ACE AVAKIAN 1948 - 1986 PILOT PHX DAL DFW DEN I'm hoping to meet many of my old friends here. I'm using my ham radio license call sign as my sign-in, which is ND0X. I'm still flying although not with airlines. I'm a CFI/CFII and have been giving flight reviews and instrument flight checks as well as instruction. In my 'spare time' I'm attending Metro State College working toward an AeroSpace Science degree. The retired FAL pilots meet with a luncheon every 2nd Tuesday at The Golden Corral on Mississippi just east of Havana in Auroraat 1200 local time. All FAL are welcome. -Ace Avakian (5/23/99) Okay Jake - thank you for the good wishes. I came with Monarch in Oct of 1948 and checked out as Capt. Feb of 1951. (I turned age 26 in Jan of that year.) I flew my last DC3 trip with FAL on Dec 31, 1965. On that day, I transferred a 580 from PHX-TUS then flew the DC3 from TUS-PHX-TUS-PHX. My copilot was HB Wrasse. I flew the last DC3 flight (Flt 10) from PHX-PRC-FLG-INW-GUP-FMN then deadheaded back to PHX on flt 309 a CV340. This was July 31, 1964. My copilot was Del Harty. I flew the first jet transport between STL and LAS (a B727-200). I was a reserve Capt for 25 years and became a regular when I went to DAL in 1973. I returned to DEN in 1983 where I was flying the MD-80. I retired in 1985 but came back as a flight instructor/check airman for FAL till the very end in 1986 when the company went under. Ev Aden retired in May of 1981. I became number one when Jug Jella retired in Sept of that year. I was the first and only pilot that completed 35 years with FAL. I proudly wore my 35 year wings. I ended up with 38 years with the company. I have been writing the Frontier Retired Pilots' newsletter (a quarterly) for the past 10 years. I am the VP and Editor of FARPA (Frontier Airlines Retired Pilots Assn). I am the VP and Historian of RAPA (Retired Airline Pilots Assn, Intl). I have been inserting the Gone West roster in all of the newsletters and I am in the middle (?) of writing a book of my experiences with Frontier. This is NOT a history of FAL nor is it a critical view of the demise of FAL. (I leave that to others.) Rather it is the story of a kid that grew up in New York City with a dream. The kid that solo'd an airplane at age 16 - went through the aviation cadet program with the Air Corps (Class of 44G -Luke Field) and after instructing a while, joined (and grew up with) FAL. Cordially, -Ace Avakian PS The first stewardess ever to be fired for being married was Janet Jackson. She was asked to come back (by Gordon Lincoln) and set a precedent and all the married stews came out of the woodwork. PSS Janet and I have been married for over 31 years. (5/24/99) I have a short one for you regarding Ace. Ace was deadheading from DEN to DFW. Seems that he was sitting next to a guy that was explaining how the airplane operated to Ace and suggested that if Ace wanted to know about anything and how these jets worked to just ask him because his daughter was a Flight Attendant he knew how these things worked and could explain them to him. On several occasions during the trip the Flight Attendants working the trip came by and said hello to Ace and talked to him from time to time. The Man said to Ace "These people seem to know you". Very embarrassed for the man Ace replied, "yes, I sort of fly their airplanes for them". -G. Dan McCauley (5/25/99) Okay Jake - glad you enjoyed the newsletters. Yes I have a bunch of them (10 years worth). Let me know which ones I sent you (dates) - as I didn't keep a record of it. The Gone West roster that I maintain is of pilots and dispatchers. We (the Denver Frontier Retired Pilot group) have accepted the Dispatchers into our pilot luncheon group. All on the list are pilots except; Frank Blair, Curt Dixon, Joe Doussard, Mike Kaiser, Bob Klingensmith, George Lawrence, Russ Miller, Scotty Millis, Ed Mills, Mitch Mitchel, Paul Morris, Jack Newland, Bob Owen, Jack Rogers, Vern Stever, Charlie Wilkenson and Del Zusman. All on the roster are from Monarch, Challenger, Frontier and Central. I have no record of any personnel from Arizona Airways. I will be leaving for Noo Yawk either Wednesday or Thursday. I will not have any computer availability back there. I have been invited to give a talk at the School of Aviation in New York. I am an alumni of the predecessor school which was the Manhattan High School of Aviation. When I attended that school prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corps, it was the only school of its kind in our country. It was an all boys school and one had to