Honoree – Betty Clark

Betty Clark

Honored 1979

Betty Clark was born in Rifle, Colorado on September 2, 1919.  Her father owned an Alexander Eaglerock glider in which she had her first flying experiences. Betty soloed at Denver Municipal Airport on November 26, 1942.  Shortly after, she enlisted in the Woman’s Army Service Program (WASP).  She flew a variety of aircraft including the PT-17 Stearman, B-25 Mitchell, Martin B-26, Bell P-63 Kingcobra, and North American P-51 Mustang. She acquired the nickname “Buzz Betty” when she made two generals and three colonels hit the dirt once when she misjudged her altitude.  Much of her flying involved towing targets and ferrying aircraft to relieve male pilots for combat flying. Betty served in the Air Force Reserves from 1949-58 and was discharged as a Captain. She was rated as a Command Pilot, single and multi-engine, instrument and instructor.

Betty flew with the Civil Air Patrol and was a Second Lieutenant in the Denver Squadron, Colorado Wing.  From 1946 to 1950, Betty worked at Vest Aircraft in Denver in sales and instruction. She flew (for Don Vest) a specially modified and supercharged AT-6 in the Cleveland Air Races, gaining a fourth-place finish.

In 1953, Betty moved to Glenwood Springs to be charter and instructor pilot and first started crop dusting.  She purchased Rader Flight Service and later Mile High Aviation at Garfield County and Rifle and operated a Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at Rifle.  At that time, she formed a long-time business relationship with Pat Sullivan (CAHOF 1981) as co-owners of Mile High Aviation.  In this operation, Pat handled most of the business end while Betty handled flight operations.

Spraying and seeding at high elevations was only one of the jobs requiring special techniques.  Betty and Pat purchased a Hiller helicopter for spray work, aerial surveys and air taxi work.  At the time, this was one of only two helicopters in the State of Colorado.

Betty and Pat hosted high school students in the area with field trips and introductory visits to the airport to familiarize them with aviation as a career.  At the time of her induction into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame she had amassed an impressive 16,850 flying hours.