[Col] George Luck [,USAF (Ret)], who was killed last week in a plane crash in Everett, was an accomplished pilot and a renowned flying instructor.

[Col] Luck, 80, served 25 years in the Air Force before working for Boeing and eventually retiring to become a flight instructor. In 2011, he was given a Wright Brothers "Master Pilot" award from the Federal Aviation Administration for 50 years of "outstanding contributions that further the cause of aviation safety." He was also named pilot of the year by the Washington Pilot's Association in 1996.

"George was one of the legends in our community, and perhaps one of the legends in the aviation community at large," said Steve Dame, a pilot who knew [Col] Luck from the Washington Pilots Association.

Born in Dublin, Ga., [Col] Luck decided to become a pilot after an uncle took him flying at a young age, his son, Mike Luck, says. He followed that passion to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1953, but he stayed only one year because his "Georgia accent didn't go over very well in French class," Mike Luck says.

Afterward, he finished two years at the Georgia Institute of Technology, studying aeronautical engineering before enrolling in the Air Force Academy's second ever incoming class.

Andi Biancur, the class president, says [Col] Luck was a mentor for his younger cadets. "He was very quiet, but when he spoke he spoke in a nice voice and he tended to listen," Biancur said. "He had your attention."

"After graduation in 1960, [Col] Luck enrolled in the prestigious Air Force Test Pilot School. His job was to test new planes and new designs-- pushing them to their limits, landing them safely and recording the results," Mike Luck said.

In 1969, [Col] Luck was deployed to a Special Operations unit in Thailand, where he flew during the Vietnam War. His wife, Carolyn, followed him to Thailand and did missionary work while he was deployed.

During the remainder of his Air Force career Luck trained pilots and served at the Pentagon twice--once with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In 1985, [Col] Luck started a 15-year career with Boeing, first in Wichita, Kan., and later in Everett. Among his responsibilities was working on the design of the cockpit and safety systems for the 777.

Afterward, he continued to fly as a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Air Division and as a master certified flying instructor. He recently joined the Washington chapter of the United Flying Octogenarians, a club for pilots 80 and older.

Friends who knew [Col] Luck as a pilot in the Pacific Northwest say that he was humble about his experiences and accomplishments. The telling sign: his attention to detail. For example, [Col] Luck never left the airport without first donning an uninflated life-vest--just in case he was forced to ditch in the water. "Despite being fairly senior, [Col Luck] had a sound mind and judgment and flying skills," Dame said. "He was just one of those guys that had the right stuff."

Richard Jones, a friend who flew with [Col] Luck as recently as two weeks ago, says his attentiveness didn't end in the cockpit. Recently, Jones tried to beat [Col] Luck to the airport for a lesson in instrument training. He showed up 10 minutes early--to find Luck already there. "He was one of the straightest shooters you've ever met," Jones said. "Completely trustworthy in everything that he ever did."

[Col] Luck also had a passion for helping young people, his son says. He regularly volunteered with the Boy Scouts and would act as a mentor and sponsor for youth hoping to fly with the armed forces.

Since his father's passing last week, Mike says that his family has received phone calls from as far away as Switzerland and Thailand. "One man said training with him saved his life on a number of occasions," Mike said. "It's meant a lot to us."

In addition to his son, [Col] Luck is survived by his wife of 49 years, Carolyn.

A memorial service for [Col] Luck [was] held at 11 a.m. Monday at Purdy & Walters at Floral Hills, 490 Filbert Road, Lynnwood. He [was] buried at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., on July 8.

(Excerpted from a news article published in The Seattle Times on 17 June 2015.)