pass an entry exam to get in. They usually had (in New York City) 3000 applicants but they only accepted 300. The school dealt in anything and everything pertaining to Aviation; i.e., Aircraft & Engine Mechanics, Meteorology, Radio, Navigation, Welding, etc., etc., etc. It was so good that when the war broke out (WWII) the Air Corps sent their mechanic-trainees to the school at night while we attended during the day. Anyway... -Ace Avakian (6/1/99) There was a 35 year pilot wings pin that had 4 diamonds. There was only one made. No one else had ever completed 35 years as a pilot for Frontier Air Lines. The recipient not only completed 35 years as a pilot but went on to fly an additional 3 years thereafter attaining number one on the pilot seniority list for a total of 5 years. When forced to retire (age 60 rule) the pilot was asked to serve as Check Airman and Contract Flight Instructor on the MD 80 airplane which he did until the demise of Frontier. He was hired in 1948 and retired when FAL went under in 1986 completing 38 years with the company and as a pilot. As stated, he was the first and only pilot to complete 35 years as a pilot and still has the wings with the 4 diamonds - the only 35 year pilot wings for Frontier Air Lines. How do I know this to be a fact? Because...I'm the one that did it and has it!! :-) I'd be happy to send you a copy of the letter stating these facts but cannot because they are in a frame - with the 35 year pilot wings - and hanging in my bar area in my home. -Ace Avakian (10/15/06) For the first time since 1941 at age 16, date of my first solo - I haven't flown an airplane for over 3 months. This is the longest I've ever gone without flying. I've been going through eye surgeries since June. And - will do it again Nov 2nd for the fourth (and hopefully) the last time. Then once again, off I will go into the wild blue yonder!!! When I hired on with Monarch, the requirement was that you had to have an ATR (ATP). One had to be 23 years of age for that. Therefore, if one went to the age 60 rule, the most one could possibly have would be 37 years ...unless...one went into the Training Dept (like I did) for the extra years. Today - I've heard of pilots being hired at age 20. (?) I think FAL did that in later years. -Ace Avakian (10/16/06 Please hold off on your email to me for at least 6 weeks. I will be going through a vitrectomy surgery procedure tomorrow. The down side is that I have to keep my head down for 4 to 6 weeks. Vitrectomy is the surgery to repair a hole in the retina of my right eye. The fluid that is injected into the eye acts like a level and must be in the center of the eye. That is the reason for the face-down for 4 to 6 weeks. -Ace Avakian (11/1/06) Most all my training (WWII) was on the West Coast. I started flying in 1937 when I was 12 and I solo'd at age 16 which is the legal age limit. I attended an Aviation High School (in New York City) which was the only one of its kind in the U.S. at that time. I enlisted after High School at age 18 into the Army Air Corps. I graduated at age 19 as a 2nd Lieutenant from Luke Field as a single engine fighter pilot flying Curtiss P-40's. Went through Central Instructors School in San Antonio -went through P-39 school then A36 night fighter. When the war in Europe was being finalized, the US decided to start the very heavy bombardment training for the B29. All us single engine fighter pilots were sent to B29 school but first to transition in the B-17, then the B24 and finally the B29...then the war was over! I came out and became a civilian flight instructor and then flew your PT19 among other WWII aircraft. I used to ferry brand new Piper J3's from Pennsylvania to Denver and some times ferried brand new Taylorcraft airplanes from Ohio to Denver, besides instructing. At age 23 I learned how to drive a car - not ever had driven one before. Later I flew DC3/C-47 out of the East Coast until joining Monarch Air Lines in 1948. I built my own airplane (being a lifetime member of the Experimental Aircraft Association) in 1963. Went to college and became a certified welder in electric and Oxy-Acetelyne Welding. I did all my own welding on the airplane and it is still flying and is based in Mesa, Arizona. Presently, I am a Certified Flight Instructor, Certified Instrument Flight Instructor and Multi-Engine Flight Instructor and am part owner of a Cessna 182. All this is FYI, Jake. I'm no hero and I am kind of giving you my background for a kid from New York City that couldn't even speak English when he started school. I come from