Wally Scott
Encyclopedia
Wallace Aiken Scott was an American
aviator
and author, a holder of several international sailplane records, and a multi-time recipient of the Lewin B. Barringer trophy awarded for the longest, free-distance, sailplane flight of each year made in the United States. Over 36 years Wallace Wally Scott increased the distance flown in a sailplane
.
Scott became a pioneer of free-distance, straight-out, soaring
flight and won 4 Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
(FAI)-certified, world soaring records, 20 Lewin B. Barringer Trophies, and numerous other awards and honors, including induction into the Soaring Hall of Fame
in 1965.
Scott flew various sailplanes more than 300,000 miles while twice winning the transcontinental Smirnoff Sailplane Derby race, the longest sailplane race in the world. In the summer of 1976, he and Ben Greene co-set the world distance record of 716.95 miles, both flying ASW-12
sailplanes.
, the son of Claude Winfred and Maggie Elizabeth Scott. He had four siblings and the family left Van Horn in 1926 and moved to Best, Texas
, when Scott was two years old. The economy eventually forced the Scott family to move north to Odessa, Texas
when Scott was age 12. Here they established the family’s successful movie theatre business.
where his brother, Oliver "Scotty", taught him to fly. His brother had become an instructor with the Civilian Pilot Training Program
in Fort Stockton. Scott later wrote, “On October 2, 1942, the day after my introductory flight, O. E. Scott "Scotty", logged for W.A. Scott thirty minutes of dual in Cub J-2
.”
In 1943, Scott earned his pilot’s license
and, with his brother's help, he became a flight instructor
at the Fort Stockton detachment of Pacific Air Schools, Ltd. Scott taught his sixth and final class of cadet
s in January of 1944 and by March had left Fort Stockton and joined the Ferry Command
branch of the Army Air Corps
.
. After graduation, he reported to Nashville, Tennessee
to continue his training with Ferry Command. After completing his training, Scott was assigned to Palm Springs, California
and served as a co-pilot on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Douglas C-49
.
In August and September 1944, Scott participated in several domestic evacuation flights, taking wounded soldiers from the Pacific coast to the eastern USA and vice versa. On October 18, 1944, he was assigned to a C-47 to be ferried from Bangor, Maine
to join the Air Transport group based at Le Bourget
in Paris
, France
. Scott’s duties while based at Le Bourget included delivering supplies to airfields near the front lines and flying wounded personnel to England.
In February of 1945, Scott was transferred to Dum Dum Airfield
on the northeastern edge of Calcutta, India
and away from the front lines. Dum Dum airfield served as a major supply point for ferrying supplies to Chiang Kai-shek
’s forces in Kunming, China
. Scott flew cargo and personnel over The Hump
from in both Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commandos and C-47 aircraft. With the war over, on December 16, 1945, Scott returned to the United States.
. In 1956, as president of the Permian Basin Archery Club, Scott won the highest score of any instinctive archer in the National Field Archery Association’s Championship Tournament in San Antonio, Texas. His wife also developed into an expert archer in her own right, and they would eventually win the husband/wife team trophy in the state championships in Odessa in 1959 with Boots’ individual, second-place finish.
Archery was eventually put on hold when Scott began flying powered aircraft again. In March 1961, Scott took his first flight in a glider and within a few months he had purchased a new Schweizer SGS 1-26
sailplane.
Scott’s first record flight was an 8.5 hour, 443.5 mi (714 km), dog-leg flight from Odessa, Texas to near Clayton, New Mexico
flown on August 6, 1963. He placed 2nd in his first major soaring competition, the 31st Annual National Soaring Championships, which was held from June 29 to July 9, 1964 in McCook, Nebraska
.
Scott purchased a variety of sailplanes over the next several decades, and competed in several national and World Gliding Championships
in different glider competition classes
.
and never flew again. On February 8, 2003, Scott died in Odessa, Texas at the age of 78 after contracting pneumonia; he had flown flown nearly 7,000 hours and over 300,000 miles in sailplanes during his life.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and author, a holder of several international sailplane records, and a multi-time recipient of the Lewin B. Barringer trophy awarded for the longest, free-distance, sailplane flight of each year made in the United States. Over 36 years Wallace Wally Scott increased the distance flown in a sailplane
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
.
