John Miller

[John J]

Just got this note from the American Bonanza Society (ABS) late yesterday. He will be missed a lot for many of us learned so much from his very long flight experience.

John Miller, 1905-2008
ABS is sad to report that John M. Miller passed away Monday, June 23, at the age of 102. From self-taught barnstormer to airmail pilot, autogyro pioneer, Marine aviator, racing/test pilot and airline captain into the jet age, John's path was one very few can match in the history of aviation.


John wrote a book called "Flying Stories" which I hope to find a copy to read. ABS magazine had many of his stories there and they were so much fun and informative to read. He spent over 40 years with ABS. He flew the Baron 56TC., the real fast one for many years. He will be missed

John J.

 

[AuntPeggy]

We saw Capt. Miller at Poughkeepsie many times and watched him fly a few times. When Phil Boyer came for one of AOPA's town meetings at Poughkeepsie, you could see he was in awe of this fine old man. We looked for his plane whenever we visited POU. I didn't really get to know much about him until he attended one of our meetups http://aviation.meetup.com/77/photos/146850/. I was enthralled as he told of being given an airplane by a barnstormer and then teaching himself to fly. He learned to land by necessity after accidentally becoming airborne. That landing couldn't have been bad as he was greeted by onlookers asking for a flight.

 

[John J]

Aunt Peggy;

It must have bee so much fun meeting John Miller. I have never met him in person but feel I have met him through his stories that cover so many interesting aviation subjects. I believe he taught himself in an Jenney. He was doing "taxi tests" and his discription of flying it and then getting paid passengers to fly with him is so amazing and fun to read.

I did get to see his plane the Baron 56TC at POU when I was flying between the Boston Area to Maryland about 25 years ago. It looked as if it just came out of the factory. He was not there at the time but the FBO could not say enough about him and his flying skills. He wrote many interesting stories about flying the Auto Gyros during the 1930s.

Thank you for the web site. It brings back many memories of flying over the years in the Northeast. Thank you also for sharing your meeting up with one of my favorite; "flying mentors"

Regards
John J