Armenian parents who escaped from Turkey where the Turks had a genocide on the Armenian people only because they were Christian...the Turks being Muslim. -Ace Avakian (12/6/06 I really do not have any seniority lists. I remember however that the seniority list would come out in September of the year. One year, Jug Jella was number one and I was number two on the list. He became age 60 and retired about the 10th of September and I was number two on the list for the entire year even though he was not there. :-) I don't know if you knew Jug or not but he was one helluva nice guy!!! -Ace Avakian (4/6/08) I underwent prostate cancer, seed-implant surgery about a month ago. Now I have to go through radiation therapy for about 5 weeks. I can't complain - I've been healthy all my life...'used to run 5.5 miles very day and only problem I ever had was that I was always 16 lbs under weight. That was the limit for Aviation Cadets during WWII and I always 'sneaked' by. Now I just found out I am a Diabetic! 'Can't win for losin'. But still - gotta hang on! My Mom is going on 102 and lives alone (by choice) in Tucson AZ. She can speak, read and write 7 languages (I can only speak 3). -Ace Avakian (4/7/08) Just before 9/11 time, my wife and I went to France. We were going to Toulouse to help fly back an Airbus A320 that Billy Walker was bringing back for JetBlue. We were on a Continental Boeing 777 from New York to Paris. After getting off the airplane (we were forced to go down steps because the terminal was being rebuilt) which necessitated us walking in front of the engine, which of course, was stopped. I could not believe the size of the engine!!! I stood there , looking, with my eyes and mouth wide open and in the rain. I could not believe what I was looking at. To get a much better perspective, one must stand in front of it and gawk!!! -Ace Avakian (5/27/08) Nov 2008 FARPA newsletter: With this issue of the newsletter, marks the 76th printing - spanning 19 years. It doesn't seem possible that amount of time has passed. Then again, it seems the years are going by much quicker now than they did back then. When the idea of a newsletter was first brought up (by Capt's Dick Koplitz and Jim Hanson) I was the only one that had a computer at that time and therefore was ‘voted in' to do the chores. It was going to be, ...easy …as the retiree members would be writing to me of their activities..." and all I'd have to do was to write down all the information, type it in to the computer and, Hey! It's all done! It hasn't quite worked out that way but I must confess, I've learned a lot about writing and working with a computer. - the first being an Apple II and a dot-matrix printer. Also, other chores were inherited that seemed to, ". . .come with the territory." I asked for and received the mailing addresses for our members from ALPA never realizing that we had 938 pilots on the payroll at one time! That's how many names and addresses (for FAL) that I received from ALPA and still have! Sadly, many of our members have gone west but still live in our memory through our Gone West Scroll. -Ace Avakian (11/12/08) I just got off the phone with Ace. He is dealing with another great challenge. Ace has lung cancer, but remains optimistic. He just completed his first dose of chemo and did well with that. He is on O2 now as well. Please keep Ace in your thoughts and prayers. -Billy Walker (1/20/11) Ace is now in ICU at the hospital. I went to see Ace on Friday, he was in good spirits, talking, held my hand and telling me about situation. He told me he was scared. But on top of the diagnosis of lung cancer, last Sunday, a week ago, he told Janet he couldn't breathe so she took him to hospital, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He was happy Friday about having new cancer doctor to try new approach to chemo. Plan is for Ace to beat this setback, I will pass on any information I get. -Bonnie Dahl (2/13/11) Janet called this morning. She sounded "tired" but said she was doing OK. She was somewhat buoyed by Ace asking for something to eat this morning. The nurses said he slept very well last night. That had to be a relief. The medical folks are still dealing with the fluid in his lungs. Janet is hopeful that the new oncologist will have some good news with respect to the subsequent treatments. All the thoughts and prayers directed their way can't hurt! -Billy Walker (2/14/11) This morning around 4 AM Captain Rueben Ace Avakian Flew West... Ace had his family at his side and he went comfortably. His instructions were to be