Charles F. Blair, Jr.

Charles F. Blair Jr. (July 19, 1909 – September 2, 1978) was an American aviation pioneer who helped work out the routes and navigation techniques necessary for long-distance flights. He served as a reserve officer, early in his career for the United States Navy, reaching the rank of captain, and later for the United States Air Force, reaching the rank of brigadier general. He died in a transportation accident in the Caribbean while captaining a Grumman Goose seaplane for his airline, Antilles Air Boats.

Life and career Blair was born in Buffalo, New York. He learned to fly in San Diego and made his first solo flight at the age of 19. In 1931, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Vermont, and the following year was commissioned an Ensign as a naval aviator and served in the Naval Reserve, attaining the rank of Lieutenant while serving a tour as a fighter pilot. Rechristening the plane "Stormy Petrel" and then "Excalibur III", Blair began setting records. On January 31, 1951, Blair flew nonstop from New York to London to test the jet stream, traveling at an average speed of in seven hours and 48 minutes, setting a record for a piston engine plane. On May 29 of the same year he flew from Bardufoss, Norway, to Fairbanks, Alaska, flying 3260 nonstop miles across the North Pole. Captain Blair was awarded the Harmon Trophy from President Truman. That same year he was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Norwegian Aero Club. The Excalibur III is now on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Blair resigned his naval commission in 1952. Attracted by his pioneering work in long-range flights, the Air Force invited him to act as a consultant. In April 1953 he accepted a commission in the Air Force Reserve with the rank of colonel. For the next 15 years he split his time flying between Pan Am and the Air Force. In 1956 Blair led three F-84Fs in a flight across the Atlantic Ocean, using in-air refueling. This was the genesis of United States Overseas Airlines, the airline that Cox ran through the 1960s.

Associated Air Transport Associated Air Transport's first aircraft, Sikorsky VS-44 "Reykjavik"

In 1947, Blair contracted to fly 300 construction workers from Minneapolis to Keflavik, Iceland. Blair knew of the opportunity because he regularly visited Keflavik as a pilot for AOA. He called the new venture "Associated Air Transport" (AAT) because he saw it as auxiliary to his AOA job. Blair borrowed NC85021 for the first three trips. But NC85021 was busy so Blair leased a Sikorsky VS-44 flying boat which he named "Reykjavik" after the mission. Associated flew the aircraft from Lake Minnetonka near Minneapolis to Iceland via a refueling stop in Newfoundland.

Blair subsequently acquired a war surplus Curtiss C-46 for $5000 (about $75,000 in 2026 dollars) and spent $45,000 to convert it to civilian configuration (including an extra gas tank for longer range). Blair leased out the aircraft for a time before flying it directly as AAT. The New York City-based airline became an irregular air carrier and for two years Blair sent the aircraft wherever there was business, including transporting migrants from Puerto Rico to New York, freshly-killed beef to market in South America, and displaced people from Europe to Israel. He sold the C-46 in early 1950 and passed the airline to other owners, turning his attention to the P-51.

Antilles Air Boats

Blair started Antilles Air Boats in 1963, which provided transport between St Thomas and St Croix in the US Virgin Islands as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico. He slowly built Antilles Air Boats up until it operated 27 aircraft, all propeller-driven flying boats from the war years which were well suited to the short hops over water the airline specialized in. In 1974 Blair purchased two Sandringham flying boats from Ansett Airlines that had serviced the Sydney-to-Lord Howe Island route. In 1967 he also acquired the last Sikorsky VS-44 "Excambian" that Antilles operated until it was damaged in 1969. In 1976 the Blairs donated it to the National Naval Aviation Museum.

Personal life Blair was married 4 times.

After joining the U.S. Navy, then Ensign Blair married Janice Evelyn Davis in Wallingford, Vermont on September 6, 1932. They had two children. They would later divorce.

Blair's second marriage from 1953 to 1965 was to Mae E. Gallmoyer commonly known as Flip Blair who lived in Farmington, Connecticut. She was born in Topton, Pennsylvania, enrolled in active duty as a WAVE in the U.S. Navy during World War II and later served as a stewardess for Arabian American Oil Company, American Airlines, and Pan American World Airways. She was an extensive traveler visiting many countries throughout the world including China shortly after the country opened tourism to U.S. citizens. Later in her career she worked as a travel agent arranging trips for many prominent people and held positions at Lindblad Travel and Tauck Tours. The marriage produced two children.

On March 11, 1968, Charles Blair was married for the fourth time, to the actress Maureen O'Hara, whom he had first met on a flight to Ireland in 1947.

Blair's brother Robert Noel Blair was a painter and art teacher, in Buffalo, NY, noted for his Battle of the Bulge paintings, executed during combat.

Death

On September 2, 1978, Blair was piloting a Grumman G21 "Goose" on Antilles Air Boats Flight 941, a routine passenger flight traveling north from St. Croix to St. Thomas. The sole pilot, Blair was carrying 10 passengers, including a 13-year-old boy who was seated next to Blair in the co-pilot's seat. Near the end of the short flight the port engine suffered catastrophic failure. The piston of the No. 5 cylinder broke, causing the cylinder to break loose from its mounting. The cylinder struck the engine cowling, breaking it off its mountings on the port nacelle. Blair was five miles out from St Thomas, flying at 1,700 feet. He immediately feathered his port propeller and shut down the engine, while adding power to the starboard in an attempt to maintain level flight. The plane should have been able to maintain its altitude on one engine, but in the event the aircraft began losing height. Blair notified the St. Thomas tower that he had lost an engine, and that he would need assistance. When the tower responded Blair said he would land in the protected waters of the West Gregerie Channel, and he requested a boat to pick up his passengers. Overhearing the calls, a second Antilles Air Boats aircraft that happened to be in the vicinity approached from above and gained visual contact. The sea was rough, with a 15- to 20-knot wind from the southeast generating whitecaps and swells of 5 to 6 feet. On July 8, 1989, his widow, Maureen O'Hara, cut the opening ceremony ribbon for the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum. She also presided over the Grand Reopening and Expansion of the Flying Boats Museum in 2006. O'Hara had been asked to be the museum's patron. She accepted, and served in this capacity from its opening until her death in 2015.

O'Hara donated her late husband's flying boat (Sikorsky VS-44A) "The Queen of the Skies" to the National Museum of Naval Aviation and it was subsequently given on permanent loan to the New England Air Museum in Connecticut.

A reproduction of Blair's red P-51 used to be displayed on the roof of the Queen's Building at Heathrow airport.

Blair's Sandringham Flying boat VP-LVE "Southern Cross" has been the center piece of the Southampton Hall of Aviation since 1984. The plane has been restored to appear as it did for Ansett Flying Boat Services, with registration number VH-BRC and the name "Beachcomber".

The Seaplane terminal located at The Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base was dedicated in his honor.

Blair and Maureen O'Hara are buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.