...I must pass on word that our own Orange Anchor; Mr. John Wiley, succumbed to a heart attack while working out at the gym last week. I just heard the sad news.
From the Atlanta Constitution obituary:
Here's a short bio that I have unabashedly stolen from another site that John frequented:
(edit to add: )
From Aviation Week:
There's more here:
Rest In Peace John. Thank you for your service!
From the Atlanta Constitution obituary:
JOHN ROY WILEY III
Mr. John Roy Wiley III, 65 of Marietta died Friday, February 25, 2011. Mr. Wiley was a United States Air Force veteran, serving as a decorated pilot during the Vietnam Era. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in English where he began his flying career. Mr. Wiley retired from U.S. Airways as a Senior Captain and Instructor. He became an internationally recognized journalist, twice receiving the Aerospace Journalist of the Year award. His legendary quick wit was frequently on display when he appeared on CNN as the Aviation Correspondent. He recently returned from Iraq where he worked as an Aviation Safety Expert consulting for KBR. He was a man of strong faith who served at the Mt. Paran North Church of God in Marietta, Georgia for many years as an Elder. He was actively involved in the inter-denominational North Georgia Tres Dias Community since 1999. John is survived by his beloved wife, Joyce Wiley, his beautiful daughters, Stephanie Wiley and Ashley Blake Wiley both of Marietta; his mother, Frances Wiley of College Park, GA; his sister and brother-in-law, Norma and Bobby Ballard of Conyers, GA; nephew, Mark Ballard of Denver, CO; niece, Cyndi Johnson of Conyers, GA. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. from the chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son, Canton Hill Chapel in Marietta with Rev. James Byrd officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Georgia National Cemetery with full military honors. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John's memory can be made to: Angel Flight (a group that transports sick children for care) at www.angel flight.com Online condolences may be expressed also at www.hm pattersoncantonhill.com. H.M. Patterson & Son, Canton Hill Chapel is honored to be serving the family of Mr. John R. Wiley III.
Here's a short bio that I have unabashedly stolen from another site that John frequented:
I grew up in College Park, Ga..right off the end of runway 09-27 at ATL.
Born in 1945, I was surrounded by men who flew on the
initial raids deep into Germany in B~17s and B~24s.
I grew up talking to pilots at Eastern, Delta, Southern and Piedmont. I
joined the Cub Scouts because the kid's father was an Eastern
Constellation Captain. While the other kids learned how to tie
knots, I was talking to Capt Sandusky. Needless to say, I didn't
get many badges but so what? Flying was more important than tieing knots.
My father was constantly saying, "If you paid as much attention to your studies
as you do to aviation, you would be a straight A student." He was right
because I did read constantly about airplanes. 629.1 That is the Dewey
Decimal number for airplanes. Funny how I remembered that...
In high school, more students and more people who had pilots for fathers.
I knew guys who were flying Convair 880s, DC~8s and 707s. I spent some
Saturdays wandering around the airport,hanging around the hangars.
There was no question about what I wanted to do...fly. How simple could it be?
I spent 4yrs at UGA and graduated with a BA in English Lit and a
French Lit Minor. Because I graduated a quarter late, I wound up
at Webb AFB in 67 where I was blessed with some *great*instructors.
Capt Jim Jacobs and Major Frank Picking greatly influenced me. I am
indebted to them.....
After UPT, I flew O2s for the Thai Army in III Corps. I did about
750hrs and more than 200 sorties in 1969~70. During my tour, I also got
some time flying left/front seat in Loaches and Cobras with the Army.
I was also able to wrangle sorties in an A~37 and an AC~119 gunship.
I can still remember those flights.
Although I made a max effort, I failed to get a fighter and a second
tour in SEAsia, having been lumped into a wad of pilots shoved into SAC.
I flew 2 tours in Thailand in the KC~135 refueling fighters going in
and egressing targets out country and in North Vietnam. Seeing I would
never get my fighter, I left the USAF during the recession in 74.
Jobless for a period of time, I got my CFI/II and then found a job flying
a Lear 23 (with no autopilot) and Citations. I instructed on both and tried
to hustle an airline job, finally being successful in 1978 when I
got on with Piedmont. I went into the right seat of the YS~11, an
odd aircraft I still have nightmares about.<G> Piedmont was enjoying
explosive growth and it was a short time (<4yrs) that I checkedout
as a 737 Captain and later on the 727. The 727 is still one
of my favorite airplanes. I then went back to the 737 after the
USAir/Piedmont buy~out. Later I went on the MD~80 and then the
757/767. I am going back to the 737 soon to recapture some
control of my schedule.