Scott became a pioneer of free-distance, straight-out, soaring
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
flight and won 4 Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
(FAI)-certified, world soaring records, 20 Lewin B. Barringer Trophies, and numerous other awards and honors, including induction into the Soaring Hall of Fame
Soaring Hall of Fame
The Soaring Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made the highest achievements in, or contributions to, the sport of soaring in the United States of America. It has been located at the National Soaring Museum in Elmira, New York, since 1975...
in 1965.
Scott flew various sailplanes more than 300,000 miles while twice winning the transcontinental Smirnoff Sailplane Derby race, the longest sailplane race in the world. In the summer of 1976, he and Ben Greene co-set the world distance record of 716.95 miles, both flying ASW-12
Schleicher ASW 12
|-References:...
sailplanes.
Early years
Scott was born on July 4, 1924, in Van Horn, TexasVan Horn, Texas
Van Horn is a town in and the county seat of Culberson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,435 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Van Horn is located at ....
, the son of Claude Winfred and Maggie Elizabeth Scott. He had four siblings and the family left Van Horn in 1926 and moved to Best, Texas
Best, Texas
Best is an unincorporated town in southwestern Reagan County in the western part of the U.S. state of Texas. It was portrayed in the Clyde Ragsdale novel “The Big Fist”.-Location and population:...
, when Scott was two years old. The economy eventually forced the Scott family to move north to Odessa, Texas
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
when Scott was age 12. Here they established the family’s successful movie theatre business.
Early aviation career
Scott learned to fly at Fort Stockton, TexasFort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,846 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pecos County.-Geography:Fort Stockton is located at ....
where his brother, Oliver "Scotty", taught him to fly. His brother had become an instructor with the Civilian Pilot Training Program
Civilian Pilot Training Program
The Civilian Pilot Training Program was a flight training program sponsored by the United States government with the stated purpose of increasing the number of civilian pilots, though having a clear impact on military preparedness....
in Fort Stockton. Scott later wrote, “On October 2, 1942, the day after my introductory flight, O. E. Scott "Scotty", logged for W.A. Scott thirty minutes of dual in Cub J-2
Taylor J-2
-References:* Roger W. Peperell and Colin M.Smith, Piper Aircraft and their forerunners, 1987, Air-Britain , ISBN 0 85130 149 5, Page 18 to 22....
.”
In 1943, Scott earned his pilot’s license
Pilot licensing and certification
Pilot licensing or certification refers to permits to fly aircraft that are issued by the National Aviation Authority in each country, establishing that the holder has met a specific set of knowledge and experience requirements. This includes taking a flying test. The certified pilot can then...
and, with his brother's help, he became a flight instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
at the Fort Stockton detachment of Pacific Air Schools, Ltd. Scott taught his sixth and final class of cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
s in January of 1944 and by March had left Fort Stockton and joined the Ferry Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
branch of the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
.
World War II experiences
Scott was accepted to go to Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas and to attend flight school in order to obtain an aircraft instrument ratingInstrument rating
Instrument rating refers to the qualifications that a pilot must have in order to fly under IFR . It requires additional training and instruction beyond what is required for a Private Pilot certificate or Commercial Pilot certificate, including rules and procedures specific to instrument flying,...
. After graduation, he reported to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to continue his training with Ferry Command. After completing his training, Scott was assigned to Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
and served as a co-pilot on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Douglas C-49
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
.
In August and September 1944, Scott participated in several domestic evacuation flights, taking wounded soldiers from the Pacific coast to the eastern USA and vice versa. On October 18, 1944, he was assigned to a C-47 to be ferried from Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
to join the Air Transport group based at Le Bourget
Paris – Le Bourget Airport
Paris – Le Bourget Airport is an airport located in Le Bourget, Bonneuil-en-France, and Dugny, north-northeast of Paris, France. It is now used only for general aviation as well as air shows...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Scott’s duties while based at Le Bourget included delivering supplies to airfields near the front lines and flying wounded personnel to England.
