Shirmer Riley’s first flying lesson was May 11, 1945 in a Piper J3 Cub . During his senior year at Wheatley High School (as the only senior most of the time) he was able to slip away during study hall and get in a half hour, or so, solo. By graduation, he had accumulated a total of 18 hours.
Shirmer and Janis set up housekeeping in 1946 and after two children he went back to college. In 1960, Dr. Henry Shirmer Riley graduated from the University of Louisville Medical School. After internship at the medical center in Columbus, Georgia, he returned to practice in Madison, Indiana. During these years and until 1973 Dr. Riley was able to rent and share ownership in a variety of aircraft. In 1973 he purchased the Comanche 250 and flew it for 37 years.
On July 14, 2009, Dr. Riley (right, below) and his close friend, Jim Pirtle were the featured speakers at the Indianapolis Aero Club meeting. They told of their trip to the Malta Air Rally, via the Ice Cap and the North Atlantic route. In fact, they were the first Americans to do so. They have actually flown the Atlantic three times and were guests at the Paris Air Show.
The big story, of course, was their flight around the world. It’s all spelled out in their new book, ‘Two Pilots – One Engine – In Their Own Words’.
Dr. Henry Shirmer Riley, you have done what most other pilots only dream of doing.
Thank you! We’ll miss you.
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4/21 Update: Jim called and said that the Funeral will be April 24 at 11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church, Downtown, Madison, IN.
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4/21 Update 2: Jim also said the Madison Courier wrote a great article:
Related Articles:
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Update 3:
Found some more. This post has video with Jim Pirtle talking about Dr. Riley.
