Does anyone remember Jack Charleson?

[Janice Macau]

I am trying to put together some information about my father's life in aviation and wonder whether anyone from this organization might remember him. He was Canadian pilot with early flying experience out of Roosevelt Field, Long Island during the 1930s, trained to become a helicopter pilot at Sheppard Field in 1945, was instrumental in integrating helicopters onto Canada's icebreakers, became Vice-President of Okanagan Helicopters and finished his career at Pratt & Whitney Canada in 1974. I know he had many American friends in the U.S. Coast Guard and through the Twirly Birds, and was a regular attendee at AHS conferences. He died in 1984.  I realize that his contemporaries are no longer living, but I am posting this in the vain hope that some younger folks might have some recollection of Jack Charleson. I have attached a photo of my father in the red jacket with his Twirly Bird tie talking with Sir Douglas Bader, perhaps at a AHS conference during the 1970s. Thank you!

69AB0584-DB9F-430F-BE07-89B073CEC78A.jp2

[carholme]

Don't know if you have seen this before but I was looking for information about Al Soutar who was with Sealand when I was there and came across this article about a particular helicopter which your Dad and Al both flew. 

https://vertipedia-legacy.vtol.org/szyncer-gottlieb-sg-vi-d_v_sep-oct_2014.pdf

 

Scroll down to page 5/7

 

Regards

 

Gerry

[DGP]

Very cool Gerry...I especially liked the tailrotor balancing equipment...why did I never think of that method!!!

[Janice Macau]

9 hours ago, carholme said:

Don't know if you have seen this before but I was looking for information about Al Soutar who was with Sealand when I was there and came across this article about a particular helicopter which your Dad and Al both flew. 

https://vertipedia-legacy.vtol.org/szyncer-gottlieb-sg-vi-d_v_sep-oct_2014.pdf

 

Scroll down to page 5/7

 

Regards

 

Gerry

 

[Janice Macau]

Just now, Janice Macau said:

 

Thank you for your reply, Gerry. I had indeed seen this excellent article by Kenneth Swartz and remember hearing my father talk about Bernard Sznycer with admiration as I was growing up. When I was newly married and moved to New York City with my husband, my father introduced us to Bernard and his wife Katherine Sergeva and they became dear friends of ours. Interesting that my father and Al Souter's paths crossed while this helicopter was being tested and likely many times afterwards.