This was written in 1997 about “Tex” John Gilbert Rankin, calling him one of America’s greatest pilots. His career went from 1920s to 1947.He learned to fly in the state of Washington He once went to many towns and cities in the USA with a show he called the Air Circus. In 1922 He moved to Portland Oregon and began the Rankin School of Flight. He wrote a series of booklets that covered all aspects of flight, known as the Rankin System of Flying Instruction, stressing safety emphatically. The booklets were used by more than 60 flying schools all over the US. He eventually established Rankin Aeronautical Academy in Tulare, Calif., after trying several other sites. It was in Tulare in the early 1940's that his academy instructed over 10,000 pilots to fly thereby making an important contribution to World War Two
He brought his expert as an early barnstormer to his academy. He painted the number”13" on his plane and on his car. He once flew from New York to Spokane Washington in a National Air Derby in 1927. He flew in one again in 1928 from New York to Los Angeles, CA.,this time carrying a black cat as a passenger. Just eleven days before a 1929 race, he flew from Canada to Mexico without refueling. He was the very first one to do that.
He brought his expert as an early barnstormer to his academy. He painted the number”13" on his plane and on his car. He once flew from New York to Spokane Washington in a National Air Derby in 1927. He flew in one again in 1928 from New York to Los Angeles, CA.,this time carrying a black cat as a passenger. Just eleven days before a 1929 race, he flew from Canada to Mexico without refueling. He was the very first one to do that.
This was written in 1997 about “Tex” John Gilbert Rankin, calling him one of America’s greatest pilots. His career went from 1920s to 1947.He learned to fly in the state of Washington He once went to many towns and cities in the USA with a show he called the Air Circus. In 1922 He moved to Portland Oregon and began the Rankin School of Flight. He wrote a series of booklets that covered all aspects of flight, known as the Rankin System of Flying Instruction, stressing safety emphatically. The booklets were used by more than 60 flying schools all over the US. He eventually established Rankin Aeronautical Academy in Tulare, Calif., after trying several other sites. It was in Tulare in the early 1940's that his academy instructed over 10,000 pilots to fly thereby making an important contribution to World War Two
He brought his expert as an early barnstormer to his academy. He painted the number”13" on his plane and on his car. He once flew from New York to Spokane Washington in a National Air Derby in 1927. He flew in one again in 1928 from New York to Los Angeles, CA.,this time carrying a black cat as a passenger. Just eleven days before a 1929 race, he flew from Canada to Mexico without refueling. He was the very first one to do that.
He brought his expert as an early barnstormer to his academy. He painted the number”13" on his plane and on his car. He once flew from New York to Spokane Washington in a National Air Derby in 1927. He flew in one again in 1928 from New York to Los Angeles, CA.,this time carrying a black cat as a passenger. Just eleven days before a 1929 race, he flew from Canada to Mexico without refueling. He was the very first one to do that.