cremated. According to his son, Doug, there will be a Celebration of Life sometime in the future. -Billy Walker (2/18/11) Posted at Facebook: Pilot Ave Avakian flew west this morning. He published a FL pilot newsletter 23 years in 92 editions. Ace was a tremendous help to me when I started the FL News newsletter. Besides advice, help and friendship, he promptly sent me $100 to help get it off the ground. The FLamily's loss is great and he will be missed. The pic of Ace is from 9/14/2001 on the first flight to land at JFK after the 9-11 Attack. -Jake Lamkins (2/18/11) FL Club: I going to miss Ace every day just like I miss Ken Schultz who flew west last year. Both were great FL historians and helped me constantly with the FL newsletter and websites. Ace published the FL Pilot's newsletter for 23 years and never missed an issue - 92 of them. His career at FL spanned 1948 until 1986, 38 years - the pilot record. He was the only FL pilot with a 35 year pin He was #1 on the pilot seniority list when he quit flying, age 60, in 1985. Afterwards he worked in flight training until the very end. He told me once he got his pilot's license before he got a driver's license. He was one of a kind, a great friend, and I miss him already. -Jake Lamkins (2/18/18) From: "jetdoc7" Date: Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:48 pm Subject: Ace jetdoc7 Ace was the mechanic's friend as well, always kind and courteous. Every line mechanic in the system knew Ace and had the utmost respect for him. -Jim Taylor (2/18/11) Facebook: Ace Avakian and his dog FLAPS were part of our lives.... A LONG TIME AGO on Frontier Air Lines. Rest in Peace you wonderful man. -Jeanne C. Wolf (2/18/11) I am still in shock. I really thought he would get through this. I am comforted knowing he is flying a pristine DC-3 with unlimited fuel in blue skies and smooth air! -Billy Walker (2/18/11) Some of you have been notified that Ace passed on, this am at 4:45. I received the call from Aaron at 7:15AM. For those who have not been notified....now you know. I heard from Bonnie Dahl late last night indicating that Ace would not make it through the night. George and I had a sleepless night. Another one of George's dear friends have left him and so live has to go on for the living. Ace did a tremendous job with our newsletters.....keeping us informed on what was going on.....we'll miss his humor at the luncheons. We are going to miss this lovely guy. -Nancy Meshko (2/19/11) It is not yet 5 AM and I am wide awake thinking about the late-great Rueben Ace Avakian, captain extraordinare. I didn't have the privilege of sharing Ace's flight deck at Frontier. I always wanted to, but never had the "whiskers." So, Ace and Janet's joining us for one of the new JetBlue jet flight test and delivery was both an honor and a privilege. He really was one of the Best of the Best! I was in Toulouse, France for the test flight and delivery of a new A-320 for JetBlue when 9 - 11 shocked America. Ace & Janet Avakian were along as my guests. My co-pilot was former FAL pilot, Bill Brown and his wife, Donna, who was a former FAL Sr. Agent and, later, a Flight Attendant for NWA. So, along with Cheryl, another former FAL stew, we had a nice contingent of Frontier Family along for what turned out to be a lot more than we could reasonably expect. The morning of 9-11, we had just completed the test flight with Bill Brown and Ace on the jumpseats when we were notified by our company president, Dave Barger, that they were concerned about an aircraft that struck one of the twin towers. No confirmation at this point. A few minutes later, after the 2nd aircraft struck the north tower, we all knew our world had changed drastically. We just didn't know how much. We decided to hustle back to the hotel to look for our girls who were out shopping in hopes they didn't know about the disaster. As we drove into the area where our hotel was located we passed a store that catered to American's and notice the two large US flags standing out by the door-way. Across the street was the Algerian Consulate (make note of this). The girls were arriving back at the hotel simultaneous with our arrival. We told them of the unbelievable situation that now confronted us all. We turned on our TV's to CNN, but could only see the video as the audio was in Italian! Somehow the feed got mixed up and we had no way of following the dialogue. So, we walked over to another hotel we often stayed at and watched TV there until the wee morning hours. The next day we found out how obvious our nationality is to