Retired general from Lakeside honored as master pilot

Retired Air Force Brigadier General Tip Clark of Lakeside was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award at a recent meeting of the local Experimental Aircraft Association and  Montana Pilots Association at the Kalispell City Airport.

Jeff Vercoe, from the Helena office of the Federal Aviation Safety Team, made the presentation. Clark was recognized for “50 years of flying and in appreciation for his dedicated service, technical expertise, professionalism and many outstanding contributions that further the cause of aviation safety.”

According to Vercoe, this represents the highest award given by the FAA. In his comments, Vercoe cited a few of General Clark’s aviation accomplishments including serving over 29 years in the Air Force, qualifying as a commercial pilot with an instrument rating and remaining actively involved with general aviation.

Over his career, Clark, a command pilot, has logged over 4,700 hours in 30 different kinds of aircraft. As an Air Force fighter pilot, he flew several front line tactical fighters of their time: the F-100 Super Saber, F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

He has flown above 50,000 feet altitude, over Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound) and has flown fighters over both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In 1967 he flew 276 combat missions in Vietnam.

In accepting his award, Clark said that he was lucky to be picked up by an Army helicopter when his F-100 was shot down over Southeast Asia.

One of the highlights of his civilian flying experiences was flying a Breezy aircraft to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in recognition of 100 years of powered flight. The project, Kitty Hawk for Cancer, raised enough to purchase a computer system for the Cancer Center at Kalispell Regional Hospital.

 In his closing comments, the general said he was both humbled and honored to be given the award and join others who have received it.

Clark and his wife, Diane, are natives of the Flathead Valley.

Born in Kalispell in 1938, Clark graduated from Flathead High School in 1956. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Montana State University in 1960 and a master’s degree from Troy State University in 1976.

Clark completed Squadron Officer School in 1965, Air Command and Staff College in 1972, Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1974 and Air War College in 1976. He was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and graduated from pilot training at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona in 1962.

He was promoted to brigadier general July 1, 1987.