ormer Sinclair Airplane Pilots and Aviation Department Personnel
Sinclair's Twin Beech N5854C
Sinclair's Twin Beech N44573
In front of Hangar 14 - Tulsa
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Barr, Ralph L.
9719 N. 151st East Ave
Owasso, OK 74055
918-272-3811
[email protected]
Brown, Bob
11782 E Asbury Pl.
Aurora, CO 80014
303 751 3786
303 717 2220 cell
[email protected]
Courtney, Dean
P.O. Box 1103
Branson, MO 65615
417-335-4590
Cox, Don
61449 East 319 Rd.
Grove, OK 74344
918-786-8684
770-716-0209
417-781-7047
[email protected]
DeVries, Paul and June
15827 Guy James Rd
Justin, TX 76247
940-648-1570
[email protected]
Dooley, Dean
653 Vista Ln. CR 503
Bayfield, CO 81122
970-884-9416
Gazzaway, Jim and Mary Jo
115 Forest Dr.
Fairfield, TX 75840
903-389-8495
[email protected]
Gerbode, Ken and June
3118 Faulkner Dr.
Rowlett, TX 75088-5904
972-412-4419
[email protected]
Graf, Gerald "Jerry" and Ann
19554 Pine Landing Dr.
Grand Rapids, Minn. 55744
218-326-0793
[email protected]
Hammer, Mike
205 Airport Dr.
Oakley, KS 67748-6016
Hewitt, Vernon "Jack"
2811 Raintree Ct.
Norman, OK 73069
405-360-5009
Horton, Mary
23053 Westchester Blvd.# R301
Port Charlotte, FL 33980
[email protected]
Jackson, A.D.
2461 N. Boston
Tulsa, OK 74106
Joyner, Pat
2879 Covington Circle
Shrevesport, LA 711106
318-798-2766
[email protected]
Lacey, Joe
73-1190 Ala Kapua St.
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740-9575
808-325-6764
Lahaie, Arley and Joyce
117 W. Cheryl
Hurst, TX 76053
817-282-0133
[email protected]
Larabee, Wayne
23 Basildon Dr.
Bella Vista, AR 72714
479-855-7092
[email protected]
Longbrake, Orville
1700 Walnut Lane
Kingwood, TX 77339
281-798-3337
[email protected]
Malzer, Gordon
101 Sunflower St.
Georgetown, TX 78628
512 864-0465
[email protected]
Ploog, Nathan
Yesterdays Inn
735 8th St.
Spearfish, SD 57783-2147
605-644-0210
Cell 303-887-9566
[email protected]
Quinn, Richard K.
2430 Scarborough Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99504
907-337-0199
Robbins, Donald B. & Virginia
237 Bullfinch Rd.
Mooresville, NC 28115
704-528-5572
Cell: 704-995-4334
Cell: 828-244-9161
[email protected]
Sparrowhawk, Alan&Lucille
8728 W. Wesley Place
Denver, CO 80227-3027
303-989-5834
[email protected]
Stickley, Bill
Rt 2 Box 26
Bill Stickley Road
Zavalla, TX 75980
936-897-2225
[email protected]
Van Kempema, Ross
107 Lakefront Court N.E.
Lake Placid, FL. 33852
863 465-5537
Williams, Virgil
132 Country Club Blvd.
Plainwell, MI 49080-9120
269-685-6268
(Winter Home)
9300 S.W. 8th St. #110
Boca Raton, FL 33428
561-483-2667
[email protected]
A search of my log books show that I have some of the following airplanes listed with Sinclair from 1955 to 1961. I think it would be a good idea to make a complete list of the airplanes and who was flying them where. So if you can be of any help please let me know. Larry Marshall McKenzie, Cecil Mong, Ralph Moyer, Dorothy Joe Lacey reports from Hawaii: Its February 4, 2003 and I am standing on the west side of the Big Island in the State of Hawaii. The mountain behind me, Hualalai, is about 9,000 feet and its only about 7 miles to the top but you can't drive quite all the way up. The Pacific surf is about 2 miles the other way. I'm still working at age 87 and still hold my pilot's license. I volunteer 2 half days a week at Hospice of Kona. Maybe I'll retire on reaching 90? Just kidding !!! I travel 6 weeks per year mostly to friends and relatives and to the farm. We grew 9,000 lb. of soy beans and 275,000 lb. of corn in 2002. No profit, just for fun. Lost my wife Phyllis in '93 so I'm batchin! I hope to see a few this fall. Jerry Graf gives the following account of his employment with Sinclair: N-number : N5854C N-number : N7070 N-number : N3056P N-number : N4357P N-number : N4355P Let Jim Gazzaway know what you are doing and he will put it on the web site here to share with the other Former Sinclair Pilots. Where are they?