Europeans. A number came up to express condolences, some with tears in their eyes, as to the happenings in the US. We went back to the airport to take care of loose ends before heading back to the hotel. This time, as we passed the Algerian Consulate, we observed that the two prominent US flags were missing from the store across the street. However, the very next day, every place, it seemed displayed, "Old Glory!" Even the Algerian Consulate! As you will recall, no one was flying anywhere, especially in the US. All flights were grounded. We were not sure when we would be allowed to fly. Slowly things relaxed some and we were able to get flight-planned to Keflavik, Iceland on the 14th. We put out the word that anyone with a US passport was welcome to come with us. We had approximately 70 ex-patriots on our manifest at departure. None of us knew how far we would get beyond our clearance to Keflavik. Many of our passengers had family and friends in the towers. They did not know if they survived or not at this point. You likely have heard a lot of bashing of the French. Not from me. Not after what they did for us. As we pushed back from our hard-stand at the Airbus Delivery Center, they unfurled a huge American Flag. Old Glory hasn't looked so impressive since 1814 when Francis Scott Key was moved to write the Star Spangled Banner. I was so moved I had to ask for them to hold the push-back. I regained my composure and picked up the PA to advise those on the right side to look out their window as they would see something very special. There was a huge "cheer" from the back of the plane, then silence. Cheryl told me later there was not a dry eye in the cabin. Ace was awed as well. He failed to shoot this scene with his omni-present camera. Moist eyes were not exclusively the aft cabin's... Another point of note was when we checked in with ATC. They spoke clear English and were actually helpful in ways I wasn't used to after many flights across the North Atlantic. Of course we were the only ones flying other than military. We proceeded to Keflavik and fueled along with the passengers & crew touring the nearly vacant terminal there. We were able to obtain another clearance which could actually get us to JFK. We were told we would likely have to stop in Canada since the US airspace was still closed. Kennedy was doubtful. Passing Canadian ATC into US airspace was encouraging even though we were told that landing at JFK was not presently an option. We figured we could land at Newburg (Stewart AFB) or Islip on Long Island. We were fortunate that when handed to JFK approach they honored us as the first aircraft to land there since 9/11. As we descended thru the overcast the sun was setting on the smoldering ground zero spot and we again missed a million dollar photo opportunity. It was a beautiful, surreal, and extremely sad sight all at once. Another surreal sight was seeing JFK with no other aircraft movements and no vehicular movements. It was a dead-zone. Taxiing in we saw one JetBlue A-320 begin to taxi out. Our first indication of thing hopefully getting back to normal. We arrived at US Customs only to wait a very long time for someone to check us all thru. They had not been told of the airport now being opened again. We said our goodbyes to our passengers and wondered how we would all make it home ourselves. We arranged for Ace & Janet to get a ride on JetBlue to Denver and noticed some of the America West crews loitering in the lobby (this was when they shared our Terminal at JFK). I saw old friend Doug Earhardt who was to captain an A-320 transfer to Phoenix. He readily offered Cheryl and I a ride only to be countermanded by the AWA manager at JFK. Undaunted, Doug called Joe Cronic, VP Flight Ops., who countermanded the AWA manager and we had our ride home. It was like our private jet as there were just 3 of us up in 1st class. The 3rd was Doug's lovely wife. None of us will forget where we were and what we were doing on 9/11. I am grateful that I was with family. Cheryl and our FAL family, the Browns and the Avakians. -Billy Walker (2/18/11) Blue Skies & Tailwinds"...To the passing of R. Ace Avakian...All you in our flying family, I know, will miss this wonderful man. One of my first flights (back from DFW) out of DEN was with Janet and Ace on a charter. Before we picked up our first group, Ace let me fly that 727...I will never forget. Janet and Ace....the best...FLY WEST.. our dear friend. -Lana Kelley (2/19/11) Here's one of my many good memories of flying with Ace, who I consider to be the true, original