In February of 1945, Scott was transferred to Dum Dum Airfield
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an airport located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, serving the greater Kolkata metro area. The airport was originally known as Dum Dum Airport before being renamed in the honour of Subhas Chandra Bose...
on the northeastern edge of Calcutta, India
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
and away from the front lines. Dum Dum airfield served as a major supply point for ferrying supplies to Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
’s forces in Kunming, China
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
. Scott flew cargo and personnel over The Hump
The Hump
The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces based in...
from in both Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commandos and C-47 aircraft. With the war over, on December 16, 1945, Scott returned to the United States.
Marriage and children
After returning to the USA, Scott met Beverly "Boots" Mae Jackson in January 1946 and they were married on May 12, 1946. Between December 1947 and April 1951 they had four children, a son and daughter and twin girls.Glider flying
In the mid-1950s, Scott and his wife took up archeryArchery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
. In 1956, as president of the Permian Basin Archery Club, Scott won the highest score of any instinctive archer in the National Field Archery Association’s Championship Tournament in San Antonio, Texas. His wife also developed into an expert archer in her own right, and they would eventually win the husband/wife team trophy in the state championships in Odessa in 1959 with Boots’ individual, second-place finish.
Archery was eventually put on hold when Scott began flying powered aircraft again. In March 1961, Scott took his first flight in a glider and within a few months he had purchased a new Schweizer SGS 1-26
Schweizer SGS 1-26
The Schweizer SGS 1-26 is a United States One-Design, single-seat, mid-wing glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.The SGS 1-26 enjoyed a very long production run from its first flight in 1954 until 1979, when production was ended. The 1-26 was replaced in production by the...
sailplane.
Scott’s first record flight was an 8.5 hour, 443.5 mi (714 km), dog-leg flight from Odessa, Texas to near Clayton, New Mexico
Clayton, New Mexico
Clayton is a town in Union County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,524 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union County. Tourists heading from Texas to Colorado often pass through Clayton, which is located in the northeast corner of New Mexico.Clayton is named for a son of...
flown on August 6, 1963. He placed 2nd in his first major soaring competition, the 31st Annual National Soaring Championships, which was held from June 29 to July 9, 1964 in McCook, Nebraska
McCook, Nebraska
McCook is a city in Red Willow County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Red Willow County...
.
Scott purchased a variety of sailplanes over the next several decades, and competed in several national and World Gliding Championships
World Gliding Championships
The World Gliding Championships is a gliding competition held every two years or so by the FAI Gliding Commission. The dates are not always exactly two years apart, often because the contests are sometimes held in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere....
in different glider competition classes
Glider Competition Classes
Competition classes in gliding, as in other sports, mainly exist to ensure fairness in competition. However the classes have not been targeted at fostering technological development as in other sports...
.
Later life and death
In the late 1990s Scott mostly flew locally until January 7, 1999 when he underwent surgery on his knee. The surgery would weaken both his body and spirit. Scott was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and never flew again. On February 8, 2003, Scott died in Odessa, Texas at the age of 78 after contracting pneumonia; he had flown flown nearly 7,000 hours and over 300,000 miles in sailplanes during his life.
