A local pilot has received one of the highest honors for aviators in a special ceremony at the Plant City Airport.
To honor his years of expertise in the sky, Wilson Grier was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, which is the “most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61.” Named after the legendary Wright Brothers, who were the first U.S. pilots, the award is given to those who have exhibited professionalism, skill and aviation expertise for a minimum of 50 years while “piloting aircraft as Master Pilots.”
“I’ve had a varied career,” Grier said. “I’ve flown for airlines, private charters, for the military. This award is for being involved in aviation in excess of 50 years and for focusing on safety and professionalism. I was fortunate enough to have had several letters of recommendation from people I have flown with over the years.”
Andrew Crossman, FAASTeam Program Manager and Aviation Safety Inspector, said they usually only see three letters come in when people apply for the award, but Grier had seven excellent letters highlighting his skill and dedication to the craft. Getting photos of Grier’s life in the sky proved an interesting challenge as they combed through old Polaroids and found images from Da Nang, Vietnam, to Grier’s trips to the Aspens, to the many photos of him with his students in the cockpit.
With the ceremony on Nov. 23, Grier became only the second pilot from Plant City to ever receive the honor.
Roger Emmett Shepherd was the first and received the award in April 2014. There are only approximately 5,660 pilots that have received the honor since it was instituted by the United States Federal Aviation Administration in Oct. 2003.
Grier was in high school when he first found himself floating among the clouds. Buckled into a Cessna 150, he fell in love with the craft and knew right then that he wanted a future that would continue to put him in the sky.
He did his first solo in May 1969 in a Cessna 150, and in September of that year he reported to Marine Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. In 1970, he had his first flight in the TA-4J and by 1971 he received his commercial pilot license. He became a C-130 aircraft commander in March 1973, and by 2002 he was a ground instructor as a certified Airline Transport Pilot and a Certified Flight Instructor — Instrument.
There didn’t seem to be a corner of the industry Grier hadn’t mastered and his list of pupils begin to grow as eager pilots sought his impeccable instruction.
After joining the Marine Corps, Grier began the process of becoming a naval aviator. He served in Vietnam and was in active duty for six years and then in the reserves for five years. Using his military benefits he went back to school for his doctorate, but he never left aviation.
Grier carried his passion into his personal life as well. He and his wife frequently escape on adventures in his personal plane and he has even begun the process of teaching his grandson to fly.
“My grandson is 13 years old,” Grier said. “I hope to solo him on his 16th birthday. I hope to be around to certify him and watch him officially have that certificate at age 17.”
Grier said he would encourage anyone considering a career in aviation to give some thought to the military and all it has to offer. He said going that route saves hundreds of thousands of dollars and takes a lot of the “what ifs” out of the equation.
Despite how tight money was or how busy he was with work, Grier always found peace among the clouds. It’s been a constant in his life for as long as he can remember and he passes that passion on to nearly everyone he meets.
Three years ago, he bought a home in Plant City. Now he and his wife spend seven months of the year here and the other five in Kentucky with his children and grandchildren.
His reputation and network of fellow pilots is spread around the world. A glimpse of his impact was on full display during the ceremony at the airport. As Crossman began speaking to the packed room, the door continued to open as more and more attendees piled in the hangar to watch Grier receive his plaque and lapel pins. There wasn’t an empty seat in the room and many stood along the walls as they watched Grier be awarded the prestigious title.
“I’m tickled beyond belief to be here with you,” Grier said. “This is a culmination of my career. You don’t ever expect to make it this far, to be able to receive such a prestigious certificate.”