| Bert Garrison Aerial Photography |
Hi, my Name is Bert Garrison Jr. I am the son of Bert and Kaye Garrison Sr. I was born in April 11,1961
in Fairbanks Alaska. My father was a contractor on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) radar site in
Nenana. Because of the unpredictable spring thaw and break up of the Nenana River, my mother had to
live in Fairbanks to have access to the hospital.
I took my first airplane ride at 2 months of age from Nenana to Nome and back in a Piper Pacer… It is
this ride that I attribute to my love of aviation.
In the early 60’s we lived in San Diego California. My passion for planes was fueled even further by
watching the Goodyear Blimp fly over my house on the way to it’s mooring down the street. Also several
trips a year to the San Diego Air and Space museum and the Torry Pines Gliderport all had an impact
on me.
Throughout my grade school and junior high school years I built flying models of all kinds. I was too
young to fly full sized aircraft so I started building models. My father flew control line models and had me
holding onto his hand and flying not too long after I started walking.
In high school I built and flew my first radio control airplane. I was 14. A year later at 15 I soloed a full
sized airplane, a Belanca Citabria… I have been flying ever since.
I graduated from The Citadel in 1983 with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. I went to El
Cid because I wanted to be a pilot in the Airforce. Competition was tough for pilot slots and I left the
Citadel as a Air Force Second Lieutenant on my way to Mather Air Force Base to become a Navigator.
I graduated from Nav School in April of 1984 with a assignment to Mountain Home AFB as an EF-111
EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer)
I applied to pilot training in 1986 and was accepted. In 1988 I graduated from Undergraduate Pilot
training at Williams Air Force Base. I was on my way to Castle AFB in Merced California… B-52 initial
training then on my to Fairchild AFB in Washington State.
After B-52’s I went to Randolph AFB in Texas and flew the T-43, a Boeing 737-200. …after all my real
goal was to become an airline pilot.
In 1996 I applied to the SR-71 program out at Edwards AFB in California. I was unable to secure an
airline job so I figured I would go fly Mach 3 while we still had the planes in the inventory. This was the
best Air Force job I had. You can learn more here and here
The Program was canceled in October of 1997 and I hold the title of the last AIR FORCE pilot to fly the
Blackbird. NASA pilots still flew their SR-71 a few more times until support ran out.
After being told the SR-71 would come back I went to Beale AFB and Applied to the U-2 program. I
figured this would secure my spot in the SR-71 when and if it came back… Well the Blackbird is no more.
I flew the U-2 at Beale AFB until I secured a job with Southwest Airlines in May of 2000.
I am going on my twelfth year with the company. I fly the B-737 300, 500 and 700. It is a great company
and a great job. I now have the time off to pursue my passion for flying and photography.
I am currently involved with a wonderful project. "The Tailwheeler's Journal" See it here!
Cheers
Bert Garrison
in Fairbanks Alaska. My father was a contractor on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) radar site in
Nenana. Because of the unpredictable spring thaw and break up of the Nenana River, my mother had to
live in Fairbanks to have access to the hospital.
I took my first airplane ride at 2 months of age from Nenana to Nome and back in a Piper Pacer… It is
this ride that I attribute to my love of aviation.
In the early 60’s we lived in San Diego California. My passion for planes was fueled even further by
watching the Goodyear Blimp fly over my house on the way to it’s mooring down the street. Also several
trips a year to the San Diego Air and Space museum and the Torry Pines Gliderport all had an impact
on me.
Throughout my grade school and junior high school years I built flying models of all kinds. I was too
young to fly full sized aircraft so I started building models. My father flew control line models and had me
holding onto his hand and flying not too long after I started walking.
In high school I built and flew my first radio control airplane. I was 14. A year later at 15 I soloed a full
sized airplane, a Belanca Citabria… I have been flying ever since.
I graduated from The Citadel in 1983 with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. I went to El
Cid because I wanted to be a pilot in the Airforce. Competition was tough for pilot slots and I left the
Citadel as a Air Force Second Lieutenant on my way to Mather Air Force Base to become a Navigator.
I graduated from Nav School in April of 1984 with a assignment to Mountain Home AFB as an EF-111
EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer)
I applied to pilot training in 1986 and was accepted. In 1988 I graduated from Undergraduate Pilot
training at Williams Air Force Base. I was on my way to Castle AFB in Merced California… B-52 initial
training then on my to Fairchild AFB in Washington State.
After B-52’s I went to Randolph AFB in Texas and flew the T-43, a Boeing 737-200. …after all my real
goal was to become an airline pilot.
In 1996 I applied to the SR-71 program out at Edwards AFB in California. I was unable to secure an
airline job so I figured I would go fly Mach 3 while we still had the planes in the inventory. This was the
best Air Force job I had. You can learn more here and here
The Program was canceled in October of 1997 and I hold the title of the last AIR FORCE pilot to fly the
Blackbird. NASA pilots still flew their SR-71 a few more times until support ran out.
After being told the SR-71 would come back I went to Beale AFB and Applied to the U-2 program. I
figured this would secure my spot in the SR-71 when and if it came back… Well the Blackbird is no more.
I flew the U-2 at Beale AFB until I secured a job with Southwest Airlines in May of 2000.
I am going on my twelfth year with the company. I fly the B-737 300, 500 and 700. It is a great company
and a great job. I now have the time off to pursue my passion for flying and photography.
I am currently involved with a wonderful project. "The Tailwheeler's Journal" See it here!
Cheers
Bert Garrison
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| All Images are property of Bert Garrison Aerial Photography Copyright 2011 aerialpixel.com aerialpixel@earthlink.net |
