Milestone: Meyers get prestigious flight award

Published 12:21 pm Wednesday, June 10, 2015

John T. Meyers of Sequim has received the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for a 50-year career devoted to aviation.

Meyers first soloed in 1961 at the age of 16. By the time he was 19, he had earned his private pilot license, commercial pilot license, instrument rating and qualified as a certified flight instructor.

In 1966, he joined United Airlines. Starting as the flight engineer of a DC-6, he went on to fly and receive type certificates in the B727, B737, DC10, B757/767, B747 and the B777. He was selected to the United Training Center in Denver, Colo., to teach and evaluate other commercial pilots.

As time went on, he was promoted to manager of the entire training center. Even after retirement in 2003, he still was involved in worldwide commercial aviation as he taught Korean Air pilots in the simulators of B747 and B777 aircraft.

According to the presenters of the award, Meyers represents everything the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award seeks to recognize.

He has practiced safe flight operations continuously for over 50 years during the course of his aviation career and has contributed to the promotion of aviation safety in the Sequim area and around the world.