Death of Mike Gilles

[Shannon]

I remember him from the old AG forum. My condolences to his family and friends.

[Tamarack]

This is incredibly sad. My condolences to his family and his many friends.

I had the good fortune of meeting Mike at the Hoosier Jam in 2001, and signing Guilda. I even poked some gentle fun at him in one of my infamous tall tales.

I recall Mike's description of being one of the first pilots back in the air after 9/11, as he described taking off to near silence in radio transmissions, then increasing chatter as US aviation came alive again.

[drlj]

There is lots of speculation among the various flying groups about the plane taking off with the flaps extended. There is one picture taken just moments before the crash showing the flaps down. It’s hard to fathom Mike making a mistake like that, but I suppose the investigation will come to a conclusion at some point. There are videos of the plane taking off and the crash itself.

[howard lee]

 

Quite a few years ago, Mike sent me this photo of himself and his guest co-pilot, Brigadier General Chuck Yeager,
when Mike was ferrying passengers to Barron Hilton's ranch in Nevada. Mike flew many guests there,
as well as to Alaska for salmon fishing aboard Hilton's yacht, the Silverado.

Side note: When the plane of Barron Hilton's guest, pilot Steve Fossett, went missing on September 3, 2007, Mike was
one of the people who spearheaded the search. The wreckage wasn't found for weeks.

On the 42nd anniversary of Neil Armstrong's legendary moon walk, I wrote to Mike, aware that he knew Armstrong,

and asked him to thank the astronaut-turned-history-professor for the courageous thing he did in 1969, from a longtime fan
in Brooklyn. A couple of hours later, I received a reply from Mike, informing me that he was aboard the Silverado
with Neil Armstrong, they had just finished lunch, and Mike included this photo.

 

Mike was that kind of guy—he knew almost every one of the surviving astronauts from the early days of the space program,
would recognize them in airports, and always stopped to chat. The last time we spoke on the phone, sometime last year, we
promised each other we'd stay in touch. This is just so sad.

[TKennedy]

What an amazing guy. I would have loved to have known him.

[drlj]

When Mike was at the Hilton ranch, he gave refresher lessons to ex- astronauts and Hollywood personalities like Harrison Ford.
He was there and had breakfast with Steve Fossett the day his flight disappeared. They were to meet up later that day but Fossett did not return from his flight. Mike was in charge of the air search and, while they didn’t find Fossett’s wreck during their search, they did find two other crashes that had been hidden away for over 20 years.
Mike had to receive training and clearance from the Mexican Secret Service because for 6 months of the year the Hilton yacht was in Mexican waters and Mike regularly flew former President of Mexico Vincente Fox to and from the yacht. I asked if a bodyguard flew along and Mike said, no, just me and Vincente.
He called me late one night and said, guess where I am?
I give, I said, where are you?
I am in Paris Hilton’s bed, he said.
A late flight back from somewhere with Barron Hilton, grandfather of Paris, resulted in Mike being invited to stay overnight at the Hilton compound. He was put up for the night in the room Paris used when she stayed there. I told him to go through the dresser but he said he was only going to go to sleep.
Mike lived a fascinating life. Barb used to tell him he was the guy who should have done The Most Interesting Man in the World beer commercials.
He was never a braggart. He was one of the most down to earth and humble people I have ever known. Mike was as real as a person can get. He would be embarrassed by my saying that, but it is true.

[howard lee]

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this.

[PaulKay]

I just saw this and am in shock. Mike was a fantastic guy and ever since the Madison meeting, we stayed in touch.
Flying planes was all he ever wanted to do. Very sad.

[howard lee]

Paul, I posted a couple of those photos on page 1 of this thread. I must have sent them to all of you after that weekend?

[PaulKay]

Jun 25, 2024 9:00:47 GMT -5 howard lee said:

Paul, I posted a couple of those photos on page 1 of this thread. I must have sent them to all of you after that weekend?

Probably.

[drlj]

I remember I was showing Mike how to play Blackbird.
That was a really fun weekend.

[howard lee]

I just found this in my files. It's a photo of the private jet Mike used to fly for Barron Hilton. Mike sent this to me 12 years ago.
That may even be Mike at the controls.

I also found a copy of the Stearman (or one like it) he used when he gave acrobatic flying lessons.

 

Digital imaging has improved a great deal since then.

[howard lee]

Jun 25, 2024 9:37:31 GMT -5 drlj said:

I remember I was showing Mike how to play Blackbird.
That was a really fun weekend.

Dar's 2-foot-diameter platter of homemade commercial-grade cookies was a highlight. (Yes, Dar, we loved them and remember them fondly, and loved you for it.)