prototype of an "airline pilot": During his last few months on the line, I was able to fly a month with Ace on some Mexico overnights. Even though he was #1 on the seniority list, and could hold a better schedule, he wanted to experience "international flying" before he retired. On one trip, upon our arrival at the hotel in Zihuatanejo, Ace and I and the flight attendants were surprised when the concierge informed us that we were invited to join Glen Ryland, some Hollywood producer friend of his, and their wives for drinks at the bar. We changed clothes quickly and met them downstairs at the hotel bar. The Ryland group was flying out with us early the next morning, and the crew was of course a bit nervous about the whole idea, since this was only about a 10 hour layover block-to-block. The flight attendants were afraid to have any alcohol, but at Ryland's insistence, Ace and I ordered some sort of rum drinks. It was a festive atmosphere---Glen was an amiable enough guy. We all had some good laughs---except for the flight attendants, who were petrified. When Ryland wanted to order a second round, Ace glanced across the table at me with that crazy roving eyeball of his in the funniest, most quizzical way you could possibly imagine. Should we? What to do? Are we safe? Is this a trap? I nodded to him a silent affirmation...... damn right we should have another!….He's the Boss...he's the Pres! So we had another. It was all very memorable and humorous. And the next day, Ace was quietly thrilled to fly the airline's president home from Mexico. That was a great month. Since it was always such a short layover in Mexico, Ace always got up an hour early at 5 a.m. to walk the beach. It was his only "international flying" and he wanted to experience it fully. Best Regards, -Wally Rees (2/21/11) Welcome Aboard Ruben Ace Avakian 1st Lt, USAAF (Sep) Ace's thumbnail bio DOB: 10 Jan 1925 Wings: Jan 1944, Luke Field, AZ Military Aircraft: AT-6 IP; P-39; A-36 (P-51B); B-17, B-24, B-29; C-47. Civilian Aircraft: Multiple DC-3 thru MD-80. Cessna 182. Current CFI, CFII, MEI. Separated from USAAF: 1946, Ft Sheridan, IL (3 2/3 yrs). Civilian Employment: Monarch/Frontier Airlines (38 yrs). Spouse: Janet Children: Four sons Residence: Castle Rock, CO -Mile High Flight 18 Newsletter, May 2009 R AVAKIAN Pilot seniority date of 10/15/48 on the 9/1/81 FL/ALPA seniority list. #1 on the list from 9/81 until flight retirement 1/10/85 at which time he went into flight training until the end. The last time I saw Ace was late 1984 in DEN, not long before he retired age 60 from flight status in Jan 1985. I saw the back of his head as I handed in the flight papers over his right shoulder in DEN. That's how I usually saw captains in DEN. I knew he was #1 on pilot seniority and all business in the cockpit. They were in flight departure mode and my job was to get them out on time in a safe manner. It was years later that Ace and I became friends, thanks to the internet. -Jake Lamkins (3/3/11) March 6, '11 Denver Post has Ace's obit notice. All Veterans Funeral and Cremation (303 234 0911)has his listing. Sign guestbook at AllVeterans .com Celebration of life to be announced. -Otto Smith (3/6/11) OBITUARY Captain R. Ace Avakian, of Castle Rock, Colo. passed away on February 18, 2011. Ace was a commercial airline pilot for Frontier Airlines for 35 years. He is survived by his loving wife Janet of 43 years, sons Roger (Helen), Douglas (Caron), Curtiss and Aeron, mother Adrienne, brother Al, 3 grandchildren and numerous family and friends. Celebration of Life to be announced. -Denver Post on March 6, 2011 Posted at FL Club and Facebook: Subject: Ace Avakian's obit is in today's DEN Post at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/denverpost/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=149\090386 Be sure to leave a note in his guestbook. -Jake Lamkins (3/6/11) We had lunch with Janet today. She is planning a celebration of life for Ace on April 30th, 2011, at the Platte valley Airport, 1100 till 1500. She gave me a okay to send this information. Address for Platte Valley Airport is: 7125 Parks Lane Fort Lupton, Co 80621 It's just West of Hudson, Colorado. -Bonnie Dahl (3/17/11) A little tribute to Ace: I Didn`t get to fly with Ace all that much as our seniority didn`t match. I do remember serving on the air safety committee with Ace. We were making recommendations on procedures and equipment for the new Boeing 737s coming to Frontier - Ace was the best chairman. Not long after that we were talking and Ace mentioned, You can