(*) Last known Location
Abbott, E.
Allen, Bill * Madison, WI Rayovac Retired
Balf, Marshall
Cocks, Winston
Davis, Andy (Aviaonics)
Decker, W.
Dumont, Dave
Freeman, Lloyd
Kay, P.
Kingsley, Malcolm
Kolb, Bill
Lauver, Paul
Leigh, Bob
Little, Earnest L.
Luckett, Donald B.
Marciano, Joe
Moore, Bill
Morton, C.
Muncil, Jim * Ft. Myers, FL Retired Citgo
Newkirk, Dave
Reager, Gene *SHV area Boat, Engine, Sales Service
Serpa, C * New York Area
Spence, Vern
Thompson, Larry
Wienberg, Nate
Sinclair Airplanes in operation 1955 to 1961
(note: Some of the airplanes listed were before 1955 and after 1961)
Twin Beech:
N44573 Ken Horton and Frank Lightfoot, Bill Allen, Virgil Koidahl, Cecil McKenzie,Jim Sneed and Jim Gazzaway in Tulsa
N80037 (Bob Dunfee and Ernie Phillips - burned on landing at Calgary, Alberta, Canada Airport on May 15, 1956 on landing with Jim Gazzaway in the left seat and Bob Dunfee in the right seat. Jim has pictures if anyone is interested. Neither of us was seriously hurt.
N2279 Bob Dunfee oversaw conversion and flew it out of Tulsa after loss of N80037. Howard Bradley later flew it with Jim Gazzaway and Joe Norwood
N80158 Larry Thompson, Gordon Malzer, Russell Parks and Arlie Lahaie in Ft. Worth - Later Pat Joyner and Arley Lahaie in Ft. Worth, Ken Horton and Paul Lauver.
N3705B ?
N5854C Ken Horton and Jim Sneed, Ross Van Kempema and Larry Marshall, Doyle Grout, Larry Ryan, Pat Joyner and Jim Gazzaway in Houston - Alan Sparrowhawk, Don Robbins, Dick Quinn and Arlie Lahaie in Independence, Kansas
N80390 Jim Sneed and Doyle Grout in Denver
N91U George Suhre
N44623 Ken Horton and Lou Houck, George Suhre, A.J. Gould, Vern Spence, C. Serpa, W. Decker, Nate Weinberg
Lockeed Lodestar:
N6060 Dave Bishop and Don Cox in Chicago
N7070 A.J. Gould and Ken Horton in New York, Al Minich in Tulsa
N94533 Ross Van Kempema and Howard Bradley and then Larry Marshall in Independence, Kansas
DeHaviland Dove:
N4969N Wesley Helm and Ralph Barr, Independence, Kansas and later Alan Sparrowhawk and Dick Quinn, Don Robbins, Arley Lahaie and Jim Gazzaway
Piper Apache:
N3040P Bill Underwood - Tulsa?
N3056P Larry Ryan - Independence, Kansas Cecil McKenzie 1963 & 1964 Independence
N4357P Arley Lahaie ?
N4355P Arley Lahaie ?
Beechcraft Bonanaza:
N5801C Larry Marshall - Jim Gazzaway Independence, Kansas
N740D Ralph Barr Independence, Kansas
N759B Bill Underwood Tulsa, Oklahoma
N788D Dick Quinn Independence Kansas ?
