King’s School of Aviation was originally started by Gary Wood King, the eldest son of Big John “B.J.” King and Marie Allen King. Gary Wood King died in a plane crash in Virginia in 1947 while on a charter trip with three Army officers. See an article about this tragic accident here. His brothers Jack and Dean took over the business and kept it running for Gary Wood King’s widow Rachel and their young twin daughters.
The King’s School of Aviation was sold by Rachel King in 1948 to brothers George Dean Allen King and John “Jack” Allen King. It was located at the original Columbus Municipal Airport on Victory Drive in Columbus, Georgia, which had only a sod runway. Flying courses were offered, and licensed pilots could rent a plane for the day.
The Fort Benning Sport Parachute Club, the forerunner of the Fort Benning Command Exhibition Parachute Team, performed its first demonstration jump over the King’s School of Aviation. On February 14, 1959, Major Thomas Waldie exited a Cessna aircraft at 6,000 feet in support of the Columbus March of Dimes campaign. He performed a figure eight, opened his main canopy at 2,000 feet, and landed in front of the crowd.
Dean purchased his brother’s interest in the business and became the sole owner, running it with the help of his wife Mary Poole King. Dean’s son Gary Wood King (a name shared with both his uncle and his great-grandfather) was said to be an excellent pilot and plans were for him to inherit the school from his father, but he died in an automobile accident at the age of 15. In 1969 the school was closed and moved to the current Columbus Airport location. The original metal hangar can still be seen at the corner of Jackson Avenue and Victory Drive, and as of 2013 it was in use as an auto body shop.
Photo used with permission of Paul Freeman. Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields
Many thanks to my cousin Henry Lee “Harry” King for his corrections and additions to this story.
Wow great article!
As a child I loved looking at King’s Aviation while my parents drove along Victory Drive! I loved looking at all of the Cessnas parked on the apron. What was really exciting was to see a Cessna 310 – especially when I grew up watching Sky King early on Saturday mornings!
So sad when those days ended in the early 1970’s.
V
Thanks for reminiscing with us!
My dad learned to fly there at age 14. His name is Jack L Austin. I am going to try to attach a photo.
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Was practically raised at the airport and Dean King was like a father to me.
Taught me to fly , to like cattle farming and to eat good steaks.
I would hitch hike or walk from CHS to the airport every afternoon after school
Just to be able to be around airplanes.
As i became more qualified I also flew charter trips for Kings.
Loved the entire family and still try to stay in touch..
I was honored to have served as a pallbearer at both Dean and Maty’s funeral
my dad took lessons from Jack King.
Learned to fly here in 1951.
Soloed in 1953
Anyone know where Irvin Travis is???
Irvin at this time (Thanksgiving 1917) is 81 years old, and is training flight instructors at Ft. Rucker, Ala. He lives in Dothan..My flight instructor, of years ago is his brother and he soloed at Kings school at the age of 16 when Ervin was there..
where can I find information about a air show in the early 1941 42 when a young pilot flew under the Dillingham street bridge
King’s School of Aviation was originally founded by our oldest brother Gary Wood King after his service in world war 2 as a Naval (officer) Aviation Instructor. I believe he did some of this work at AU Auburn where he met his 2 be wife, Rachel–they had the twins Penny and Pam. To much grief Wood, our Big Brother or “Bro Wood” named after his grand-father G.Wood King, died in a plane crash in August of 47—he had flown me to Athens to enroll in UGA a few weeks before his untimely crash into a mt. side at Galaxy, Va. along with 3 army officers he was flying to Boston. The Local ledger described Wood in an editorial: “Columbus has lost one of it’s promising captains of Commerce. —Henry L. “Harry Lee” King—“little Bro”
Thank you for this information! I will add it to this post. I have a copy of one article about Gary Wood King’s crash here Gary Wood King Post. I will try to find a copy of the Ledger article to add as well. Great to connect with family members here!
my dad learned to fly at Kings in the early 50s,and I had my first flight in a single plane there and later on 70s learned to fly r/c after kings was closed.
what a time..it was great to be a kid on the weekends at Kings hanging at the airport with my father.