Air Museum of Minnesota Oral History Project: Interview with George Holey

Titles: Air Museum of Minnesota Oral History Project: Interview with George Holey (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: George Holey learned to fly in the late 1920s. He worked for Sohler Flying Service in Mankato, and as a machinist at Commander Milling. During the World War II, he worked for the Civil Aeronautics Administration. After the war, he sold surplus airplanes in the upper Midwest. Later, he worked as an inspector for the Minnesota Department of Aeronautics until his retirement in 1977. Then he directed the Air Museum of Minnesota. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Several anecdotes about Holey's early flight instruction. Early instrument flying. Barnstorming anecdotes. Working steeplejack type jobs. Many anecdotes about Holey's days as a flight instructor in Faribault and Red Wing. Account of Ace Van Korb's death while parachuting. Aquatennial air shows. Taking employment with the Civil Aeronautics Administration as an inspector in late 1940s and the training involved. Inspecting Civilian Pilot Training and War Training Service pilot training programs during the war. Several war time anecdotes. The phase out of flight training in 1944 and the start up of the Defense Plan Corporation and later the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to get rid of surplus aircraft after the war. The start of his company, Aeronautics Incorporated, in Bloomington Minnesota. His job offer to work for the Minnesota Department of Aeronautics in 1947. Veterans Flight Training Program. A detailed outline of the work the department did. Some statistics on the number of airports and aircraft in the state during the early 1950s. A year by year chronologue of major events in the department's history from 1955 to 1977 including the change to Minnesota Department of Transportation and the new rules that resulted. Holey’s retirement in 1977. A 1979 grant from the MHS and his appointment to the Faribault Airport Zoning Board. The Minnesota Council of Airports. Several humorous anecdotes about the Civil Aeronautics Administration and later the Federal Aviation Administration.

Dates

• 01/30/1984 (Creation)

Creation

• interviewee: Holey, George
• interviewer: Holey, Anne M.

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 101
• Accession Number: AV1992.88.22

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Air Museum of Minnesota Oral History Project' <OH 101>

Quantity: 5 hours sound cassette 102 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 300 minutes length

Subjects

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