Not a notable characteristic of Navy pilots anyway, but it appears to have served Mrs. Evelyn Bryan Johnson well:
Johnson has gone on to amass more flight time than any living person — 57,635.4 hours to be precise. That’s more than six and a half years in the air.
The veteran pilot turned 100 today. She was still teaching students until a medical issue recently grounded her. “I’d be getting more [flight time] if didn’t have glaucoma and could get a medical,” she told the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
Johnson continues managing the airport near her home in Morristown, Tennessee. She’s held the job 56 years. She stopped counting students after 3,000 but has tracked how many check rides — the final test before receiving your license — she’s given to pilots. That number stands at 9,000.
Hat’s off to you, ma’am!
Old Pilots and Bold Pilots… 10 Bucks says she’s been both!
If she is both, and I very much doubt it, then she is exceptionally lucky. The reason the two don’t normally co-exist is the bold usually evolves into brash and stupid. The truly good ones are fortunate to get a knot jerked in their tail. Richard Bong was a good example when he was caught flat hatting flying a P-38 in the concrete canyons of San Franciso. He found him self on the carpet in front of General Kenney, the AAF District CG, who proceeded to detail him to helping a complaining woman with the wash and other domestic chores.
Bong later became the American Ace of Aces with 40 kills in the P-38.
Of course, then some don’t get a knot jerked in their tale. You can read his story on this website, in fact
With my life-style I was surprised to find myself even still alive at 50, it’s been rough ever since–hadn’t planned much beyond that–now I don’t know what to do with myself–much to my Foxy Leaders consternation.
From what you are saying, she must have thought you’d cooperate and depart this vale so she could get a guy who leads a life less, shall we say, interesting?
I’m betting, ain’t nuthin gets past this ol’ gal. “Yeah, but..” “Save it, deary. I’ve already heard it. We’ll try this again next week.”
@VX I’m thinking 50 is the new 30, at least from the way things are working. As a buddy used to say “If I’d known I’d live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself!”