The aviation world lost a giant last Friday when Ron Alexander was killed in the crash of his Jenny biplane shortly after takeoff at Atlanta-area Peach State Aerodrome in Williamson, Georgia. A passenger, reportedly an official with the FAA, was also killed in the crash. Authorities have not yet revealed that person’s name.
Alexander is perhaps best known in general aviation as the founder of Alexander Aeroplane, a supply company he created as an offshoot of one of his greatest passions, aircraft restoration. Alexander later sold the company to Aircraft Spruce & Specialty.
But Alexander was tied to the aviation community in many ways. He flew forward air control missions in Vietnam and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, he flew as an airline captain at Delta, he restored and toured with a Douglas DC-3 to encourage youth in aviation, and he ran workshops specially designed to give young people a chance to experience the joys of working on airplanes.
Details are still emerging about the crash, but witnesses have said they saw the Jenny biplane Alexander was flying catch fire while on departure before crashing into tall trees.
