Article: The Hero’s Among Us.

Living on this small island in the Pacific Northwest often brings us into contact with some of the most accomplished people in the world. These pioneering aviators are the unsung heroes of island aviation and live right here among us.

The Port of Friday Harbor Airport has established a remarkable kiosk highlighting the careers and contributions of twenty or our residents’ past and present. The electronic digital display located in the main terminal is a self-activated screen that allows the reader to move from one biography to the next. This interactive display is easy to read with photos and a history of the accomplishments for each of the aviation heroes many of us know. Each of these have left their mark on an industry that is only 123 years old.

Previously our aviation heroes were honored in a cramped corner of the airport which caused the many biographies to be rotated out every year so that each of the pioneers could be recognized. The Port Commission headed by Rich Goodhart worked with Port staff and the aviation community to find a solution that was respectful and allowed each biography to be available to the traveling public.  

The following San Juan County aviators are featured in the kiosk, and it is an honor to tell their story.