DC-3:
N52925 Fred Leslie and A.J. Gould, Ken Horton and A.J. Gould, P. Kay, G. Muncil, Gene Reager, Joe Lacey, Howard Bradley, C. Morton, George Suhre, Lou Houck and Vern Spence C. Serpa, David Jenkins, and C. Perrcillo in New York
N17085 (in Somalia)Ken Horton, S. Corp, G. Nudson (was destroyed in a hangar fire)
Lockheed Venture PV-1:
N5768N Vern Fink and Gene Reager, Ken Horton and C. Morton, Vern Spence, R. Landacre, Bill Underwood, Nate Weinberg, Hubert Wells, C. Serpa in New York
Lockheed Learstar
N26L (Replaced the PV-1) on lease until N200L was finished - Ken Horton, Hubert Wells and Vern Spence
N200L Ken Horton, Hubert Wells, Vern Spence, W. Decker and Dave Jenkins
Grumman G159
N704HC Ken Horton, Hubert Wells, Dave Jenkins, Gerald Nudson, E. Abbott
Mystere Falcon 20
N697S Ken Horton, Hubert Wells, Dave Jenkins, Dave Newkirk, Malcolm Kingsley, D. Luckett, Al Minich, Dale Webb
Ken Horton reports the following aircraft in Ethiopia
Stinson 108C
ETP-5
Norseman
ETT-30
ETT-31
If you have any corrections please notify me.
Jim Gazzaway 115 Forest Dr., Fairfield, TX 75840 or [email protected]
Deceased Pilots and Personnel:
Abby, Leonard
Bishop, Dave Brooks, Randy Boggess, Henry
Bradley, Howard
Bray, Carl
Bruce, Carl
Cash, Ralph
Clampett, Oral
Colvin, Dean
Cunningham, R.E.
Druse, Dan
Dunfee, Bob
Fink, Vernon
Fletcher, Roger
Gaddie, Pat
Gatlin, John
Giblin, Tom
Gould, A.J.
Grandpre, Vernon
Gratkowski, Robert J.
Grout, Doyle
Helm, Wes
Hooper, Jack
Horton, Ken
Houck, Lou
Jenkins, Dave
Koidahl, Virgil
Landacre, Robert
Latham, Herchel
Leslie, Fred
Lightfoot, Frank
Lott, Chester (Chet)
Messamore, Jim
Minich, Allen F.
Norwood, Joe
Nudson, Gerald
Parks, Russell
Peterson, Dave
Phillips, Ernie
Polston, Robert
Robertson, George
Ryan, Larry
Sneed, James H.
Stallings, Lou
Surber, Lee
Suhre, George
Swartz, Jack
Thiel, Myron
Underwood, Bill
Walker, Walter
Webb, Dale
Wells, Hubert
Williams, Fred
What Former Sinclair Pilots Have Been Doing Since Leaving Sinclair
Click on the Jim's Career and Hobbies Link below to see what Jim Gazzaway has been doing.
Jim and Yvonne Sneed live in Sioux City, Iowa where Jim is still active in the church. He and Yvonne are gracious hosts to friends who stop by from time to time. He retired from Director of Aviation for Iowa Beef Packing Company.
Bob Brown says: After retiring from ARCO in 1994, moved back to the Denver,CO area, married Debby Funk and built a house on peak 7 at Breckinridge, I still enjoy skiing and flying my Bonanza, finally just for fun when and where, I, want to go.
Alan Sparrowhawk says: After retiring from ARCO in 1984 Lucile & I traveled in our motorhome for 9 years then sold our home in Plano, TX. and moved to the Denver area of Colorado, we enjoy the Rocky Mountains and the wonderful climate here in the Rocky Mountain West.
