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Culbertson man celebrates 50 years as a pilot
CULBERTSON, Neb. — Greg Hock started flying when he was only 15 years old, and recently celebrated 50 years as a pilot.
In October of 1968, at 17, while still in high school, Greg obtained his private pilot's license.
After high school, he enrolled and graduated from the 2 year technical Air Frame and Power Plant (A&P) school in Sidney Nebraska.
He worked as an A&P mechanic in McCook, Cozad, Gothenburg, Big Springs and in Hershey over the next few years until earning his commercial pilot's license. He then flew Ag Cat spray planes for Wallace and Ealy flying services.
In 1986 Greg started his “heavy tanker” flying career at Black Hills aviation in Alamogordo, New Mexico flying the P2 Lockheed Neptune converted to hold and drop retardant on wildfires.
After five years he flew for Aero Union out of Chino, Calif., piloting the Neptune and the P3 Orion tankers as a contractor for the U. S. Forrest Service. He flew over 5,400 hours in the 15 years working as a pilot, putting out blazes in 15 states across the U.S. in the summer months. In winter, Greg owned and operated "Aero Machining" out of Alamogordo and rebuilt numerous airplanes.
In his 50 years as a pilot, Greg has logged over 13,000 hours of airtime. Besides the P2 and P3 tankers he also flew the C130 and DC4 for U.S. Army exercises.
He has piloted many light airplanes to include the Piper, Cessna and Beech classes and many vintage military Aircraft to include the T6 and German Messerschmitt 108.
Greg is retired, but still spends his winters building airplanes and summers flying a Turbine Thrush spray plane for Sides Aviation in Cambridge Neb.
He is also passing his love of flying to his children Lyle, Jenn and Wes and his 5 grandchildren.