GORDON BOURLAND 1949 - 1979 PILOT FTW ACF GSW DAL DFW Old #1, Gordon Bourland died a year or two ago from Alzheimers. -Jack Frost (11/29/98) I remember once Gordon coming thru on the late STL-DFW flight, 177 I think - there was a hole big as a basketball in the fuselage to the right of the passenger door. He said he hit something at TBN, not to worry about it, some 500 mph tape would fix it up which he promptly used, and away he went. We figured it was a hot date in Big D to be that determined to go. Another time Gordon couldn't get one of the engines started - the late flight again - but he taxiied out anyway and commenced trying to "wind start" the damned thing. It took three times before it caught. That last time when he taxiied back you could see the brakes glowing bright red. Luckily it didn't ignite anything. -Jake Lamkins (11/30/98) Gordon was called "Old #1" because he was #1 on the pilot seniority list at CN and one of the first employees hired. He dropped to # 48 upon the merger with FL. -Jake Lamkins (4/16/99) According to the Social Security Death Index, Gordon Bourland was born 23Jun1919 and died 3Feb1994, age 75. Gordon Bourland died 2-3-94 per the Apr 2000 FARPA newsletter. -Jake Lamkins (6/16/00) I just ran across a "First Flight Cover" letter on the internet that was on the first Holdenville, OK to OKC flight by CN on Sep. 15, 1949. It said Gordon Bourland was the pilot. I remember him well from flights thru FYV and that he was #1 on the CN pilot list. -Jake Lamkins (1/22/04) Gordon Bourland has been gone many many years, and I remember his last flight, and he was very depressed after it was over. After he got off the airplane, he told me that he would give everything he had if he could just continue to fly. He never married, and no living relatives, and he gradually developed Alzheimers in a nursing home, and fell and broke a hip. He refused to try to walk after surgery, and then several months later he just decided to get up and walk. He lived several months later, and finally died, a very lonely man. -Bill Blackmon (1/22/04) I know that any day I am involved in any way with flying is a good day. The neatest sign I ever saw that expressed this thought was painted on the back wall of the late Gordon Bourland�s hangar in Justin, Texas. Gordon flew for Frontier Airlines and owned a Waco Taperwing, a Waco Custom Cabin, a Pacer and a 90 hp Champ. The sign said: These are the Good Old Days. Isn't that true? -Don Staats (8/5/06) Gordon Bourland seniority date was 8/2/49 per the 9/1/72 FL/ALPA seniority list which made him #43 in seniority at FL five years after CN was merged into FL. He was the #1 seniority pilot at CN for 18 years. -Jake Lamkins (8/5/06) Gordon Bourland was also a professional-quality water skier. He freqently attended competitive meets in Florida and elsewhere. Living on Lake Worth, he had a great set-up where he also did some ski instruction (He taught me). Gordon was always a very friendly, easy-going person and accomodating as a pilot, but very professional. -Ken Stewart (8/5/06) I was going through the FAL obituaries and I ran across another very familiar name: Gordon Bourland. Many, many years ago my uncle Mitch, uncle Tim, and my dad all pooled their money together and bought an Aronica Chief from a gentleman who lived out in Justin, Texas, who's name unfortunately escapes my recollection. Among only a couple of neighbors who lived near this gentleman, Gordon Bourland's hanger was right next door. It was then that I first met him, and at the time I was only about 14 or 15 years old. He was as kind a man as I had ever met, and I just knew he must have had quite a history in aviation. Some time later I had the fortune of bumping into him again while shopping at the grocery store I worked. Being more mature this time I felt more comfortable talking with him about his flying days, and upon seeing my interest in it he very graciously offered to teach me how to fly. Unfortunately I only got to take lessons for a short time due to both time and money deficiencies, which to this day are ever present. Old Gordon had a hanger out at "Justin Time" airport (pre-Aliance days). I'm sure anyone who knew him knew of that beautiful red Waco, in which I myself had the privilege of flying in. In my eyes Gordon was a true pilot; a legend to be sure. He had once mentioned he flew for Central Airlines back in the grand old days, but being ever the humble and understated man he was, he failed to mention that he was THE pilot - seniority number ONE! I had no idea about that until I found him on the FAL Obituary page just the other day. He suffered a stroke a short time after I flew under him, and died some time later. Of all the people I've had the sincere honor of knowing Gordon was among the very top of the list. -David Grogg (7/13/10) I could find nothing about Gordon's retirement in the FL newsletters. However he was holding a slot in DFW on the 3/79 domicle list. At that time he was #21 on the FL pilot list and #4 on the DFW domicile list. I assume he retired when he turn 60 in Jun 1979. -Jake Lamkins (7/13/10) Subject: Updated memorial webpage GORDON BOURLAND 1949 - 1979 PILOT FTW ACF GSW DAL DFW http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Gordon_Bourland.html Added several items and got rid of the ads. Post your remembrances. -Jake Lamkins (7/13/10) I was a friend of Gordon Bourland for 3 years beginning when I got my private ticket at the old (now closed) Saginaw Airport near Meacham Field in Ft. Worth. I want to thank you for your historical mention of Gordon and your humorous and kind words concerning this "one prince of a man." Your stories concerning Gordon and your cited incidents brought me great joy......... that others who knew Gordon recognized what a kind and generous person he really was. I met Gordon in 1968 and he and I immediately hit it off. He soloed me in his Fairchild PT-23, and had me put some time on his 90-HP Aeronca Champ just after he got it about 1969. And of course I got many front cockpit rides in his Waco Taperwing also. I will never forget Gordon's kindness to a "wet behind the ears" aeronautical engineer that wanted to learn all he could about airplanes. That was me. Thanks again for all your information and kind memories of Gordon. Sincerely, -Kent Smith (6/25/16)