BILL MCCHRYSTAL
PILOT, CHECK PILOT, REGIONAL DIRECTOR-FLIGHT OPERATIONS
SLC DEN


Hi Jake,
I forwarded you a note from one of Bill McChrystal's daughters with his date of death.
-Billy Walker
(4/22/99)

Billy:
Is my dad included on the list mentioned above? If not, could you send the pertinent info to Jake? 
You know the flying stuff better than I do.
If you need a date, Dad died 7/08/92, age 76.
Thanks!
-Kim McChrystal Horak
(4/22/99)

Jake:
I just viewed my dad's obituary page. Thanks for putting it together. I
have a correction, though. My dad was born in 1915 (July 15). He died
one week before his 77th birthday. 
-Kim McChrystal Horak
(12/17/99)

In 1971, "Business And Commercial Aviation" magazine decided to determine the pilot with the most flight time in a DC-3.
A contest was started by Torch Lewis, who wrote an aviation column for the magazine.
Frontier Captain Bill McChrystal submitted documented DC-3 time totaling 17,111 hours.  Captain McChrystal was the winner
and was presented the Douglas Trophy by FAA administrator John Shaffer and Torch Lewis.  The inscription on the trophy
states: "In recognition of an intrepid aviator who, having achieved masterful control of the Gooney Bird, world's most
beloved aircraft, is hereby acclaimed as the pilot with the highest total number of hours at its controls above the
surface of the planet earth."
-From an article by Frontier Captain Chick Stevens in the June 1986 issue of Frontier Magazine.
(3/2/00)

I remember when I gave you the magazine with the thought that the highest time DC-3 award 
could be Bill McChrystal's.  However, he was reticent about seeking 
that honor.  Dottie couldn't get him to move on this.  Jack, it was you 
who convincenced him to submit his log books for this wonderful award.  
...and those log books!  They are a work of art themselves.  I hope they 
end up in the Museum of the Rockies Frontier Display along with the trophy some day.
I used to be in regular touch with Torch Lewis, the perpertrator of 
that award.  He is a QB from Elmira, NY.  I think he lives in New 
Rochelle, NY now.  I don't know what happened to John Schaeffer, the FAA 
Administrator who presented the award at that special event so long ago.
-Billy Walker
(10/31/02)

                                   TEN ROUND TRIPS TO THE MOON IN A DC-3

   MR TORCH LEWIS WRITES A COLUMN TITLED ‘GREEN HOUSE PATTER’ FOR BUSINESS AND
COMMERCIAL MAGAZINE.  IN HIS MARCH 1971 COMMENTARY, HE ASKED THE QUESTION,
'WHO COULD HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF FLIGHT HOURS IN THE DC-3?’

   IN JUNE 1971, CAPTAIN BILL MC CHRYSTAL, A SENIOR FRONTIER AIR LINE CAPTAIN
WAS HONORED DURING A CEREMONY AT READING, PA. HE WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE
PILOT WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF FLIGHT HOURS WITH THE VENERABLE DC-3,
[THE GRAND OLD LADY]

   BILLY WALKER, A FRIEND AND FLYING PARTNER OF CAPTAIN MC CHRYSTAL READ THE
ARTICLE. HE KNEW BILL HAD ACCRUED MANY HOURS IN THE DC-3. BILL HAD BEEN A
PILOT FOR UNITED AIR LINES BEFORE WORLD WAR II INVOLVED AMERICA IN THE WAR.
LATER HE WAS A DC -3 PILOT AS THE ARMY AIR FORCE COMMANDEERED CIVIL
AIRCRAFT FOR THE AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND OPERATIONS. ADDITIONALLY BILL
WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE ALASKEN DIVISION FLYING WETERN AIR LINES DC-3’S.

   AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF WORLD WAR II, BILL WAS HIRED AS A CAPTAIN BY THE
FLEDGLING AIR CARRIER CHALLENGER. THIS CARRIER LATER MERGED INTO
FRONTIER AIRLINES WHERE HE FLEW DC-3’S UNTIL THEY WERE PHASED OUT BY THE AIRLINE.

   BILLY WALKER FELT THIS PERIOD OF FLYING THE ‘GOONEY BIRD’ MADE BILL A VIABLE
CANDIDATE FOR THE TITLE. A CAMPAIGN WAS STARTED TO PERSUADE BILL TO
SUBMIT AN ENTRY. BILL WAS HESITANT TO DO THIS, SO DOTTIE, BILL’S WIFE WAS
BROUGHT IN TO PERSUADE HIM TO TOTAL UP HIS DC-3 TIME AND SUBMIT IT TO TORCH LEWIS.

   BILL’S ENTRY WON FIRST PLACE. IN JUNE 1971, BILL AND DOTT1E MC CHRYSTAL WERE
INVITED TO BE GUESTS AT AN AVIATION CONVENTION IN READING PA.  DOUGLAS
AIRCRAFT COMPANY HAD CREATED A ONE OF A KIND TROPHY TO BE PRESENTED TO
BILL IN RECOGNITION OF HIS ACHIEVEMENT.

   HIS HOURS iN THE DC-3, [17,111] AMOUNT TO 2 YEARS; 9MONTHS; 29 DAYS AND 17 HOURS
THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO 10 ROUND TRIPS TO THE MOON. IT ALSO REPRESENTS 20,450 LANDINGS. 
THIS RECORD IS RECOGNIZED BY THE GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS.

   BILL MC CHRYSTAL WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE REGARDING HIS
AVIATION ACHIEVEMENT. HIS CLOSING STATEMENT WAS, “THE DC-3 WAS PART OF MY LIFE
FOR OVER 20 YEARS. YOU CAN'T LIVE WITH A GAL THAT LONG WITHOUT HAVING FOND MEMORIES. 
WINNING THE MOST TIME DC-3 TROPHY ONLY ADDED ONE MORE.’

-Sent by Captain Jack Schade, retired Frontier Airlines pilot
(4/21/03)

WILLIAM A MCCHRYSTAL  
Born 15 Jul 1915 
Died 08 Jul 1992 
Age 76
At 84103 (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT) 
SSN issued in Utah
-SSDI
(10/19/04) 

I have some pictures of Bill McChrystal coming from his daughter Kim.  
We will send you one when I get them.
-Paul Farris
(3/22/06)

W.A. McChrystal date of hire 3/8/47 per the 9/1/55 FL ALPA seniority list.
He is listed as a check pilot in SLC on the 7/15/48 Challengers Airlines Employee Directory
-Jake Lamkins
(4/14/06)