More detail on this person: Rev. William Allen Norton was born April 17, 1945 in Berkeley, California to Reese W. Norton and L. Lois Scouler. He passed in to life eternal April 7, 2021, in Mesa, Arizona. He attended Ojai Valley School, Nordhoff High School, University of Southern California (pre-med), and graduated from United States Military Academy, West Point, NY in 1967 (BS Civil Engineering). He was a graduate of the United States Army Ranger School (1973), US Naval Test Pilot School, Class 66, (1974), and Fuller Theological Seminary (MDiv 2007). As combat pilot, he served with the 228th Assault Support Helicopter Company, 1st Cav, RVN (1970, 1972), surviving being shot down multiple times, including six times in his first two months in Vietnam. Among awards received are the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star (1 OLC), Air Medal (2nd OLC w/V Device), and Army Commendation Medal (V device). His last military assignment was at the US Army Human Engineering Lab, working on the development of the OH-58 integrated controller, allowing pilots to control aircraft functions in one yoke-type controller that could be flown with one hand. It was there he was promoted to the rank of Major. After Army flight test, he moved to industry. He worked for Hughes Helicopters, flying the original YAH-64 prototype helicopters, helping to develop both airframe and weapons systems, including helping develop the Pilot Night Vision System (PNVS). He has the distinction of firing the first hell-fire missile from an Apache. After Hughes was bought out by McDonnell Douglas, he worked as a production test pilot for the AH-64 Helicopter. In 1981 he started his own flight research company, Intercoastal Cargo, and also was a test pilot for the FAA Aircraft Certification branch in Chicago, where he flew a wide variety of aircraft, and rose to the rank of GS-15 as the Flight Test branch manager and chief test pilot. While at the FAA, he became rated in and performed experimental test flights on numerous aircraft ranging from hot air balloons to WW-II aircraft, corporate and commercial jets, numerous helicopters, and even the Good Year blimp. He did some cutting-edge developmental work such as the design of the TCAS that is now standard in all commercial aircraft to give the pilots a real time cockpit display and guidance to prevent mid-air collisions. He also was the sole test pilot and consultant for the Levolor Racing Team and helped design and test fly the first WW-II fighter aircraft, a Hawker Sea Fury, to be successfully flown and raced at the Reno Air Races on nitro methane and alcohol race fuel. He left McDonnell Douglas to be the Chief Test Pilot and Program Manager for Enstrom Helicopters and helped develop their first turbine powered helicopter. In 1994, he was invited by Boeing to become a senior experimental test pilot on the V-22 Osprey Tiltrotor development program, working on the development flight testing of the MV-22 and CV-22 airframes and systems for the Marines and Air Force Special Ops missions. During that part of his career, he was fortunate to have been selected to take the V-22 to the Paris Airshow in 1995 and holds the distinction of having made the first flight of the Osprey in Europe. In 2003, he became the Chief Test Pilot and Manager for Boeing Rotorcraft production flight operations at the Mesa and Philadelphia flight test facilities. Bill flew over 107 different types of aircraft and logged over 9,650 flight hours over his military and industry flight test career. He held type ratings for fixed wing, lighter-than-air, rotary wing, and for over three years was the only person in the world to hold a license for powered lift. He took early retirement from Boeing in September 2005, entering seminary to answer the call into ministry. He became the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Globe, AZ in 2008. He was active in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, past president of Globe Rotary, was the Vice President of GILA House's board of directors and served with the Gila County Ministerial Association. He was an active member of Presbytery deCristo, serving on multiple committees over the years. He loved to sing and had a beautiful bass voice, singing in Glee clubs, choirs, and Gospel Quartets. He played the carillon at USMA, and even had the honor of singing twice on the Ed Sullivan show with the USMA choir. He was an excellent cook and loved to create special meals for his loved ones. He traveled to over 50 countries, spoke seven languages, and made friends everywhere he went. He had a wonderful sense of humor, a booming voice and laugh, liked fast cars and fast boats, and classical and pipe organ music . He had a passion to help the homeless and less fortunate and made serving others a daily part of his life. He survived stage IV throat cancer in 2015 and continued to work for the Lord to the very end. He was devoted to his wife, nuts about his kids and grandkids, and took joy in serving the Lord. He was a man of deep faith, and his desire was that all would come to know and love Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He is survived by his wife Mary Jo C. Norton and their children Michael R. Norton (Mary), Eric C. Norton (Abby), Robert D. Norton (Amber), Michael D. Watson (Michelle), Kathleen M. Kirkman (Phil), and 10 grandchildren. He is predeceased by his parents and one brother James R. Norton. Private interment will take place at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY at a later date. His service were held on Monday, April 12, 2021, at 1 pm, at First Presbyterian Church, Globe. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: First Presbyterian Church, PO Box 1362, Globe, AZ 85502 OR GILA House, P.O. Box 2174, Globe, Arizona 85502 (www.gilahouseinc.com)
Burial information: United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
This information was last updated 04/19/2021
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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025
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