Local pilot wins Wright Brothers Award

Peter tracy recognized with distinguished honor

The FAA awarded Peter Tracy the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the Bishop Airport.

This award is the highest award given by the

FAA to pilots. The award was given: “In recognition of your 50 years of exemplary aviation flight experience, distinguished professionalism, and steadfast commitment to aviation safety.”

Tracy started private pilot training at the Bishop Airport (KBIH) on May 4, 1972, soloed on May 21, 1972, and received his private pilot certificate on July 3, 1972: 60 days from start to finish.

His instructor was Ray Waski, a retired Air Force colonel and “fighter pilot extraordinaire,” who was a fighter pilot in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

Later, Tracy earned more FAA certificates and ratings:

• Instrument Rating: Oct. 19, 1974

• Commercial Pilot: June 18, 1975

• Ground Instructor, Advanced and Instrument: Oct. 15, 1975;

• Flight Instructor, Single Engine Land: Feb. 27, 1976;

• Flight Instructor, Instrument Airplane: May 24, 1976;

• Multi-engine Rating: Oct. 3, 1976;

• Gold Seal Flight Instructor: Nov. 28, 1977;

• Airline Transport Pilot: April 28, 1979;

• Airplane Single

Engine Sea: Dec. 8, 1985;

• Multi-engine Flight Instructor: June 2, 1986;

• Glider rating: Aug. 25, 2002

• Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Sept. 1, 2016.

Tracy instructed at the Bishop Airport, putting more than 35 students through to private pilot certificates. None of them have ever had an accident, incident or had any person injured in an airplane.

Over the years, Tracy has owned half interests in four airplanes. For the last 24 years, he has been sole owner of Beechcraft Bonanza A36: N54DG. He has flown over 2,800 hours in this airplane. His total time has just crossed 8,000 hours.