[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E413-E414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  CONGRATULATIONS TO GEORGE A. MACDONALD FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE TO 
                       AMERICA'S AIRLINE INDUSTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 18, 1998

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate George A. 
Macdonald on the occasion of his retirement after 42 years of exemplary 
service to America's airline industry. Captain Macdonald's hundreds of 
thousands of miles of flying have quite literally taken him to every 
corner of the globe as he manned cockpits for Pan American World 
Airways and United Airlines.
  Born in Oakland, Capt. Macdonald worked his way through flying 
lessons so he could pursue his dream. Hired by Pan Am in 1995, he has 
moved forward while explosive technological advances transformed his 
job and economic tumult rocked the industry he loves. The list of 
planes he has flown with passengers aboard is right out of an aviation 
textbook. Boeing Stratocruiser 377, Boeing 707, SA-16 seaplane, DC-4, 
DC-6, Boeing 727 and the mammoth Boeing 747.
  Over the years Capt. Macdonald has served his country, the world and 
the cause of freedom. When Pan Am was awarded a contract by the United 
Nations to fly planes in the Marianas, he transferred to Guam. It was 
there where he first received his captain wings and on his first flight 
in the left seat on the two-engine SA-16, one of the engines went out. 
With the Coast Guard in tow, Captain Macdonald

[[Page E414]]

guided the crippled plane to a safe landing and passengers and crew had 
nary a scratch.
  It seems eons ago that Berlin was a city divided and West Berlin was 
surrounded by communist East Germany. Captain Macdonald flew Pan 
American 727's that connected Berlin to its free countrymen in a years-
long effort that kept hope alive for the united Germany we have today.
  Over the years, Capt. Macdonald was selected for leadership positions 
by both his fellow pilots and his company. He served in top executive 
positions for the Airline Pilots Association and rose to be Chief Pilot 
for Pan American in Los Angeles. He held that position when Pan Am sold 
its Pacific routes to United Airlines and Capt. Macdonald was chosen to 
pilot the first United non-stop to Tokyo.
  Mr. Speaker, on April 26, Capt. Macdonald will fly from our nation's 
capitol to San Francisco on his last trip as a commercial airline 
pilot. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing George Macdonald and 
his co-pilot--his beautiful wife, Peggy--much love, health, and 
happiness in retirement.

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