Remembering Fellow Pilot & Speaker, Walker Hester

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and praying since hearing about Walker’s death on March 24, 2016 — an accident while test-flying his newest airplane, the Rocket. As Kris Belser said, “Walker’s death reminds us that we’re not just pilots but a family. We see things a lot of people never will.” My husband, Ron, and Walker were especially close because of their United States Armed Forces careers and often reminisced of danger and close calls, as well as daring rescues — Ron’s Air Force and Walker’s Navy. They inspired my achievement as a private pilot in 2003 – the 100th anniversary of flight.

I’ll always remember the day Walker took me along as his copilot for a ride in his British Strikemaster. We took off on a nearly vertical departure and I felt the thrill of speed and distance from earth and, as we flew inverted and performed loops and barrel rolls, Walker’s brilliant aviation and aerobatic skills thrilled. At one point, as I was drawn back from semi-consciousness, he commented that we’d just pulled almost 4 Gs. For Walker, there was no point in living if you can’t feel alive. On final approach, he encouraged me to take the controls – a three-year private pilot at the time – his hands stayed lightly on his yoke and I could feel his gentle pressure on the rudder pedals – guiding me. That was Walker — always striving to live each day to the fullest, generous with his time and energy when it came to encouraging others, and doing it all with such irresistible style.

In 2010, Walker and I decided to join forces and speak nationally together. The marketing one-sheet we designed is attached and here’s how we were poised to launch … “Top Gun music is blaring and aviation scenarios are flying across the screen. A high-energy and motivating opening by my surprise guest whose career as a Navy Pilot, a dog-fighter and aerial show pilot, and most prominently a Delta Air Lines 777 Captain, will energize the audience. Arriving in crew gear, he will set the tone for your conference. The audience will be entertained and educated by two knowledgeable and inspirational keynote speakers/pilots and the audience will learn how pilots execute missions flawlessly by including the entire crew in effective communication called Crew Resource Management (CRM). CRM communication techniques are accomplished in the most hostile environments on the planet – and these tools can do the same in your environment.” Unfortunately, we never realized that venture together but had an enjoyable time planning it!

Whether he was an aerobatic Air Show Pilot, motorcycle racing, or powered paragliding, every day was a performance and Walker loved to put on a show for us. He craved freedom, novelty, and above all, human contact. The most breath-taking and awe inspiring memory of Walker for those in the Bill Glass OKC family was when the FAA, through the OKC Air Traffic Control, allowed Walker to fly his British Strikemaster over the OKC area prisons emblazed with a shining white cross on the entire belly of his beloved plane (see pic attached). It was a first ever aerobatic event of its like in OKC and the inmates and we, his teammates, were thrilled beyond belief. What a victory he scored that day in the skies! Walker was observant and sensitive to others’ emotions, often the first to help someone talk out a challenging problem, happily providing emotional support and practical advice. I suspect that Walker’s degree in journalism from University of Memphis paved the way to the artistic creativity we have all experienced in his words, in his actions and in his many Facebook posts. Walker knew he was not just appreciated, but liked, and that was the essence of living for him.

I’ll miss you, Walker Hester!