Born into a family of aviators, Merrill Wien was destined to become a
pilot.
His father, Noel Wien, was one of the first pilots to fly in Alaska and
his life was full of firsts, including making the first round-trip
flight between Asia and North America in 1929. His mother played a big
role in the founding and development of Wien Alaska Airlines, the
second-oldest scheduled airline in the United States and territories.
One of the most versatile and experienced pilots of his time, Merrill
has flown just about every aircraft imaginable from DC-3s to Lockheed
1011s to historic military planes like the cargo C-46 and B-29 bomber to
the Hiller UH-12E chopper. Although fundamentally modest by nature,
family and friends encouraged Merrill to share his remarkable stories
given his accomplishments and experiences with so many famous people and
events. His tone is engagingly informal as he recounts crossing paths
with such luminaries as Joe Crosson, Howard Hughes, Lowell Thomas Sr.
and Lowell Thomas Jr., Sam White, Don Sheldon, Brad Washburn, Wally
Schirra, and Bill Anders. He re-creates for readers his firsthand
experiences flying top-secret missions for the Air Force, viewing the
devastation of the Good Friday Earthquake in Anchorage, and the
challenges of starting his own helicopter company, to name just a few.
His fascinating narrative is complemented by photographs from his
personal archives. Includes a list of all the different aircraft Wien
has been endorsed to fly at the back of the book.
