Capt. Arnie's Final Flight: After 55 years, the legendary golfer and pilot hangs up his wings

Flying Magazine ^ | February 1, 2011 | Stephen Pope

[EveningStar]

It’s the end of an era. Golf legend Arnold Palmer has made his final flight as pilot in command, calling it quits after almost 55 years at the controls of everything from open-cockpit biplanes to a Boeing 747. Along the way, he amassed nearly 20,000 hours in the cockpit.

[EveningStar]

ping

[freedumb2003]

>>Golf legend Arnold Palmer has made his final flight as pilot in command, calling it quits after almost 55 years at the controls of everything from open-cockpit biplanes to a Boeing 747. Along the way, he amassed nearly 20,000 hours in the cockpit.<<

I had no idea — some people are really amazing even when they aren’t being really amazing.

[Beowulf]

Latrobe, PA. Great sportsman and ambassador for the game of golf.

[stylin19a]

gets even better....

In 1969, Palmer piloted a Boeing 747 before the airplane had gone into commercial service.
In 1976, he set a round-the-world speed record that still stands.
Taking off from Denver in a Learjet 36 and heading east, Palmer circumnavigated the globe in 57 hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds, stopping in Boston, Paris, Tehran, Sri Lanka, Jakarta, Manila, Wake Island and Honolulu.

[cmsgop]

The man Ooozes class, a great american indeed......

[JaguarXKE]

I was in the air on that same day - flying to Orlando! Kinda a cool coincidence.

[wita]

Mr Palmer may have personally paid for his almost 20,000 hours, while he was helping to pay me for my measly 5,000, and buy and maintain the aircraft I flew. All of which I will be eternally grateful for. Thanks Arnie.

So just who is it that castigates the rich, and begs that they be reduced to the status of Peons? They do the same to the economic engine of capitalism that makes wealth a possibility for all.

[rlmorel]

Very interesting. A class act, indeed.

[rlmorel]

Well put.

"...So just who is it that castigates the rich, and begs that they be reduced to the status of Peons..."

You and I both know the answer to that. They are called "liberals", but the attitude is only for "everyone else" not themselves or their friends.

[Fido969]

Yeah, but let me tell you about Chuck Norris....

[JRios1968]

On that same day, Chuck Norris hovered in one spot 2 feet above and the world went around him in 24 hours, with enough time left over for him to have sex with women from each of the same cities Arnie stopped at...

[taildragger]

The maintenance, concurrency, and Insurance for an 80 something guy to be flying that high a performance aircraft might have been even too much for his pocketbook.

Time to buy an LSA Clipped Wing Cub and go out for the $100 cup of coffee....

[CFIIIMEIATP737]

My 78 year old boss still flies. The insurance companies are the limiting factor. He can fly a Cessna 414 with no other qualified person in the cockpit. In the Citations insurance requires a qualfied captain with him.