Awards and soaring records
| Year Received | Award |
|---|---|
| 1965 | Inducted into Soaring Hall of Fame Soaring Hall of Fame The Soaring Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made the highest achievements in, or contributions to, the sport of soaring in the United States of America. It has been located at the National Soaring Museum in Elmira, New York, since 1975... |
| 1967 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 552 mi (888 km) |
| 1968 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 492.2 mi (792 km) |
| 1969 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 605.23 mi (974 km), Larissa Stroukoff Memorial Trophy |
| 1970 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy shared with Benjamin W. Greene: 716.952 mi (1,154 km), Soaring Society of America Soaring Society of America The Soaring Society of America was founded at the instigation of Warren E. Eaton to promote the sport of soaring in the USA and internationally. The first meeting was held in New York City in the McGraw-Hill building on February 20, 1932. Its first objective was to hold a national soaring... Exceptional Achievement Award |
| 1971 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 578.48 mi (931 km) |
| 1972 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 634.85 mi (1,022 km) |
| 1973 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 642.09 mi (1,033 km) |
| 1975 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 600.9 mi (967 km) |
| 1976 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 540 mi (869 km) |
| 1977 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 716 mi (1,152 km) |
| 1978 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 628.98 mi (1,012 km) |
| 1979 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 590 mi (950 km) |
| 1980 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 675 mi (1,086 km) |
| 1982 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy shared with William H. Seed Jr.: 533 mi (858 km), Barron Hilton Cup Barron Hilton Cup The Barron Hilton Cup is a worldwide soaring contest, founded by Barron Hilton, Chairman of the Board and President of the Hilton Hotels Corporation, and the late Professor Helmut Reichmann in 1981. The BHC is also co-sponsored by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company... |
| 1983 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 668.36 mi (1,076 km) |
| 1985 | Barron Hilton Cup |
| 1986 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 526.6 mi (847 km) |
| 1987 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 569.03 mi (916 km) |
| 1988 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 716.74 mi (1,153 km), SSA Exceptional Achievement Award |
| 1989 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 649.16 mi (1,045 km) |
| 1990 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 725.89 mi (1,168 km) |
| 1993 | The Lewin B. Barringer Memorial Trophy: 539.87 mi (869 km). |
| 2003 | Joseph C. Lincoln Writing Award 2004 – Soaring Magazine 2003 reprint from 1982 of an article titled “The Preparation and Execution of Long-Distance Flights.” |
| 2005 | Inducted in Texas Aviation Hall of Fame |
World soaring records
National Aeronautic Association and Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Awards:| Date Received | Award |
|---|---|
| July 23, 1964 | FAI World Record - Straight Distance to a declared goal: Odessa, TX – Goodland, KS 837.75 km – Ka-6CR (N1304S), FAI record # 4406 |
| July 12, 1965 | 10th FAI World Soaring Championship, South Cerney, England – 6th place overall |
| August 22, 1969 | FAI World Record – Straight Distance to a declared goal: Odessa, TX – Gila Bend, AZ. 974.04 km – ASW 12 (N134Z), FAI record # 4408 |
| July 26, 1970 | FAI World Record – Straight Distance Odessa, TX – Columbus, NE 1,153.821 km – ASW 12 (N4472), FAI record # 5409 |
| August 3, 1970 | FAI World Record – Out-and-Return, Odessa, TX – Pampa, TX and return 860.00 km – ASW 12 (N4472), FAI record # 5421 |
| July 4, 1970 | 12th FAI World Gliding Championship, Marfa, TX., 9th place overall |
| July 2, 1977 | 15-meter National Record, Odessa, TX – Primrose, NE, 716.31 miles / 1152.79 km |
| July 11, 1980 | 15-meter Triangle Speed Record, Odessa, TX – Roswell, NM, Plain View, TX & return 750 km / 7hrs 27min / 65.84 mph |
| August 31, 1985 | 545 mile Triangle – 15-meter record, Odessa, TX – Robert Lee, TX, Del Rio,TX Wink, TX 68 mph. Also qualified for Barron Hilton Cup winning flight |
Articles authored
- 443.5 Miles by 1-26 N8606R, Soaring MagazineSoaring (magazine)SOARING is a magazine published monthly as a membership benefit of the Soaring Society of America. The magazine's article topics include safety issues and accounts of individual gliding accomplishments....
, October 1963 - The Second 500, Soaring Magazine, November 1967
- Marfa Report, circa 1970, self published, a report on how to soar in the areas of southwest Texas, specifically around Marfa, TX
- Showdown Over Gila Bend, The account of his world record 605-mile goal distance flight, Soaring Magazine, January 1970 by Douglas Lamont
- The Big One, by Wallace Scott and Ben Greene, Soaring Magazine, February 1971
- The 1976 Smirnoff Derby, Soaring Magazine, August 1976
- The Preparation and Execution of Long-Distance Flights, Soaring Magazine, June 1982
- Attack on Aconcagua, by Wallace Scott and Guido Haymann, Soaring Magazine, May/June 1986