Pat Joyner is Retired, Mgr of Aviation & Chief Pilot of Arco. Living in Shreveport, La. and Building Houses with Habitat for Humanity
Randy Brooks is Retired Consultant for South West Power Administration, Helicopter power line inspections. Hobby- Amatuer built aircraft. Presently flying 150 hp 2polb
Ken Horton gives this report about his time with Sinclair:
I was flying with Kansas City Southern Airlines as a Captain and training pilot in 1948 on DC-3's, when I was approached by Fred Leslie who was flying Mr. Sinclair himself in a Lodestar N7070. At the time I had over 6,000 hours and an A.T.R., and was looking for something else as the F.A.A. was starting to get tough on the airlines that were owned by a railroad company. I was tired of flying a set schedule and the pitch that Fred gave me sounded good so I signed on with Sinclair the 30th of July 1948. It was not long flying with Fred that I saw that this would not work out and I wanted to do something different so I asked the President to be sent to Ethiopia and after getting married to Mary on the 8th of October 1949 left for Ethiopia on the 15th of October. According to company records it shows that I was retired on the 3rd of November 1981 on my 60th birthday. However, I was asked to stay on to train pilots of the DC-3, which was the last plane I flew for the company, officially off of the payroll about March 1982. Believe it or not I don't have anything that shows the date.I don't know if my memory is right or not but I believe that the co-pilot before me with Fred Leslie was Starbough and perhaps his first name was Roger (no promises) The first pilot in Ethiopia was Tony Hunter and he was hired for Ethiopia was released and never came back to Sinclair as far as I know. There were a lot of changes in the New York area while I was in Ethiopia. There was a Ken somthing that flew with Fred. Al should know them for he was in New York at that itme.
Randy Brooks gives this account of his time with Sinclair:
This is a run down of my experiences Sinclair:
1. Born Rogers, New Mexico, graduated from Rogers High School
2. Stock farmed until 1940, sold out and went to Spartan School. Received A&P, commerical pilot and CFI. Taught both flying and A&P school 1940-43. Taught in the Inter-American Training Program 1943.
3. Went into Army Air Corp in 1943 as aviation cadet, 1944 at Fredrick, Okla. B-25s
We had 105 there called AT-24 for advanced students.
4. 1945 went Bryan Instrument School. We used AT-6s for GCA training for combat returnees. (70 missions)
5. Returned to Spartan in Nov., 1945 as Chief Instructor in the Aviation Department.
6. Got my helicopter CFI in Nov. 1950 at Bell Aircraft in Fort Worth, Texas.
7. Taught Army Pilots Test Flight procedures 1950 thru 1954. Only flight instructor on program. Taught 150 students over the four years. H-23, H-13, H-25, L-21,and L-19 aircraft
8. 1954 worked as Sales Representative. Bid the Maintenance Contract for Spartan in Ft. Sill and Camp Rucker.
9. 1955-56 worked at Ft Sill as Test pilot and Training Coordinator on the H-34 helicopter Program.
10. In 1956 got tired of military contracts and went to American Airlines as Technical Writer.(only 2 months)
11. In 1956 called Dave Peterson for a change of jobs and went to work for Sinclair
12. Went the Gulf Area did inspections on GAT operating helicopters for Sinclair out to Block 75 and 175.. Made a report and Mr. Boggess contracted PHI.
13. Worked in Tulsa as Flight Mechanic for several months and was promoted to Chief Mechanic.
14. 1960 was made Maintenance Supervisor at Tulsa. Worked there until merger Ralph Cash and I closed the operation in Tulsa and transferred to ARCO in Dallas as Supervisor in the maintenance Department in July, 1969
15. In December 1969 I left Sinclair and went with FAA as Aviation Inspector in Dallas, Red Bird Airport.
16. After a year in Dallas(1970) The FAA transferred me to the Regional Office as a SWAP Inspector(System Worthiness Analysis Program. We Covered SW Region (5-states)
17 Transferred to Shreveport, La District Office as Unit Chief in 1972.
18. Transferred to Oklahoma City, FAA Academy as Standardization Instructor in 1983.
19. Transferred to Traveling Road Team in 1985. Covered Safety meetings in all 50 states, Europe, Africa, Hawaii and Porta Rico.
20. Transferred to Operations in 1988 as Course Manager Compliance and Enforcement, and Operations Helicopters.
21. Retired from the FAA in 1990 after 50 years in aviation.
22 Still working as Consultant for South West Power Administration, Helicopter Power Line Patrol.
Larry Marshall reports:
I got the following from my logbooks:
I was hired by Sinclair in January of 1955 and assigned to the co-pilot pool in Tulsa. I flew trips with Bob Dunfee on N44573, Hubert Wells and Gordon Malzer on N80037.
