John J. Nance
Encyclopedia
John J. Nance is an American pilot, aviation safety expert, and author. His novels are largely about aviation, while his non-fiction covers various other areas.
in the United States Air Force
and after pilot training served in both Vietnam, and as a Lieutenant Colonel
with the Air Force Reserves, was called to active duty in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. Concurrent with leaving extended active duty in 1975, he joined Braniff International Airlines as a pilot, and after the demise of Braniff, joined (and subsequently early-retired from) Seattle-based Alaska Airlines
.
After working his way through college with the ABC
affiliate WFAA-AM-FM-TV
in Dallas as a radio and television newsman, and following active U.S. Air Force duty as a pilot during Vietnam, in the 1990s
he joined ABC News
as aviation editor for Good Morning America
and Aerospace Analyst for ABC World News from 1995 to the present. Nance has also appeared as a national aviation commentator on over 1,300 radio and television shows, including The MacNeil–Lehrer Report, Oprah
and Larry King Live
.
A New York Times bestselling, award winning author, two of Nance's nineteen books, Pandora's Clock
and Medusa's Child, were adapted and aired as two four-hour television miniseries for NBC and ABC, respectively.
Nance holds both Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from Southern Methodist University
and SMU Dedman School of Law.
Nance lives in Friday Harbor, Washington
.
Biography
Nance was born in Dallas, Texas. He was commissioned a Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and after pilot training served in both Vietnam, and as a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
with the Air Force Reserves, was called to active duty in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. Concurrent with leaving extended active duty in 1975, he joined Braniff International Airlines as a pilot, and after the demise of Braniff, joined (and subsequently early-retired from) Seattle-based Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
.
After working his way through college with the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate WFAA-AM-FM-TV
WFAA-TV
WFAA, channel 8, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the top ten media markets in North America. The station is the flagship of Belo Corporation and the largest ABC affiliate not owned and operated by the network...
in Dallas as a radio and television newsman, and following active U.S. Air Force duty as a pilot during Vietnam, in the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
he joined ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
as aviation editor for Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
and Aerospace Analyst for ABC World News from 1995 to the present. Nance has also appeared as a national aviation commentator on over 1,300 radio and television shows, including The MacNeil–Lehrer Report, Oprah
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
and Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
.
A New York Times bestselling, award winning author, two of Nance's nineteen books, Pandora's Clock
Pandora's Clock
Pandora's Clock is a 1996 Television movie based on a novel by John J. Nance about a deadly virus on a Boeing 747-200 from Frankfurt to JFK Airport...
and Medusa's Child, were adapted and aired as two four-hour television miniseries for NBC and ABC, respectively.
Nance holds both Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
and SMU Dedman School of Law.
Nance lives in Friday Harbor, Washington
Friday Harbor, Washington
Friday Harbor is a town in San Juan County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,162 at 2010 Census. Located on San Juan Island, Friday Harbor is the major commercial center of the San Juan Islands archipelago and is the county seat of San Juan County.-History:In 1845 the Hudson's Bay...
.