On other fronts, I write for a number of magazines, in the
US and outside. Generally I write flight check articles and have
been privileged to fly such airplanes as the FBW Airbusses
(A320,A330, A340) and many other including the Falcon 900,
Learjet 60,31A, CitationJet, Canadair RJ, Saab 2000, Falcon 2000, Beechjet.
This additional blessing has allowed me to meet and work with some
outstanding people...men and women of exceptional calibre. I have
enjoyed it immensely.
As I mentioned, I am a blessed man. Although it is not the best
of times with my airline, I am doing what I wanted to do when I was
a kid...fly airplanes. And at home, I am blessed with 2 wonderful
daughters and a wife who has been able to live with me for 19yrs. <G>
...
(edit to add: )
From Aviation Week:
John Wiley
John Wiley is a contributing editor for Business & Commercial Aviation. John flew O2As and KC-135s for the U.S. Air Force and later worked as an instructor and charter pilot flying Model 20 Series Learjets and a Citation I. After years captaining Airbus A320s for USAir, he returned to business aviation and now flies a Citation II. An ATP, his Type Ratings include the Boeing 707/720, 727, 737, 757 and 767, Airbus 320, DC-9 and CitationJet. He has logged in excess of 19,000 flight hours, some of the most challenging being in his own 1946 Swift. His writing for Business & Commercial Aviation has twice earned him Aerospace Journalist of the Year awards.
There's more here:
John Roy Wiley III, 65: Pilot was an award-winning aviation writer
By Rick Badie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On a trip to Disney World, the pilot told sisters Ashley and Stephanie Wiley to peer outside the window as they flew over the Magic Kingdom. The pilot of the private plane was their dad, John Roy Wiley III.
A memorial service for John Roy Wiley III is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday in the chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son, Canton Hill, in Marietta. He will be buried with full military honors in Marietta's Georgia National Cemetery.
"We had such an opportunity that so many people didn't have," Ashley Wiley said. "Dad knew he had wanted to be a pilot since he was 2."
Mr. Wiley grew up in College Park, where he interacted with pilots who lived in the community. His mother, Frances Wiley of College Park, worked at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
"He loved flying almost more than anything," said Joyce Wiley, his wife of 33 years. "He ate it, breathed it, slept it and lived it. He has flown so many airplanes, so many different kinds. He had a full life."
The Marietta resident had been an avid runner and biker who suffered a cycle fall that resulted in two left shoulder replacements. He was exercising that shoulder in a gym Friday when he apparently suffered a heart attack. He was 65.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday in the chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son, Canton Hill, in Marietta. He will be buried with full military honors in Marietta's Georgia National Cemetery.
Mr. Wiley first fulfilled his dream to fly from 1967 to 1974 as a decorated Air Force pilot. Richard Rector, a friend, perused the Vietnam veteran's military records to prepare for the memorial service.
"Page after page had supervisors who said he was unequal in his flying skills, and at the bottom it would say something about his wit, humor and personality," Mr. Rector said. "Every one of his supervisors said nobody flew like John Wiley."
After the military, the veteran was a pilot for Piedmont Airlines, later US Airways. He retired as a senior captain and instructor, and in later years he became an award-winning aviation writer.
He was nominated as an Aerospace Journalist of the Year several times and twice won the international award. He won for best air transport submission in 2001 and best safety submission in 2008, according to the website www.ajoya.com.
He recently spent three months in Iraq as an aviation consultant for KBR, a U.S. engineering, construction and military contracting firm. While there, he sent e-mails to family and friends and an editor who wanted to publish the missives.
"He was a very precise writer who did beautiful work," said his daughter Stephanie, who lives in Marietta. "We knew him as a great pilot, but as a father he was just as amazing. He was the kind of dad that made up stories to tell us, clever, interesting, funny stories that had characters. He was an amazing writer but also a great mentor."
This University of Georgia English major liked to read, cook, sketch and paint.
"He was an extraordinary man," Ashley Wiley said. "And if he were in the air, he was happy."
Survivors other than his wife, daughters and mother include a sister, Norma Ballard of Conyers.
Rest In Peace John. Thank you for your service!
I'm going to really miss him around here. I enjoyed his contributions to the community. Rest in peace, sir.
