Page 2 - Aerotech News and Review, July 23, 2021

Who is Wally Funk?

Reader’s
Wally Funk became the oldest person to make it to space on July 20, 2021,
when she flew on the Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft.
Funk beat the 23-year old record held by John Glenn as the oldest astro- Services
naut. Glenn flew on Space Shuttle Discovery, launching Oct. 29, 1998, at
77-years old. How to contact
But who is Wally Funk? Aerotech News and Review
Mary Wallace “Wally” Funk is an American aviator, commercial astronaut,
and Goodwill Ambassador. She was the first female air safety investigator • E-Mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
• Phone: (661) 945-5634
for the National Transportation Safety Board, the first female civilian flight • Fax: (661) 723-7757
instructor at Fort Sill, Okla., and the first female Federal Aviation Agency in- • Website: www.aerotechnews.com
spector, as well as one of the Mercury 13. With the 2021 flight, she is the only
member of the Mercury 13 group to have travelled to space.
Advertising
Funk was born in Las Vegas, N.M., and grew up in Taos, N.M. Her parents Corporate Headquarters:
owned a variety store. The family had a collection of artwork from artists at (877) 247-9288
the Taos art colony, as the artists would trade artwork to pay off their debt at Email: sbueltel@aerotechnews.com
the store.
As a child, Funk was captivated by planes. When she was a one-year-old, Subscriber Services
her parents took her to an airport near where they lived in New Mexico and Subscriptions to Aerotech News
she got up close to a Douglas DC-3, an early airliner. “I go right to the wheel and Review are $59 for six
and I try to turn the nut,” she says. “Mother said: ‘She’s going to fly.’” Courtesy photograph months or $89 for one year. For
She became interested in mechanics and built model airplanes and participating competitors. more information, contact the
ships. By the time she was seven, she was making planes from balsa wood. Funk retired from her post as an Air Safety Investigator in 1985 after subscription department at:
At nine, she had her first flying lesson. serving for 11 years. Funk was then appointed an FAA Safety Counselor (661) 945-5634
Funk was also an accomplished outdoorswoman, spending time riding her and became a renowned pilot trainer and speaker on aviation safety. In 1986,
bike or her horse, skiing, hunting and fishing. At the age of 14, she became she was the key speaker for the U.S. at The World Aviation Education and
an expert marksman, receiving the Distinguished Rifleman’s Award. The Na- Safety Congress. In 1987, Funk was appointed Chief Pilot at Emery Aviation Story ideas, letters, editorials
tional Rifle Association sent her incredible shooting results to the presi- College, Greeley, Colorado, overseeing the entire flight programs for 100 Please send all letters and editorials to
dent, Dwight Eisenhower, and he wrote back to her. At the same time she students from Private to Multi-engine flight Instructor and Helicopter ratings. Stuart A. Ibberson, editor,
represented the southwestern United States as Top Female Skier, Slalom and Funk has been chief pilot for five aviation schools across the country. To at editor@aerotechnews.com.
Downhill races in United States competition. date, as a professional Flight Instructor she has soloed more than 700 stu-
As a high school student, Funk wanted to take courses such as mechanical
drawing and auto mechanics, but because she was a girl, she was permitted dents and put through 3,000 Private, Commercial, Multi-engine, Seaplane,
to take only courses such as home economics. Frustrated, Funk left high Glider, Instrument, CFI, Al, and Air Transport Pilots. Web Site
school early at the age of 16 and entered Stephens College in Columbia, Access the Aerotech News web
Mo. Funk became a member of the “Flying Susies” and rated first in her In February 1961, Funk volunteered for the “Women in Space” Program. site at www.aerotechnews.com
class of 24 fliers. She graduated in 1958 with her pilot’s license and an As- The program was run by William Randolph Lovelace, although it lacked offi- Submissions for upcoming events, air
sociate of Arts degree. cial government sponsorship. Funk contacted Lovelace, detailing her experi- shows and museums
Funk moved on to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary ence and achievements. Despite being younger than the recruiting age range should be emailed to
Education at Oklahoma State University, drawn there primarily by their fa- of 25-40, Funk was invited to take part. Twenty-five women were invited, 19 editor@aerotechnews.com.
mous “Flying Aggies” program. While at OSU, Funk earned a large number enrolled, and 13 graduated, including Funk, who at 21 was the youngest. On For questions concerning the web site,
of aviation instrumentation and instruction ratings, including her Commer- some tests, she scored better than John Glenn.The media dubbed the group
contact the webmaster at
cial, Single-engine Land, Multi-engine Land, Single-engine Sea, Instrument, the “Mercury 13,” a reference to the Mercury 7. webmaster@aerotechnews.com.
Flight Instructor’s, and all Ground Instructor’s ratings. Funk was elected Like the other participants in the program, Funk was put through rigor-
as an officer of the “Flying Aggies” and flew for them in the International ous physical and mental testing. In one test, volunteers were placed in sen-
