GEORGE ARWOOD 1967 - 1983 OPERATIONS INSTRUCTOR, SYSTEMS GROUND INSTRUCTOR DEN Sad news from Frank Meyer regarding George Arwood. George was a much loved and respected ground school instructor after having been a professional flight engineer with Eastern. He was 83 and had, as many of us recall, several malingering health problems over the years. -Billy Walker (9/25/99) It was good talking to you but I wish it was under more pleasant circumstances. George passed away last Sunday at 1440 and was interred at Fort Logan National Cemetery this past Wednesday. He had been in much pain. When he was admitted to the hospital they gave him a dose of morphine and twenty minutes later he passed away. I called Don Gnose in Louisville (he and Lynn were very close friends of George and Alice) . Don will pass the information to all the Frontier pilots who went to UPS. George is survived by Alice and his daughter Lauren, Son-in-law Don Gray and two Granddaughters. I appreciate your getting this unpleasant news out. Thank you and hope we get to see you in PHX. -Frank Meyer (9/25/99) Yup he was one of the greatest ground school instructors EVER. He had been with EAL as a flight engineer before coming with Frontier when we got the 727's. He was 83 when he passed away. -Billy Walker (9/25/99) George was always a Systems Ground Instructor with Frontier as far as I recall. I am copying his close associate, Frank Meyer, who can enlighten you more. George had been a flight engineer with Eastern before Frontier. I think George came to Frontier in 1965 or '66. I believe he was there to the bitter end. Again, hopefully Frank can be of help for your Frontier Alumni Obituary Page. -Billy Walker (9/26/99) George Arwood was hired September 12, 1967 by Chief FE Rusty Ruster & Director of Crew Training, Ken Daily as a B-727 Ground School Instructor and Flight Engineer Instructor. He was not a pilot. He began his career in aviation during WWII as an A&P Mechanic and crew member as a flight mechanic on PBYs, The PBY unit he was assigned to had the duty of submarine patrol covering convoys across the North Atlantic. When that tour of duty was completed he was based at Bunker Hill NAS, Indiana. By then he was a CPO and his duty consisted of supervising WAVE A&Ps. This is where George met and married his wife Alice, one of the A&Ps. Alice, as many of us know her is a wonderful lady and fun to be around. After the end of the war George graduated from LaGuadia School of Aviation Trades at LaGuadia Field, New York and was hired by Eastern Airlines domiciled at Miami, Florida as an A&P. He soon thereafter became a Flight Engineer on Constellations. George was one of the many FEs at Eastern that walked out during a squabble with Eastern in 1961. At that time George was Secretary/Treasurer of the Eastern FE Union. This is where he and Rusty Ruster became good friends. George never went back to Eastern. Between 1961 and September 1967 George was employed by Boeing in New Orleans. George Franklyn Arwood was born November 9, 1916 in Alabama and passed away Sunday September 19, 1999. He was interred at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, CO To those of us that knew him, we knew him as a fun person, but one of the most intelligent likable persons to be around. He was not a college graduate but he was in my mind a PHD in aviation and personality. He readily passed on his wealth of knowledge to the Frontier pilots and this I feel was part of the excellent safety record enjoyed by Frontier. -Frank Meyer (9/27/99) Frontier was so fortunate to have had instructors of the George Arwood caliber. Frank himself was so respected as an instructor that he was made an honorary Frontier Pilot. Frank was a USAF fighter pilot before arriving at Frontier. Unfortunately, the upper management held back pilots like Frank, Ed Sherman and Rex Meyers and would not let them on the pilots list. As Frank mentions, George was never a pilot. However, he was the Dean of Aeronautical Science for Frontier. There is a photo of Frank as a young fighter pilot in Germany in the 50's. I have it in my office as a reminder of where much of the stuff comes from that I now pass along to the younger pilots. And so it goes... -Billy Walker (9/27/99) In response to your request to Billy Walker regarding George Arwood: George was hired September 12, 1967 by Ken Dailey as a B-27 ground school instructor and also as a Flight engineer instructor. George was a Professional FE with Eastern Airlines and was Treasurer of the Eastern Flight Engineers Union. He was one of the many Eastern FEs that walked out over a big squabble with Eastern's management, That was in 1961. He was domiciled in Miami. After that he went to work for Boeing in New Orleans in the missile division. When Frontier went into the B-727 program George was hired by, as mentioned above, Ken Dailey and Rusty Ruster (Chief Flight Engineer) who also was a PFE with Eastern as well as a FE union officer. George retired from Frontier sometime in 1983 but stayed on as a consultant. I was hired by Frontier September 5, 1967 and the B-727 ground school scheduled to start that day was delayed until George was able to be