On November 3, the Federal Aviation Administration presented Malcolm R. French with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. This is the highest award the F.A.A presents to a pilot. Less than 1% of all pilots in the United States receive this honor. French is the son of the late Malcolm C. French and Bonnie T. French Crosby of Indianola, and his brother, George T. French and wife, Angie, still live in Indianola. French, a graduate of Indianola Academy, received degrees in economics, business and commercial design from Mississippi State University and Delta State University. He first soloed in 1973 under the instruction of Harvey Marshall of Greenville. He later received airline transport pilot certification through the Bolivar Aviation International School of Aeronautics in Tennessee. During his long career in aviation he has piloted 35 different aircraft, including a variety of piston, turbo-prop and jet aircraft. He has served as captain for Mississippi Senator Trent Lott, actor Tommy Lee Jones, and a list of both domestic and international clients too long to list. He now works as an instructor and senior examiner for domestic and international professional flight crews. He trains and evaluates medi-vac pilots, manufacturer flight test pilots, U.S.D.A. forestry lead pilots, U.S.D.A. forestry smokejumper pilots, F.A.A. flight operation pilots, U.S Border Patrol pilots, and both charter and corporate pilots from around the world. He is also an instructor and examiner for various international air force and navy pilots. French currently is a check airman/examiner for 43 companies throughout the United States and an instructor/examiner for seven different countries including the United States, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, India, Peru and Uruguay. He shares his passion for aviation with his wife, Cathy, who also holds an airline transport pilot certification. She also is actively training both domestic and international pilots, and is a very knowledgeable and accomplished pilot in her own right. French has three daughters, one son, one step-son, one granddaughter, and a new grandson born Nov. 15. In his spare time he enjoys competing each year in eight tournaments on the American Bass Anglers Tour and is on the Mercury pro team. He has qualified for national finals each of the last five years and plans on continuing working and fishing competitively for another four years. Then – at 75 – he might go part-time!