Collegiate Air Meets. She received the “Outstanding Female Pilot” trophy, sory deprivation tanks. Funk was in the tank, without hallucinating, for
the “Flying Aggie Top Pilot” and the “Alfred Alder Memorial Trophy” two 10 hours and 35 minutes, a record. She passed her tests and was qualified Where you can get
years in succession. to go into space. Her score was the third best in the Mercury 13 program. Aerotech News and Review
In 1964, her work in aviation was recognized when she became the Despite this, the program was canceled before the women were to undergo For information on
youngest woman in the history of Stephen’s College to receive the Alumna their last test. Aerotech distribution, call
Achievement Award. (661) 945-5634 or visit
After the Mercury 13 program was cancelled, Funk became a Goodwill
Ambassador. www.aerotechnews.com/distribution.
At 20 years old, Funk became a professional aviator. Her first job was
at Fort Sill, Okla., as a Civilian Flight Instructor of noncommissioned and Funk continued to dream of going to space. When NASA finally began
commissioned officers of the United States Army. Funk was the first female accepting women in the late 1970s, Funk applied three times. Despite her Aerotech News and Review is published
flight instructor at a U.S. military base. In the fall of 1961, she accepted a impressive credentials, she was turned down for not having an engineering every other Friday, serving the
job as a Certified Flight Instructor, Charter, and Chief Pilot with an aviation degree or a background as a test pilot, though John Glenn also lacked such aerospace and defense industry of
company in Hawthorne, Calif. a degree. Southern California, Nevada and
Funk earned her Airline Transport Rating in 1968, the 58th woman in the In 1995, Lt. Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a Space Arizona. News and ad copy deadline
United States to do so. She applied to three commercial airlines but, like other Shuttle into space; Funk was too old to qualify to become a Space Shuttle is noon on the Tuesday prior to
qualified female pilots, was turned away because of her gender. pilot by the time Collins became one. Funk and six other members of the publication. The publisher assumes no
In 1971, Funk earned the rating of flight inspector from the Federal Avia- Mercury 13 were invited guests of Collins at the launch, and NASA gave responsibility for error in ads other
tion Administration, becoming the first woman to complete the FAA’s Gen- them a behind-the-scenes VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center complex. than space used. Your comments are
eral Aviation Operations Inspector Academy course, which includes Pilot In 2012, she put money down to be one of the first people to fly into space welcomed and encouraged. Write to
Certification and Flight Testing procedures, handling accidents, and vio- via Virgin Galactic. The money for the flight came from Funk’s own book the address below.
lations. She worked for four years with the FAA as a field examiner, the and film royalties and family money.
first woman to do so. In 1973 she was promoted to FAA SWAP (Systems In July 2020 Funk published a memoir, Higher Faster Longer — My Life
Worthiness Analysis Program) as a specialist, the first woman in the United in Aviation and My Quest for Space Flight with author Loretta Hall. • Publisher ....................Paul Kinison
States to hold this position. In late November 1973, Wally again entered • Business Manager ....... Lisa Kinison
the FAA Academy to take courses involving air-taxi, charter, and aviation On July 1, 2021, Blue Origin announced Funk would fly on the first New • Editor .................... Stuart Ibberson
rental businesses. Shepard flight with passengers, one of four on the flight, including Jeff • National Advertising
In 1974, Funk was hired by the National Transportation Safety Board as its Bezos, his brother Mark, and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen from the Nether- Manager .....................Paul Kinison
first female Air Safety Investigator. Funk investigated 450 accidents, ranging lands, who became the youngest ever astronaut after the flight of July 20,
from a probable mob hit to a fatal crash at a mortuary. She made the dis-
covery that people who die in small-plane crashes often have their jewelry, 2021. Aerotech News and Review
shoes, and clothes stripped off by the impact. Funk currently lives in Grapevine, Texas, according to this Dallas Morn-
Concurrently, Funk participated in many air races. She placed 8th in the ing News article: Five things to know about Grapevine’s Wally Funk, who e-mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
Powder Puff Derby’s 25th Annual Race, 6th in the Pacific Air Race, and will fly into space with Jeff Bezos on Tuesday. She enjoys sports and re- Visit our web site at
8th in the Palms to Pines Air Race. On Aug. 16, 1975, she placed second storing antique automobiles, with a collection that includes a 1951 Hooper www.aerotechnews.com
in the Palms to Pines All Women Air Race from Santa Monica, Calif., to Silver Wraith.
Independence, Or. On Oct. 4, 1975, flying her red and white Citabria, Wally She has more than 18,600 flight hours and as of June 2019 still flew each
won the Pacific Air Race from San Diego to Santa Rosa, Calif., against 80 Saturday as an instructor.

Aerotech News and Review
2 www.aerotechnews.com ........ facebook.com/aerotechnewsandreview July 23, 2021