?»?A Life-Long Student Of Aviation

In 1944 at the age of 15, Allan Decker began his student-pilot training in Norfolk, Nebraska with local legend Andy Risser as his flight instructor. At the tag-end of the ?€?Golden Age of Flight,?€? Allan honed his skills on the immortal aircraft of the time: Stinsons, Stearmans, and Piper Cubs. As a member of the Norfolk Civilian Air Patrol (CAP), Allan was training at the B-29 base at Kearney Army Air Base, Nebraska, when the Japanese surrendered in August 1945. Shortly thereafter, Allan ?€?ran out of money?€? to complete his license.

While in college, Allan was a member of the Army ROTC program and the National Guard. When the Korean Conflict broke out, he volunteered, and was accepted, into the Army?€™s light aircraft training school. Before he could begin his training, due to the fact he was a law student, his orders were rescinded by the Pentagon and he was instead assigned to an Army C.I.D. (criminal investigation) company. This was after a brief trip to New Mexico on a general?€™s C-47, where he was part of the atom bomb tests. While in Korea as a C.I.D. officer, Allan did have the chance to go flying a number of times; but, not as a pilot.

After returning from Korea, Allan?€™s duties to his country as a FBI investigator, his family, and his later career in the trust business precluded his return to flying for some time. However, those responsibilities, in no way impeded his interest in aviation. He was quick to attend air-shows, take his children for airplane and helicopter rides, and read anything he could find related to aviation.

In 1983, behind the controls of a WWII-surplus glider, Allan resumed his student pilot training in Arcadia, FL. This was followed by instruction on powered aircraft including Cessna 152?€™s and Piper Warriors in Fort Myers, FL. His flight training was once again delayed; due to eye-surgery, connected to eye-damage from the atomic bomb tests decades earlier. Finally, in 1988, 44 years after starting his student-pilot career, Allan received his pilot?€™s license.

Since he received his license, Allan has helped save two airports, assisted in the construction of an experimental aircraft, served on an airport commission, and volunteered with the ?€?Young Eagles?€? program of the EAA. Still active in aviation, he is a member of the Johnson County, TN Airport Advisory Committee.