Category : Wonderful Wyoming

I was almost born in the cabin of my father’s twin engine Beechcraft. I wasn’t, but almost was.  My parents were enroute from Greeley to Cheyenne, a short flight, when my mother went into labor.   I was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming September 30, 1941 less than five minutes after.

April 21, 2020…  In my e-mail traffic this morning was another “Mornin’ Smile” from my ol’ pal, Captain Phil Stallings, or “Capt’n Flip” as he often called!  In fact he is a retired revered pilot extraordinare from our days together at the storied Frontier Airlines.  A better fellow would be.

As a “younker,” I was raised in an aviation family albeit in the small mountain community of Saratoga, Wyoming.  My folks ranched and built a resort, The Saratoga Inn.  Every summer the Conquistadores del Cielo, a very secret group of high-level aviation leaders would fly into Saratoga’s “Shively Field” (named for Jack.

by Larry Birleffi Introduction by Billy Walker: Larry Birleffi was the long-time Sports Writer for the Wyoming Tribune.  He was a very popular fellow throughout the state.  Larry Birleffi, a television and radio broadcaster, was known for more than 50 years as the “Voice of the Wyoming Cowboys,” In 2008.

“Fait pour Valour” (Born to Fly) By Billy Walker The Captain Ralph S. Johnson story is an amazing portrait of a great American aviator. From his humble beginnings on an Indiana farm, we look back on his 100 years of remarkable achievements. NOTE:  There are a couple of links at.

“HAPPY LANDINGS” Captain Ralph S Johnson… Ralph loved Purdue University. It was a huge part of his life and provided him many of the tools by which he made amazing things happen. The following was done by a team of Purdue student historians. They exceeded that which I had hoped.

N80201 was the first twin to land at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Pic Walker is at left. Frances Walker stands 7th from the right between Mr. & Mrs. Al Litzenberger. Arv Schultz – Editor’s View Civilian Pilot Training in Rarified Air by Arv Schultz, In June, 2013 the QB Beam explored.

Pic’s Airmaster story In the 1930’s, my father, and his non-flying brother, operated a fixed-base operation in Cheyenne, Wyoming. They owned a Gulf Oil bulk plant and sold fuel and oil from their FBO. Prior to their aviation enterprises, they settled in Cheyenne selling produce from my grandfather’s farm east.

Writing my family’s story, from my perspective, I realized that I jumped ahead some.  For sure I should have put something about what my grandparents meant to me as well as their influence which was considerable and atavistic.  If you have already read Part One/Two/Three you know that I was.

If you enjoy these stories, you may wonder where my interest in aviation came from.   In the beginning, it was my parents, W. Dillard “Pic” Walker and Frances Emily Walker.   I was literally born into an aviation family.   Moreover, I was almost born in an airplane! Writing.