Evening star., 1950-12-25
Oldest Licensed Pilot
Started TO Fly al 50,
Sill Goes AIoft at SO |
BY the Assoeioted Press

MIA sun comes out strong James
w. Montee likes to drive out to
the airport, climb into a plane
and kick up his heels in the air.
The main difference between Mr..
Montee and the hundreds of other
pilots hereabouts who fly for fun:
He is 88 years old.
Dad" Montee, according to the
Civil Aeronautics Administration,
is the Nations oldest licensed
aviator. He first soloed on his 60th
birthday. October %. 1922, and
has since logged almost $500
hours.
He makes news once a year
when reporters and photographers
head for Vail Field to cover his
birthday flights. He has missed
only one. The 86th. when he was
hospitalized with a stomach all
ment.
Dad is a legend in Southern
California flying circles. He
founded the first permanent air.
port here, built some of the West
Coasts first aircraft and pioneered
many phases of commercial avia-
ton.
Could Pass for 65.
An erect, broad-shouldered man
of medium height, he could pass
for a youngster of 65. I'm Timber
as a kitten" he says. His silver
hair is thinning. but when put
on my hat they tell me I lose 20
years-and that's how old feel"
Sitting in the living room of
his stucco cottage, he pointed to
an 1871 picture of himself and his
father. posing with a bag of five
wild turkeys. He was 9 then" I
watched those birds soaring so
beautifully and decided I was
going to fly someday,' he said.
''They called me a wild. crazy
kid"
He didn't get his chance until
he was in the autumn of life, but
he never doubted that someday
he would fly.
When his eldest son. Kenneth.
q pilot in World War I returned
home the father quit his contract
ing business for a fling at plane
building with his son.
Kenneth bought a Jenny BIZ
plane. They moved the barley in
a field at nearby Santa Monica
and made a landing strip. The
site is now occupied by the vast
Douglas aircraft plant. Donald
Douglas was one of the many
aviation pioneers attracted to the
field Mr.. Montee started.
Made All But Engine.
Between flying lessons Mr..
Montee built a shed and in the
shed began a plane. The two were
Joined by Dads other sons, Ralph
and Harold. The family made
everything but the engine with no
outside advice.
They said it would never fly"
Montee recalled. 1--WE started out
to make biplane. I kept arguing
for monoplane-I never saw a
bird with two sets of wings I said.
We finally threw one wing. Ken
meth took that ship off and it
handled beautifully. 1t had top
speed of $50 miles an hour and
won lot of races"
After Dad and the younger boys
became pilots they formed an
aviation company and were called
"the Flying Family" They built
the first three-passenger ship
made here and the first with
streamlining. They made pas
senger and charter flights. gave
lessons, did aerial mapping and
photography and movie stunt
work.
'I made the first commercial
movie reel ever photographed en-
tirely from an airplane," Mr..
Montee said. FASTENED a camera
to the fuselage and did spirals.
loops, dives and spins over the
ocean and city. I got my biggest
kick out of seeing myself fly"
Refused to Move.
Dad was an active commercial
pilot until World War II, when all
private aviation activities were
required to move $50 miles inland.
He retired rather than move.
Dad spends most of his time at
home nowadays with his wife.
who is an invalid. His son Ken
meth died Of scarlet fever con-
tracted in a city he visited on a
commercial flight. His son, Ralph,
an airline pilot, was killed in a
crash during Texas storm.
Harold, the third son, is an execu-
tive of Seaboard & Western, an air
freight firm.
Although he was told over and
over he was too old to fly. Dad
showed 'em.
I've flown everything from a
Jenny to four -engine DC-4 and
never scratched the paint on a
plane" he says.