Ozark County pilot gets FAA’s highest civilian honor
Paul Guiley was recently presented with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award on Nov. 8 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The honor is the highest award given to civilian pilots by the Federal Aviation Administration. To qualify, pilots must have made their first solo flight 50 years ago, have their entire flight history reviewed by FAA officials and provide recommendations from people who know them and have flown with them. Guiley started flying at age 16 in 1963 in Brazil, where his parents were serving as missionaries. He soloed on Oct. 31, 1965, in San Carlos, California, where he was attending college.
Since then he has worked in commercial aviation as a chief pilot for a charter company, as a commuter captain and as an instructor training pilots who went on to work for major airlines. He also worked as an Alaskan bush pilot for a year and then taught aviation in college. He said Monday that he has owner charter-aviation companies and three flight schools.
He currently teaches flying in Willow Springs and also enjoys flying a home-built plane, he said Monday. He and his wife, the former Ernestine Gaddy, live at Tecumseh.