BRIAN POWER-WATERS XIII BIOGRAPHY Brian Power-Waters, XIII was born in London, England in 1922 to Alma and Pierce. During World War I, (shown at right in order of rotation - "USAF Graduation 1950", "AT6 Training at Perrin AFB 1949 USAF", "Rhein Mein, Germany 1953")
At the age of 6, Brian knew he wanted to be a pilot. He built numerous airplane models and he was one of the firsts to have a 6-foot wing span gasoline-powered snorkel. He read everything portraying to aviation and used to ride his bicycle from Bayside to Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York (where Lindberg took off on his famous flight!) and a distance of about twenty miles. At Roosevelt he listened to the pilots talk about flying. He would then ride 5 miles further to Mitchell Field. Here he
His family embraced the arts in New York: Pierce, was a Broadway Producer and Talent Manager for actors such as John Barrymore. Alma, acted in several productions, as well as published 10 books including John Barrymore, The Legend and The Man, Moon in My Pocket, The Giving Gift, The Crusader, and Mother Seton, and the Sisters of Charity. Pat, his sister, modeled and acted, landing a leading role opposite John Barrymore at the age of 18. It seemed to be a true family affair when Brian, too, received a "walk on" role in a Barrymore production. But Brian had no interest in the theater-his eyes always looking to the sky, his thoughts always on flying. He focused his passion first on model airplanes and quickly progressed to the real thing. By age 16, Brian soloed for the first time, and within a year earned his pilot's license. (shown at left "Flushing Airport, N.Y. 1929")
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would sit looking through the fences and sometimes a military pilot would talk to him, what a thrill. After school, Brian worked at a lumberyard. This gave him money he needed for flying lessons at Flushing Airport, Long Island, New York.| When the United States joined World War II, Brian tried to enlist in the U.S.A.F. Aviation Cadet Program. This was not to be. Brian was born in London, England and had yet to become a U.S. citizen. He was told that he could not get into pilot training without being a citizen. He was disappointed, but still determined to fly. He immediately went to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (R.C.A.F.) in 1943. Upon acceptance into pilot training, it appeared his life-long dream of flying was coming true, but he ran into a few snags - math, physics, and women. |  Zahns Airport, NY, 1960 |
There were not sufficient quarters on the base. Some of the cadets lived off base in private homes. Brian was having a good time chasing girls  while his ground school subjects were sliding badly. He would sleep in class and failed physics. His professors pulled him aside and told him that he was going to be eliminated from pilot training, but that he could pick some other branch of aircrew and train for it. His answer: "If I cannot fly it, I don't want to ride it."This stand sent Brian straight to general duties, washing pots and pans in the mess hall. It took a year, but eventually he came to his senses and reapplied for a position as flight engineer. On British aircraft, the flight engineer was like a copilot, so at least he was in the front of the plane. Brian was devastated, but he pressed on and got his wings on a Mark 5 Halifax. But by now, the war was winding down and Brian was sent home. ("PITTS S1S - and some of my aerobatic trophies" shown at left) Brian's pursuit of his dream to fly never wavered. He wanted to join the US Air Force - to become a pilot - but the lengthy tests required his conquering math and physics. At Mitchell's Field, New York, he contacted the Air Force recruiter and found that if he got two years of college he would not have to take the lengthy math and physics sections of the Aviation Cadets Program. He chose the University of Miami. He put in his two years of college and took the other tests for cadets and passed. His plan worked and Brian was accepted into the aviation cadet program, 7 days under the age limitation of 26½.
He graduated from basic pilot training at Perrin Air Force Base in Sherman, Texas, and moved on to Lubbock where he graduated in class 50-F. He earned his wings on the great B-25. Later, he was assigned to MATS flying C-54's, where he became an Instructor Pilot. Unfortunately, the Air Force wanted officers first, and pilots second. The prospect of 4 hours of fly time a month was not what Brian considered to be FLYING. After 5 years of active duty in the US Air Force, Brian left the Air Force and joined the reserves. In the reserves, he joined the 104 Tactical Fighter Group in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was there that he had the opportunity to fly the T-33 and the great F-86. To fly any aircraft is a pleasure; to fly a fighter is a great privilege! But he could see the writing on the walls, the military wanted officers first and pilots In 1954, Brian was hired by Mohawk Airlines. Later Mohawk Airlines was consolidated into Allegheny Airlines, and then US Airways. Brian flew as Captain for this airline for 28 years. After years of flying commercial airplanes his passion never wavered. It was this zeal that sent Brian on a new journey. Flying was his life, but it was becoming more and more dangerous in the sky. Brian saw much of this danger caused by deregulation. Lives were at risk. So, in 1972, with the same fervor he held for flying, he wrote his first book on airline safety, Safety Last. Not much has changed since 1972 and in some areas safety has deteriorated. In 1981, his pen was called to paper once again. The PATCO strike stirred more than just a media frenzy. Seeing the unjust treatment of the hard-working men and women of the air traffic control system, Brian rallied to their defense. In his second book, Margin For Error: None. In Margin for Error: None, Brian wrote about the job of an air traffic controller, and the reasons for the strike. Brian stood fast beside the controllers whose daily routine included managing faulty, unreliable radar scopes which could fail at any time and force him or her to guide up to 18 aircraft by memory. His book received national attention, sending him on television programs, such as Larry King Live, The Joan Lunden Show, Johnny Carson, and Night Line telling the world that the skies were not as safe as they could be. Unfortunately, his notoriety placed his job in jeopardy: US Airways grounded him. It was one thing to write a book about the problems of flying in the US; it was another thing altogether to get on national television and say it out loud. Most recently, Brian has published 5 books on air safety:93 Seconds to Disaster, Danger In The Air, Is It Safe?, Margin for Error: None and Safety Last. These books reflect his continuing crusade to keep safe the airways he loves so much. Retirement, forced or otherwise, would not An avid sportsman, in 1995, at the age of 73, he started to really come into his own as a Senior Olympian, throwing the shot, discus, javelin, and running the 50 and 100 meter sprints. He has been an avid weight lifter all his life, and has recently earned world champion status benching 290 pounds at the age of 79 - a new world record. He has earned over 150 track and field medals and 50 power-lifting trophies. Additionally, Brian scuba dives, skis, ice skates, plays tennis, flys in aerobatic contests and is an active skydiver with over 50 jumps.
(shown at left: 2003 World's Championship, Puerto Rico · Capt. Power-Waters earned the Bronze Medal in the Shot Put competition) Brian currently resides on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with his wife, Kay, his former flight attendant. He has 4 daughters: Lisette, Laurette, Linette, and Lanette. He has taught them all to fly. |
second. This could mean that he could have a ground job and fly as little as 4 hours a month. This was not his idea of flying, so after 5 years of active duty he resigned and applied to numerous airlines. Once again his age was a problem. It seems that after the age of 30, you are not a candidate for the right seat on an airliner.
slow down Power-Waters. In 1993, Brian decided to further his knowledge of the aircraft he flew for so many years and started a 2-year course for an aircraft mechanics license. Additionally, he purchased a Pitts S1S (small home-built biplane) and flew in national acrobatic contests. In 1995, at the age of 73, Brian competed in a national contest in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, coming in seventh out of sixteen; in 1995 in Canada, he placed third. Additionally, in 1995 he received his airframe and power plant ratings. At the age of 78, Power-Waters checked out in an ultra light and hang glider.