"Mama Bird" Johnson dies at 104...Over 57,000 flight hours

[picklesuit]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...son-dies-at-102-logged-7-years-of-flight-time
Heard this on the way home, very impressive...she was still teaching at 94, had over 5,000 students, gave over 9,000 check rides....
RIP to a true Aviatrix...
Pickle

 

[Silhouette]

Picklesuit-
I heard this story as well. What an amazing (bada$$) woman.

 

[mtsupilot09]

Took my Private SEL checkride with her when I was 17. When I called her she asked if I could pick her up...literally. I helped her into the 172's right seat and she sat on two phone books and a pillow. She slept (or at least pretended to) for the entire checkride and would occasionally wake up, briefly look outside and say something like, "Okay, son, now get us to Knoxville so I can see how you operate in Class C," or, "Okay, take us back to Morristown for some touch n go's." One of the greatest experiences of my life. That was almost ten years ago. What a lady!

 

[NavAir42]

Took my Private SEL checkride with her when I was 17. When I called her she asked if I could pick her up...literally. I helped her into the 172's right seat and she sat on two phone books and a pillow. She slept (or at least pretended to) for the entire checkride and would occasionally wake up, briefly look outside and say something like, "Okay, son, now get us to Knoxville so I can see how you operate in Class C," or, "Okay, take us back to Morristown for some touch n go's." One of the greatest experiences of my life. That was almost ten years ago. What a lady!

No kidding? While maybe not quite as good of a story as getting a check ride from Orville, Wilbur, or Lindbergh, it's up there. I was pretty stoked to break 1,000 during my fleet tour. I can't imagine having 57 times that.

 

[fc2spyguy]

No kidding? While maybe not quite as good of a story as getting a check ride from Orville, Wilbur, or Lindbergh, it's up there. I was pretty stoked to break 1,000 during my fleet tour. I can't imagine having 57 times that.

I don't think I have that much time walking, holy crap . . . impressive. So, where does that rank on the ORM sheet? Curious to see how many malfunctions she had to deal with, especially in her earlier days.

 

[HuggyU2]

mtsupilot09,
That is really neat. You need to dig through your photos and post a few, if you have any.
Very cool..., certainly a part of aviation history.

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

That's over 6.5 years in the air. Wow

 

[mtsupilot09]

Huggy, I've been looking for the one picture I took with her to no avail. But I do have the card she gave to all of her checkride students. She used a typewriter to do my temp certificate. Unfortunately, both are at home and I'm deployed until June.