Foil: 14 Panel: Retired United Pilots Association Column: 2 Line: 68

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Leo Kriloff, a United Airlines pilot from the days when the plane he flew carried 10 passengers, died Thursday 1 August 1984, in Burlingame at age 75.

A native of Chicago, he was graduated from the School of Engineering at Northwestern University In Chicago In 1931, learned to fly In the Army Air Force, and in 1936 was hired as a pilot by United Airlines.

The year-before, he had married the former Consuelo Winston, whom he met while she was a student at San Diego State College and the University of California at Los Angeles.

Walt Adams, a retired pilot who was a Chicago executive for United Airlines In those early years, said Mr. Kriloff flew the old two-engine Bo

In World War II, he flew DC-3s In the Air Transport Command to Alaska and throughout the Pacific. He flew again in the Korean War in the 1950s, piloting four-engine C-54s, according to Ralph Glasson, now United's Vice President for Maintenance.

"I flew as navigator on one of his flights," Glasson said. "Even In those days we made stops at Honolulu and Wake Island and the trip took seven to 10 days."

Today, he said, the round trip is done in three hours, with 400 passengers.

When United began flying the DC-6, Capt. Kriloff was in charge of training United pilots for the new aircraft.

He retired in 1965, and had been involved in community affairs and in charitable activities.

He and his wife lived for 42 years In Burlingame, where he was president of the trustees of the Burlingame Library, and served as president of the Retired United Pilots Association.

He was head of the planning commission in Sutter Creek, where he and his wife built a summer home.

He leaves his wife, his daughters, Lee Johnson of Sacramento and Sandra Dunn of San Mateo, and five grandchildren.