there. George and I worked together in the Training Dept and became very close friends. During WW11 George was a CPO in the U.S. Navy as an Aircraft & Engine Mechanic and Crew Chief on PBYs flying submarine patrol over the North Atlantic. When his submarine tour was over he was at Bunker Hill, Indiana NAS as a Supervisor of aircraft & engine mechanics most of them being WAVES. This is where he met his wife to be, Alice. Alice was one of the WAVE mechanics. After the war George went to the LaGuardia School of Aviation Trades in New York and earned his CAA A&P certificate. Upon graduation he went to Eastern as a line mechanic and a Flight Engineer on Constellations until the walkout. George was born November 9, 1916 and passed away September 19, 1999. -Frank Meyer (12/5/99) The enclosed check is for subscribing George Arwood's widow Alice to the FL NEWS. She is a terrific lady & I know she will appreciate getting the newsletter. Alice and George met while both were in the U.S. Navy during WW II. She was an A&P mechanic as well as George, who as a CPO was in charge of many WAVE mechanics. -Frank Meyer (2/15/03) George's wife Alice is in the 1979 Frontier Family Cookbook. -Jake Lamkins (12/4/04) Reminds me of first meeting Boyd Stevens. Like many others at FRONTIER I was called George thinking I was George Arwood & George was called Frank. One morning I was on my way to class & walking toward me was Boyd. He said ,"good morning George " & I replied, "good morning Chick". Boyd," I'm not Chick" of which I replied, "I know & I'm not George." We both had a good laugh & Boyd told this story quite often. I had the pleasure of working with both of these gentlemen & flying with them. Boyd was my flight instructor for my Type Ratings in the CV-580 & B-737. Been quite a while since I "talked" with you Jake. Thanks to you as well as Ace you do a teriffic job in your hard work of Keeping the FRONTIER SPIRIT ALIVE. -Frank Meyer (2/8/05) We received the Frontier News to day and I compliment your EXCELLENT efforts in keeping us all informed. I would like to make a correction to ANNIVERSARIES SECTION. Reference page 19, listed under 15 Years: G.F. Arnold, senior flight operations instructor. G.F. was hired September 12, 1967 one week after I was hired. However the name is George Franklyn Arwood. George was a Flight Engineer at Eastern Airlines and Secretary of the Flight Engineers Union. Rusty Ruster who also a Flight Engineer at Eastern was the head of the FE Union. Rusty was hired by Lew Dymond (as I was informed by George Arwood) to start up the B-727 Ground Training Program. Both George and Rusty walked out of Eastern in 1961 as well as many other FE's. To name a few, Paul Gaily, Joe Pattison, Sam Vascellaro, Jack Fellows, and Ralph Turner were hired by Rusty Ruster. Between Leaving Eastern and coming to Frontier Rusty was an FAA Inspector domiciled in Oklahoma City. George Arwood was employed by Boeing in New Orleans. During WW-2 George Arwood was a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy. He enlisted in the Navy in 1939. He was an A& E mechanic and became a crew member on PBYs. His duty as a crew member was Flight Engineer flying the North Atlantic on Submarine spotting. Later he was reassigned to Bunkerhill Naval Air Station and had the duty of Supervising WAVES. This is where he met his Wife, ALICE. George was a ladies man and loved his job. He was quite popular with the ladies. He told jokes that were not so clean and from what Alice told me the WAVES like them. When the war was over he attended A & E mechanics school at LaGuardia School of Aeronautics in New York. Upon graduation he was hired by Eastern.George had only a high school diploma. He was the most intelligent person I ever worked with. As Captain Billy Walker once said; George Arwood should have the title of Professor of Aeronautics. I owe my success to George Franklyn Arwood at FRONTIER. He taught me so many things about aircraft that I thought I knew. I was and still am Honored by Frontier ALPA awarding me as an HONORARY FRONTIER CAPTAIN. George passed away September 19, 2002. I have never worked with a person that I admired and respected as much George. I miss him. -Frank Meyer (10/22/08) Hi Frank, Thanks for the info. I'll update George's memorial website with it. Page 19 is a reprint of a page from the original so the typo comes from there. Do you or Billy have a photo of George you could scan and send me for his memorial webpage? -Jake Lamkins (10/23/08) I will try to find a photo of George Arwood. If I can't I will call Alice Arwood and ask her for one. -Frank Meyer (10/23/08) George Arwood is listed at DENDG, Flight Training, as an operations instructor in the 1/1/70 FL Phone Directory. George Arwood was listed in the Nov 1977 thru Jan 1983 FL Quick Reference Directories as being at DENDT, Flight Training, with no title given. George would have been 66 in 1983 when he retired. -Jake Lamkins (10/27/08) FLacebook - FL Club FLight West: George Arwood DEN ground instructor George Arwood's memorial webpage has been updated: http://FAL-1.tripod.com/George_Arwood.html Several items added but we still need a photo of George. -Jake Lamkins (7/28/16)