Mike Ferguson: Montana Aviation Legend
 | Author:
Matt Nelson
MT43 News Correspondent |
Mike Ferguson and Jeanie Ferguson live in a hangar/home at the Townsend, Montana airport (FAA designation 8U8). There are so many aviation-related items on the walls of the hangar and their apartment upstairs that to view them all is like walking through a flight museum. Mike is 90 years old. Often, Mike and Jeanie host morning coffee sessions at their home, and Jeanie bakes homemade chocolate chip cookies for us airport bums. Mike has so many stories about his aviation adventures that it would take several books to write about them all.
We joke that he placed the wheel chocks at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina after the Wright Brothers completed their first flight in 1903. But he and Jeanie landed there, many years later. He has flown over 13,000 hours in general aviation (GA) aircraft. He and Jeanie both own a 1964 S-35 Beechcraft Bonanza, and she owns a 1946 Air Coupe.
Mike said, “My first flight was in a Piper J-3 Cub at Columbus, Montana. My instructor was Gary Wolterman. That was before I went into the Air Force. I was in the Air Force from 1951 to 1955 and worked as a jet engine mechanic on RB-52s and RB-47s. I was in SAC (Strategic Air Command). I was in the same Wing when the Russians shot down an RB-47 in 1955 off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula; I knew the guys on the plane. When that happened, I was in North Africa, in French Morocco. At the time, I had a Top Secret Clearance. I was also in the Air Force Reserves. Once, I went to Edwards Air Force Base in California, and that’s where I met Scotty Crossfield, who, on November 20, 1953, became the first man to fly at Mach 2, which is twice the speed of sound. He and I became good friends, and I saw him often at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.” [There is an annual fly-in at Oshkosh for pilots who are members of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).]
“After I got out of the Air Force I went to school to get my Aircraft and Power Plant (A&P) license at the Northrop Institute of Technology, in Inglewood, California. This license is required for mechanics to work on civilian aircraft. I owned a mechanics shop in Billings for 14 years, and from there I went to Helena to become the Director of Montana Aeronautics. I was there for 27 years, and retired in 2001, which was when we moved here to Townsend.”
“I was responsible for all the commercial airports in Montana, and have landed in all of them. I flew a 1975 A-36 Beechcraft for the state. I used to say I knew every GA pilot in the state.”
Mike was also the Northwestern Regional Manager for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots' Association (AOPA) serving Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
While at Montana Aeronautics, Mike was a strong advocate of aviation education, and as a result, flew over 1,100 Young Eagles in his plane and the State's A-36 Beechcraft. Often at various aviation events, pilots will give kids called Young Eagles a free flight around the local area. He did it many years in Townsend during the July 4th breakfast fly-ins that used to be held here.
On the wall of Mike and Jeanie's living room, there is a painting by Susan Carlson of Mike's 1953 D model Bonanza, flying to Hawaii and then to Oshkosh from Hawaii.
In 1985 Mike and Brenda Spivey, his girlfriend at the time, flew his Bonanza to Hawaii. Mike's goal was to fly by himself non-stop from Hickman Field in Honolulu, Hawaii to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Mike said, “I flew to Oshkosh from Hickman Field. It took 14 hours, and 15 minutes going over to Hawaii from Oakland, California. I had to make position reports going over and coming back. I was in Hawaii for 4 or 5 days. I left Hawaii on July 26 and arrived at Oshkosh on July 27, after flying 4497 miles. I had to land at Salt Lake City coming back, because I had a strong headwind, so I had to stop for fuel. I had to tell the people in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower that I was on a world record flight so they would record the official time of landing and takeoff. Brenda flew from Hawaii on commercial airlines to Oshkosh.”
The French FÉDÉRATION AÉRONAUTIQUE INTERNATIONALE awards the “Dìplôme de 1Record” for those people who break aviation records. Mike was awarded one for his world record flight from Hawaii to Oshkosh. Mike also received a similar award from the National Aeronautic Association which says:
“National Aeronautic Association Representing in the United States of America The Federation Aeronautique International awards this Certificate of Record to Michael D. Ferguson For U.S National Speed Record Honolulu, Hawaii to Oshkosh, Wisconsin Class C-1-c, Piston Engine Elapsed Time: 31 hours, 4 minutes, 27 seconds July 26–27, 1985 135.12 mph (217.44 kph)”
“After the fall of Russia in the 1990s,” Mike continues, “Brenda, plus one of her girlfriends, and I flew my Bonanza from Nome, Alaska to Provideniya, Russia and back again. We were there about three days. Some years later, after Jeanie and I married, she and I were invited to Great Falls, Montana by Loren Smith. He hosted two Russian teenagers who were in the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Force auxiliary Civil Air Patrol. They could speak good English, and put on a little show for us.”
“Prior to the trip to Great Falls, Brenda and I crash-landed in snow, near Cedar City, Utah. There was icing in the induction system, blocking air to the carburetor. We were there overnight. I made radio contact with a passenger airliner that was flying overhead, so I sent out an SOS. We were rescued by the Cedar City Search and Rescue unit. The plane was totaled. After that, I bought the Bonanza that I have now.” However, even before this crash, Mike was instrumental in establishing an annual Winter Survival Course for pilots in his position as Aeronautics Director.
On December 22, 1964, Bob Gilliland became the first test pilot to fly the famous Lockheed Skunk Works SR-71 aircraft. Its speed is listed at Mach 3 plus, and altitude of 85,000 feet plus. Mike was at Oshkosh when Bob flew an SR-71 there in 1995, landing almost exactly 10 years to the day after Mike flew in from Hawaii. They became good friends. Mike and Jeanie have hanging in their living room a large photo that Bob signed, and he also gave them a plaque.
“I also know Apollo 8 astronaut Frank Borman and space shuttle astronaut Jim Adamson. Frank lives in Montana, and Jim used to live in our state.” The Apollo 8 crew flew around the moon during the Christmas season of 1968, and it was during this mission that the famous “Earth Rise” photo was taken. Jim gave Mike a signed picture taken from space when he flew over this area.“ Unfortunately, this photo has a lot of glare due to the lights.
Also, on Mike and Jeanie’s wall, there is a photo signed by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, who flew the Voyager airplane for the first nonstop GA flight around the world in 1986, departing Edwards AFB on December 14, and arriving back on December 23.
Mike and Jeanie may not have flown completely around the world, but they have made trips to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Canada, and most of the 50 States, including fly-ins at Sun ‘N Fun in Florida, and the Reno Air Races. Once, Mike flew to Germany via Greenland and Iceland with his friend Glenn Larson in Glenn’s F33 Bonanza. Mike came back on a commercial flight. Another favorite flight Mike made was from Kalispell to Helena in the co-pilot’s seat of a B-17 called Sentimental Journey.
There is an organization for pilots called Quiet Birdmen (QBs) – except that when the beer is free the men are not very quiet! The head person for each location is called the Governor, and each location is called a Hangar. Mike said, ”I was Governor for the Helena Hangar, and went to national conventions in San Francisco and Fort Waldon Beach, Florida."
Mike has received two FAA awards for Fifty Years of Dedicated Service, one for Master Pilot and one for Master Mechanic, with no violations. He is also a strong Christian. Quite a guy! He does not have blood in his veins, only aviation fuel - avgas!
Article Images
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PhotoCredit: Matt Nelson
Image 1 Caption: Mike in front of his 1964 Bonanza.
Image 2 Caption: Certificate of Record to Michael D. Ferguson For U.S National Speed Record
Image 3 Caption: Mike at the controls of his 1964 Beech S35 Bonanza. Credit: Bob Burns.
