Wings of Her Dreams: Alaska Bush & Glacier Pilot, Kitty Banner

A reflection and look at the adventures during Kitty Banner’s time in Alaska. Experience her flights, landings, and takeoffs on high altitude glaciers loaded with gear and mountain climbers from all over the world who came to Talkeetna to attempt ascent of one of the toughest mountains on earth, Denali. Kitty Banner was born into a loving, adventurous, Irish-American family in Chicago, Illinois, joining three older brother and welcoming a second younger sister. The siblings enjoyed excellent guidance from their parents, who encouraged them to contribute to the work of the family business, to live life fully, to be considerate of others, and to strive for excellence. All generously shared their variety of interests, which ranged from hiking, fishing, climbing, target shooting, sailing and water sports, to snow skiing, horseback riding: and, in the case of her brothers, a passion for flying. Kitty was captivated by aviation and tried sky-diving before taking her first flying lesson from a unique and accomplished aerobatic pilot, a professor of geomorphology and flight instructor, David Rahm. Once licensed as a pilot, Kitty went on to obtain an instrument rating, her Commercial License, and her Glider and Flight Instructor Ratings. Inspired at the age of 14 by the motivational exhortations of Wilferd Peterson, author of The Art of Living, Kitty, in turn, became a motivation and inspiration to all who came into contact with her. Having visited Alaska at age 19, hiking and exploring with a friend, Kitty could scarcely wait to return and, by age 22 with her pilot license in hand, she revisited Alaska, where she excelled. Kitty flew as a Bush Pilot and as a Glacier Pilot, mastering a variety of aircraft including heavy load transport with tundra tires on off-airport remote sites; seaplane and float operations, landings and takeoffs on the ice and snow of high altitude glaciers; and flying with exterior loads as well as exterior mounted cameras for aerial filming and action photography. Kitty s evacuation flights included, among others, a newborn baby and his mother, survivors of two separate aircraft crashes, many mountain climbers from a world-wide number of countries, countless hunters and fisherman,and even sled dogs. Kitty s more unique projects included: Aerial Photography of Mt. McKinley, Denali, and the Alaska Range with Wili P. Burkhardt, Switzerland; The Bush Pilot Film with German filmmaker, Martin Schliessler for German television; Aerial flying in Little Switzerland for Mt. McKinley National Park film by filmmaker, Robert Fulton; A Documentary about Alaskan Bush/Glacier Flying with Sir Edmund Hillary that included Kitty as Seaplane Flight Instructor for John Denver, already a licensed jet pilot; She flew as a contract pilot for Talkeetna Air Taxi, Hudson Air Service, Doug Geeting Aviation, and for Jim Okonek, K2; Kitty is often named as the inspiration for the role of Maggie O’Connell played so well by actress Janine Turner in the made-for-television series Northern Exposure. Kitty had much to learn and to experience; to quote Holly Sheldon of Sheldon Air Service, one of the first chicks to become an accomplished glacier pilot. The Alaska Air Carriers Association & The Alaska Aviation Community honored Kitty Banner and Kimball Forrest as an Aviation Legend. Kitty Banner and Kimball Forrest were the next generation of pilots by creating K2 Aviation.