Capt. Roland William French was born November 18, 1919 and passed away on October 13, 2007. He devoted most of the 87 years of his life to aviation. He began flying during World War II as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He then became a pilot for Eastern Air Lines where he remained for 33 years. His time with Eastern Air Lines has already been immortalized by the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum as he flew the Eastern Air Lines Douglas DC-3 hanging there.
Roland French's greatest achievement is in the way he touched the hearts and minds of those who flew with him as well as those who simply knew him. As his granddaughter, I have had the pleasure of speaking with people from both areas and he is always thought of fondly. He instilled a love flying within me, simply by being so passionate about it himself. While he may not have been the only man to fly a certain plane or follow a particular flight path, his genuine love of flying is something to be cherished and remembered by all those who feel that man's ability to fly is one of the greatest accomplishments ever. To quote the article written by The Orlando Sentinel when he passed away this past October, "He was a prince of a man."