The Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame has announced that Samuel Winn Baker is one of three honorees selected for recognition and induction in 2013. The Glynn County Airport Commission nominated Winn Baker for this honor because of his extraordinary career in aviation logging more than 40,000 hours of flight time and making important contributions to aviation in the Glynn County area.
Baker says that, as long as he can remember, flying has been “all I ever wanted to do.” Born into an aviation family, he learned to fly from his father, Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame legend Francis Anderson “Sam” Baker, at the age of eight, “as soon as I could reach the pedals.” By age 12, Winn was executing takeoffs and landings at Brunswick Air Park, where his father was the fixed base operator. He soloed in a Piper Vagabond on his 16th birthday and received his private pilot’s license exactly one year later. Days after his 19th birthday, he was awarded his commercial license. By age 22, he added an instrument rating, Flight Instructor Certificate, and a multi-engine rating to his resume.
Between his duties as a flight instructor and charter pilot for his family’s company, Baker Flying Service, Baker worked as a commercial pilot for local scheduled carrier Golden Isles Airline and corporate pilot for a Brunswick manufacturing company.
In 1963, Baker applied to Delta Air Lines, who hired him on the spot. He began flight school with 6,383 hours of flight time already under his belt and was on the line by January 1964. A long and distinguished career was launched, with Baker filling all cockpit positions, beginning as flight engineer. In his career with Delta, he flew as captain of the DC9, 727, 757 and 767. He flew as international captain on the 767 from 1991 until his retirement in 1996. He continues to fly today as an instructor, having taught almost 300 people to fly, as well as a charter and demonstration pilot encouraging aviation business development in Georgia.
In 2005, Baker received the Master Pilot Award from the Federal Aviation Administration, which recognizes 50 consecutive years of flying without incident, accident or violations. He has flown innumerable aerial search-and-rescue missions at the request of law enforcement and families. His skill and knowledge of coastal waterways and topography have saved a number of lives, alerting searchers to the location of stranded, injured and missing boaters, sportsmen, swimmers and hikers. Piloting observation flights for state and national wildlife preservation organizations, he has participated in population counts for endangered coastal and maritime species.
Baker is also an active advocate of historic aviation. He is one of three captains in the nation chosen to fly vintage DC-3 and Travelair 6000 aircraft to events for the Delta Air Lines Heritage Museum.
Congratulations Winn!
