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My father passed-away yesterday. Some of you are aircraft pilots and may recognize his name, David C. Kelly
He began flying Jan 1946 at the age of 18. Aug 1947 he got his Commercial Pilot Cert. and Flight Instructor Cert. one month later. He instructed Primary and Advanced students until 1950.
He then went into crop dusting in Stearman and N3N biplanes for the next 17 years. There was a brief interlude where he flew a Beech D18 for the Atomic Energy Commission on a shuttle run from Livermore, CA and the Nevada Test Site.
In 1967 he began flying for TBM Inc. on forest fires in California. In the winter months he was a mechanic on the airtankers. Summer months he flew the tankers, starting with a Grumman TBM. He advanced to the F7F (my favorite), DC6, DC7, B17 and C123.
He was in the James Bond film "The Living Daylights" flying the C123. He was in the scene(s) with Bond and the Villan hanging from the cargo net out the back of the plane. If you know aircraft you see the plane in the movie is a C130 (four prop engines). Look close at the underside of the plane as the villan falls. You'll see two props engines and two jet pods, a C 123.
In 1979 he moved to Redmond, OR to fly for Butler Aircraft, a subsidiary of TBM Inc. There he flew DC6, DC7 and C123. He held ATP Cert., Airplane Single and Multiengine Land with ratings in G-TBM, G-F7F, DC3S, DC4, DC6, DC7, B-B17, FA-C123, L-382 and Commercial Privilages in Airplane Single Engine Sea and Rotorcraft-Helicopter. Designated Pilot Examiner since 1970 and Vintage Airplane NDPER Examiner since 1997. He is a member of the UFO (United Flying Octogenerarians.
In 64 years he accumulated over 16,000 hours, nearly all were non-autopilot. He received from the FAA the Charles M. Taylor award for being an aircraft mechanic for over 50 years and the Golden Wings Award for being a Flight Instructor for 50 years. Also, the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for being accident- free pilot for 50 years.
My half-brother follows in his footsteps as a pilot for the same company. A proud moment was when Dad was his Examiner and signed him off as a licensed pilot.
He touched a lot of people. There have been calls and cards from all over the world. He's on another flight, and not comming back.
He began flying Jan 1946 at the age of 18. Aug 1947 he got his Commercial Pilot Cert. and Flight Instructor Cert. one month later. He instructed Primary and Advanced students until 1950.
He then went into crop dusting in Stearman and N3N biplanes for the next 17 years. There was a brief interlude where he flew a Beech D18 for the Atomic Energy Commission on a shuttle run from Livermore, CA and the Nevada Test Site.
In 1967 he began flying for TBM Inc. on forest fires in California. In the winter months he was a mechanic on the airtankers. Summer months he flew the tankers, starting with a Grumman TBM. He advanced to the F7F (my favorite), DC6, DC7, B17 and C123.
He was in the James Bond film "The Living Daylights" flying the C123. He was in the scene(s) with Bond and the Villan hanging from the cargo net out the back of the plane. If you know aircraft you see the plane in the movie is a C130 (four prop engines). Look close at the underside of the plane as the villan falls. You'll see two props engines and two jet pods, a C 123.
In 1979 he moved to Redmond, OR to fly for Butler Aircraft, a subsidiary of TBM Inc. There he flew DC6, DC7 and C123. He held ATP Cert., Airplane Single and Multiengine Land with ratings in G-TBM, G-F7F, DC3S, DC4, DC6, DC7, B-B17, FA-C123, L-382 and Commercial Privilages in Airplane Single Engine Sea and Rotorcraft-Helicopter. Designated Pilot Examiner since 1970 and Vintage Airplane NDPER Examiner since 1997. He is a member of the UFO (United Flying Octogenerarians.
In 64 years he accumulated over 16,000 hours, nearly all were non-autopilot. He received from the FAA the Charles M. Taylor award for being an aircraft mechanic for over 50 years and the Golden Wings Award for being a Flight Instructor for 50 years. Also, the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for being accident- free pilot for 50 years.
My half-brother follows in his footsteps as a pilot for the same company. A proud moment was when Dad was his Examiner and signed him off as a licensed pilot.
He touched a lot of people. There have been calls and cards from all over the world. He's on another flight, and not comming back.
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