really tell the good airline pilots, they're the ones that go up, go down, turn left, turn right and the passengers never know they even moved. I remembered this the rest of my career. A couple of years ago when I was in Denver with our experimental RV-6, I had a chance to take Ace for a ride. We flew around Denver did some light aerobatics, just had a wonderful time. One more flight would have been nice. -Richard Stevens (4/26/11) Like everyone else I was sorry to hear of Ace passing. He was just a young captain when I started. Of course, all of us were pretty young. But it's still sad. -Jim Hildebrand, OKC (5/2/11) FARPA luncheon on May 10th was great. Janet thanked everyone for coming to Ace's Memorial and for all support she has received. Janet said 170 was count at memorial. -Bonnie Dahl (5/11/11) I am thrilled to count myself among the legion of "Ace" Avakian friends.........A personal friend and a Living Legend!.........Incidentally I was fortunate enough to have met "Ace's" Mother several times at Stapleton in perhaps the early Seventies. I remember her as a beautiful, captivating & charming Woman...........No wonder "Ace" turned out to be the man we so revere !! -Bob Pearson (6/10/11) A story - I touched on Ace hrs before he passed. Applebee, Frank Hoffman & I & Janet were in the hospital room for the countdown. I related the scene to a wx delay like in OMA & we're allowing the Capt Ace to sneak a short nap in the operations office while we visited as a crew keeping our voices down. This beautiful captain so looked after all of us for so many years... the greatness of character & talent & he was ours! A true aviator, Ace! He (Ace) fought so hard those months to get treatment & live! Everyone at "Sky Ridge Hospital" knew him during his stay. You talk about a public relator to the last for Frontier, Continental & the pilots and for all the guys. He was unreal! -Patty O'Neill (8/4/11) Ace A very unique individual. I'll never forget him. R.I.P. -Lou Sylvestri (3/20/13) Jake, this picture was taken May 15, 2010 when Emily Warner was giving a speech at the World War I museum about her life as a pilot. A good picture of Ace and Janet and one of the last pictures I have seen of Emily. -Wes Te Winkle (4/23/20) Thanks, Wes, That's a good photo. I'll add it to their webpages. -Jake Lamkins (4/23/20) Just thinking about my FLriend Ace. He helped me so much over the years with the FL newsletter and other things Frontier. He was my go-to guy for help with Monarch Airlines. I miss him everyday when I'm reminded I can't check on somethng with him. -Jake Lamkins (8/11/20) Carol Bartley Such a Gentleman and Fun to fly with. Impeccable Manners. Always smiling. Lisa Kerr Zeman And of course Ace Avakian was one of the best pilots out there. He was a wonderful man Tara Lamoreaux Ace - good man, good pilot and always fun. He is missed. Patty Giordano Benton Loved Ace. He was a legend & a gentleman. (8/11/20) John Winter I've flown with pilots from 3 different airlines, but none like Ace. He was an excellent pilot as well as gentleman at all times. He will always set the bar for Airline pilots. Rick Broome Concur! Patty Giordano Benton Absolutely agree! Ginger Treptow May He Rest In Peace. Terrific person, great personality and just an all around Super Human Being. (8/14/20) FLacebook on 10/26/21 Jake Lamkins I remember Ace Avakian telling me that when he dreamed of flying, it was always in a Frontier DC-3. I miss his memories, advice and friendship. http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Ace_Avakian.html Carol Bartley Great Gentleman. Always smiling. Bill Buse I can understand that. Flying in planes like the DC-3 and the Piper Cub was flying at its best. Henry Greathouse Ace was a great guy. I always enjoyed working trips with him. Pam Frank Corvelli I miss him too. He was so proud of me when I got into medical school. When I graduated, you would've thought he was my father, he was so proud! Karen Ward Berry Ace was the best!!! It was always so good to fly with him!! Ginger Treptow Ace was an awesome Captain! Always friendly and great personality. Ken Nicholas What a great guy-great sense of humor. Bonnie Dahl Flew a lot of trips with Ace! Loved that Man! Jake Lamkins He got his license to fly before he got a driver's license for a car. (10/26/21) Christina Bonatti I loved Ace. One of my favorites. Sandi Bowser Faulstich Ace was the Captain on our honeymoon flight from Colorado Springs to PHX December 1967. The flight was full so he let Gary sit in the cockpit and Sandi in a stew seat. (10/27/21)