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Bob Gilliland
Combat Pilot & Lockheed Test Pilot (retired)
Burbank, California
Bob Gilliland was the original test pilot on the SR-71 Blackbird, the world's first stealth spy plane (see photo below). Joining the USAF in 1949, he flew America's earliest fighter jets, starting with the F-SO Shooting Star. Following combat experience in Korea (flying the F-84 Thunderjet) and Air National Guard service back home (flying the F-104), he was recruited by Kelly Johnson, founder of the fabled Lockheed "Skunk Works," to serve as test pilot on the Blackbird and a variety of other jets. Today he is a trustee of the Association of Naval Aviation and a fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and he has won virtually every major aviation award. He enjoys touring the world telling audiences about his experiences and his personal friendships with everyone from Charles Lindbergh to the Mercury and Apollo astronauts. For more on the life and career of Bob Gilliland, visit www.roadrunnersinternationale.com.
Bob Gilliland in front of the SR-71 Blackbird, the world's first stealth spy plane. |
[Our Advisory Board members serve as private individuals. Their participation in this project does not signify an endorsement by their employers or their affiliated organizations.] |
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