A New Jersey pilot has become the oldest to fly a single across the Atlantic both ways, adding the feat to a series of over-water accomplishments in his Cessna 210. Ed Galkin, 89, of Edison, landed in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Thursday afternoon after completing a 9-hour and 48-minute trip from the Azores to the most easternmost major city in Canada. He was accompanied by fellow pilot and fellow Rotarian Peter Teahen on the trip, which was part of a fundraiser for Rotary International’s campaign to eradicate polio. The duo will head to New Jersey for a weekend reception in their honor.
Galkin is no stranger to iron butt milestones. On this trip, dubbed Circle The Atlantic, he and Teahen first flew east from Goose Bay in northern Newfoundland and Labrador to Greenland and Iceland before landing in Bergen, Norway, and visiting Poland, France, the U.K. and Spain before heading to the Azores and back to North America. They raised more than $1 million. In the 1980s he flew his family to the U.K. and to Australia in the 210 and he’s circumnavigated three times. His third flight around the world seven years ago was a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Kudos! I guess there’s still more flying in my future, being a youngster of only 77 years!
There have been several US pilots at or near age 100. Not much to be found about them. AOPA did an article on some some of them a few years ago.
Capt John Miller was a 30’s pioneer who did a lot of work with autogyro’s. He became an airline pilot. In his retirement years he owned a Bonanza and a turbo Baron. He flew solo at age 99and then had a bad car accident. He never got his medical back after the accident. His last words at age 101 allegedly were “I guess my flying days are over”. He was born on the family farm near Poukeepsie NY and lived there his entire life.