John Lear on "A Day With an Extraterrestrial" (Lou Baldin)

John Lear, 67, retired airline captain and former CIA contract pilot with over 19,000 hours of flight time, over 11,000 in command of 3 or 4 engine jet transports, has flown over 100 different types of aircraft in 60 different countries around the world. He retired in 2001 after more than 40 years of flying. Son of Learjet inventor, Bill Lear, John holds more FAA airman certificates than any other FAA certificated airman. These include the Airline Transport Pilot certificate with 23 type ratings, Flight Instructor, Flight Engineer , Flight Navigator, Ground Instructor, Aircraft Dispatcher, Control Tower Operator, Parachute Rigger and Mechanic, rated for both Airframe and Powerplant. John flew for the CIA in Southeast Asia where between 1972 and 1973 logged 560 missions of which over half were combat missions. He was shot down once. He also flew contract missions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa between 1977 and 1982. During the last 17 years of his career John worked for several passenger and cargo airlines as Captain, Check Airman and Instructor. He was certificated by the FAA as a North Atlantic Navigation Check Airman. He has extensive experience as command pilot and instructor in the Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8 and Lockheed L-1011. John held 17 world records including Speed Around the World in a Lear Jet Model 24 set in 1966 and was presented the PATCO (Professional Air Traffic Controller's Association) award for Outstanding Airmanship in 1968. He is a Senior Vice-Commander of the China Post 1, the American Legions Post for “Soldiers of Fortune”, a 28 year member of the Special Operations Association and member of Pilotfor911truth.org. John has 4 daughters, 4 grandchildren and lives with his wife of 38 years, Las Vegas business woman Marilee Lear in Las Vegas, Nevada.