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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Mr. Mark Bucko

George T. Coen --Contributions to Aviation
Actively participated in aviation activities for over fifty years as pilot, check pilot, supervisor, administrator and consultant. Accumulated over 20,000 accident-free flying hours and qualified in numerous types of aircraft ranging from an open cockpit trainer to four engine jet transports including the B17 and the Boeing 707.
During 23 years in the military, I flew 38 combat missions over Europe in 1944, occupation troops into Japan in 1945 and more than 100 round trips from Frankfort to Berlin on the Airlift in 1948-49. I participated in transport operations during the Cuban missile crises in 1962, the Korean conflict in the fifties and the Viet Nam War in the sixties.
While stationed in Canada, I flew numerous hours supplying arctic radar and weather stations. I landed the first four engine aircraft on the ice at "alert", the northern most land station on the North American continent. Flying with Military Airlift Command (MAC), I flew routes across the north and south Atlantic to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and across the North Aleutians and Central Pacific to Japan and all of Southeast Asia.
Four years (1958-1962) was spent as professor of Air Science at Stevens Tech, USAF, ROTC unit. The primary object there was to motivate and indoctrinate fully qualified individuals into a career in aviation.
Military awards included: The Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, The Medal for Humane Action, The Air Force Commendation Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation.
I retired from the Air Force in 1965 and was employed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) office, as a pilot operations safety inspector. My individual responsibility was to monitor air carrier operations, training and certification programs to assure adherence to regulatory requirements and to certify cockpit crew members.
Several years later, I was assigned to FAA Regional Headquarters in Chicago as Assistant to the Regional Air Carrier Branch Chief. Our task was to monitor and assist the various district offices in accomplishing their responsibilities. After three years, I was transferred to FAA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as the Air Carrier Operations Branch Chief, on the staff of the Flight Standards Director. While there my group oversaw the development and certification of the first truly realistic air carrier flight simulators (CAT II and CAT III).
I retired from the FAA in 1987 as Chief of the District Office at Dulles Airport responsible for the aviation activities in a three state area. I administered FAA Certification flight checks to Air Force pilots assigned to Air Force One, a B707 at the time. Prior to retirement, I was awarded a certificate of recognition from the state of Virginia and a certificate of appreciation from the National Aeronautical Association.
I worked as an aviation safety consultant from 1987-1995, inspecting and advising air carriers on compliance with FAA operations, training and safety regulations.
I retired to the gold course in 1996.