and made each story emerges with rich detail of a Alaska Dispatch News the best effort to enjoy life on a daily, life in Alaska that would not be possible P.O. Box 149001, Anchorage, monthly, yearly basis no matter what the without the use of aircraft. 99514 challenge—in fact they thrived. The men Please enjoy this publication the writers ON THE COVER in this year’s Legends vary from military and the staff of the Alaska Dispatch News C206 Float plane on Lake Hood pilots, a doctor, a public safety officer, air- are proud to present this Alaskan aviation Photo by Rob Stapleton line entrepreneurs, game guides and an history for you. aircraft manufacturer. Regards, Because Alaska has a very high popula- tion of pilots per capita, each story offers Rob Stapleton, Jr. some detailed aviation nomenclature and Editor/Photographer NOVEMBER 2014 5 Warren Thompson Quyana for the lives you’ve saved and the loved ones you’ve connected. You are truly a legend of flight. — The residents of Northwest Alaska ALASKA AVIATION Legends Walt Audi PILOT OF THE FAR NORTH By Joy Journeay PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUDI FAMILY Walt Audi served during his alt Audi came to Alaska in 1962 living quarters. Fortunately, my first job military service in the 82nd “to see what was possible” and was at Creamer’s Dairy in Fairbanks, Airborne U.S. Army. discovered all he wanted. By owned by Charlie and Anna Creamer, Born W July 19, 1939 1964, he was living north of the 70 de- and they provided living quarters. I was grees latitude, and has continued to serve hired to do maintenance at Creamer’s, Birthplace the people of northern Alaska ever since. but it seemed like I spent a lot of my time Wesley Chapel, Pennsylvania “If I was going to write a book about milking cows!” Came to Alaska my life, I’d entitle it Fifty Years Above 70 In June of 1964, Audi was offered a 1962 North,” he says with a chuckle. job to work maintenance on the Distance Aircraft Flown Walt is a quiet man of few words, char- Early Warning (DEW) Line out of Barter Taylorcraft acterized by a simple, direct approach Island. It was a 30-day temporary job, Cessna 185 Cessna 207 to life. He was born at home in Wesley doing repairs and work on the fiberglass DC-3 Chapel, Pa., a small place outside of of the big ray dome. The DEW Line con- Aviation Companies Jonestown. sisted of 63 radar stations, extending over Audi Air Audi joined the military and served his 6,200 miles across the northern Arctic, Alaskan Flyers country in the 82nd Airborne from 1956 from western Alaska to Baffin Island in through 1959. northeastern Canada. Below: Walt Audi with the 207 he “After my military service, I returned Strict policy at the time enforced that bought in 1979. to California. On a hot summer day while military and contractors were not to even I was in college, I lay over a stairway visit villages, but were to stay at all times welding girders with the sweat running on the military outposts. down into my eyes. I said to myself, ‘The “I did not want to be away from my heck with this!’ and I bought an old Ford family, so I took the initiative and went to pickup and headed north,” Audi recalls. “I the Kaktovik village elders,” explained decided to go to Alaska just to see what Audi. “I spoke with village elder Isaac was possible. When I got to Anchorage, and soon I, a white man, was adopted they were fishing off the bridge right in by the villagers of Kaktovik. I then downtown, and I thought, ‘This is it!’” radioed my superintendent in New In February of 1964, Audi came back Jersey and put it on the table for him: north with a pickup pulling a mobile home I wanted approval to move my family trailer, in hopes that it would become his north. I remember that he was dumb- first home in Alaska. founded, but I got that permission! We “Instead, it started to jackknife going were the first whites to live in Kaktovik.” down a hill in front of an approaching car, “There was no electricity, no fire I went into the ditch to save the oncoming wood, no heat, and no water when my traffic. The trailer was damaged too much family came north. And it was a pretty to continue to Alaska, so I had to have it big adjustment for anyone to make,” towed and stored for a year at Whitsnel he recalled. “My wife sure tried with in Canada,” Audi said. “I had no choice the little kids. The village did not but to continue north without my future have access to oil until it started to be “If I was going to write a book about my life, I’d entitle it Fifty Years Above 70 North.” NOVEMBER 2014 7 ALASKA AVIATION Legends being isolated in the far north was that the truck. I found what I needed and only pilots could come and go as they headed back to the plane,” said Audi.