In February I was transferred to Independence as co-pilot on beech D-18 N5854C and flew with Ross Van Kempema, with a rare occasional trip with Wes Helm on the DH Dove N4969N.
In June of 1955 I was assigned to fly Beech C-35 N5801C.
In March of 1957 I was back flying co-pilot for Van, but this time in Lockheed L-18, N94533. This continued until march of 1960 when I was terminated.
Larry
"I came into Sinclair in the summer of 1966 as a short term fill in co-pilot, Howard Bradley had to take a medical leave, Joe Lacey said it was to last only 6 weeks. At the time I was teaching at Spartan in the maintenance school. My first trip was with Wes Helm in the Queenair. Joe forgot to tell Wes that I didn't have a multi engine ticket yet, I'd never been a twin engine airplane, Joe also forgot to tell me my first trip had been changed to Monday and not Tuesday as planned. Since I had all the manuals for Queenair home with me over the weekend to study, Wes was not a happy camper when I got to the hangar on Monday at 8:00 and the trip was scheduled out at 7:00. The last two weeks of my employment I went up to Independence to fly with Gordon Malzer, Jerry Nudson was on vacation. On my last day, Jerry turned in his resignation, he had taken a job in California, Joe called me up and asked if I would like to have a full time job. For a kid with an A&P ticket and only 200 hours flying, it was something I could not pass up. We moved to Independence and spent our time flying with Gordon and Larry Ryan. I departed Sinclair in late 69, after the merger with ARCO. In 71 I was flying for a small meat packing company in Iowa when the decision was made to go to a smaller aircraft, we purchased one of Sinclair's 310's. The N number and paint job had been changed to ARCO's colors, N474AR. It was the 310 that was transferred to Dallas for their shuttle aircraft. That company operated the aircraft till 74."
Where some of the airplanes we flew are now:
N-number : N44573
Aircraft Serial Number : 7678
Aircraft Manufacturer : BEECH
Model : C18S
Engine Manufacturer : P&W
Model : R-985 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1944
Owner Name : LOA INC
Owner Address : 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105
WILMINGTON, DE, 19810-4902
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 16-Feb-2000
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Aircraft Serial Number : A-588
Aircraft Manufacturer : BEECH
Model : D18S
Engine Manufacturer : P&W
Model : R-985 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1951
Owner Name : SUN AIR BAHAMAS INC
Owner Address : PO BOX 522953
MIAMI, FL, 33152
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 20-Mar-1980
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Approved Operations : Normal
Aircraft Serial Number : 2362
Aircraft Manufacturer : LOCKHEED
Model : 18-56
Engine Manufacturer : WRIGHT
Model : C9GC&D SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1943
Owner Name : HALE LINDSAY W
Owner Address : 774 MAYS BLVD # 10-246
INCLINE VILLAGE, NV, 89451-9604
Type of Owner : Individual
Registration Date : 03-Dec-1986
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Approved Operations : Transport
Aircraft Serial Number : 23-968
Aircraft Manufacturer : PIPER
Model : PA-23
Engine Manufacturer : LYCOMING
Model : 0-320 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1957
Owner Name : BLUE SKY AVIATION INC
Owner Address : 4855 E FALCON DR
MESA, AZ, 85215-2505
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 24-Mar-2000
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Aircraft Serial Number : 23-1857
Aircraft Manufacturer : PIPER
Model : PA-23-160
Engine Manufacturer : LYCOMING
Model : 0-320 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1959
Owner Name : TOOLEY JOSEPH B
Owner Address : 5360 KIRK RD
YOUNGSTOWN, OH, 44515
Type of Owner : Co-ownership
Registration Date : 15-Mar-1994
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Approved Operations : Normal
Aircraft Serial Number : 23-1855
Aircraft Manufacturer : PIPER
Model : PA-23-160
Aircraft Year :
Owner Name : WORLEY RUSSELL K
Owner Address : 12041 RED HILL RD
CLARKTON, NC, 28433-8203
Type of Owner : Individual
Registration Date : 15-Jul-2002
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Not Specified
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