Production Test Pilot
If I were to be offered a chance to fly the B-58 to heaven, I’d go right away.
Known as a pilot who could safely fly any plane, Beryl A. Erickson built his reputation as a test pilot for America’s most advanced bombers, fighters and cargo aircraft of the Cold War era. While working for Convair in Fort Worth, Texas, Erickson was chief test pilot for the B-36 Peacemaker, America’s first intercontinental strategic bomber. He also commanded the first flight of the world’s first supersonic bomber, the Convair B-58 Hustler. Erickson was known for being a smart, professional and well-prepared pilot capable of fully testing the latest aircraft designs.