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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Michael R. Woods

As a small boy in the early 1930s, Ed Woods watched old World War I biplanes fly over southwest Missouri, dreaming that he would one day take to the skies. He did that and more during a career in aviation in which he logged over 17,000 hours in more than 56 aircraft.

Ed took his first dual instruction flight in July 1945 in Pierce City, Missouri. As a member of the United States Army Air Corps he was certified as a Primary Airplane and Engine Mechanic on September 26, 1947 with a specialty in P-57 mechanics. His Private Pilot's License No. 1251113 was issued in 1954 in The Dalles, Washington. Over time Ed added the following ratings and certificates: Commercial Pilot; Airline Transport Pilot; Airplane Multi-Engine Land Douglas DC-6/7, Convair 240/340/440; Commercial Privilege Airplane; Single-Engine Land; Glider; and Flight Engineer's Certificate No. 1990944, reciprocating. An early member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Ed's EAA Designee Number is 286; his Membership Number is 10384.

Ed joined the United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Border Patrol in September 1957. He was the responsible pilot for the state of Georgia from 1959 to 1962 which included service during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He later flew over 5,000 hours in a Piper Super Cub tracking illegal aliens. His suggested modifications for the Super Cub's wheels and brakes were adopted by Piper. He also changed the Super Cub to a complete instrument-type aircraft and modified the flap handle position for safety. Ed assisted the department in acquiring Robertson short take-off and landing (STOL) on all of its Cessna 182s. In one 3-year period 35,700 arrests were attributed to Ed's use of an airplane. He logged over 15,000 hours with the department, approximately 11,000 of which were low-altitude, ground-level flight.

In 1966 Ed was one of the select few chosen to participate in the Air Transport Division of the Border Patrol flying DC-3s, -4s and -6s, and Convair 340s and 440s to ferry federal prisoners and illegal aliens to their assigned destinations. Of 1,200 Border Patrol officers there were only 40 pilots. Of those only 14 were selected to participate in the Air Transport Division at any one time. As a pilot with that division Ed was commended for contributing to 15 years (71,000 hours) of flight operations on the Border Patrol Airlift with a perfect passenger safety record of more than 290 million passenger miles.

In 1976, because of his expertise and dedication to the use of an aircraft in law enforcement, he was detailed to lecture at the FBI Academy.

Ed retired from the Border Patrol in 1978 but was not even close to being finished with flying. He flew cropdusters for five years and continued to build and fly homebuilt and restored aircraft, including his own "ultralight" plane.

As a prolific aircraft builder and mechanic, Ed rebuilt or built from scratch a Taylorcraft BC12D; Fairchild 1941 Model 24W; Luscombe 1940 Model 8A; Whitman Tailwind; Starduster II; Super Cub; RV-4; and the ultralight. Many other aircraft builders have benefited from Ed's patient advice on how to solve their particular problems.

In 2003, Ed looked back at his career as a professional pilot and summed it up: "Hours upon hours of sheer boredom, interspersed with moments of stark terror. Ahhh - such a life! Still I miss those big, round engine roars - the power and thrill of 10,000 horses answering my request. If someone offered me a chance to fly a DC-3 again, I would jump high and try to land aboard."

Here's to your landing aboard, Ed, when that call comes, and thanks for everything, from your family - Betty, Judy, Robert, Galen, Keir, Scooter, Mike, Diane, and Kenna - and from all your friends.