He was born in Angola Indiana,and while still in grade school,he made model airplanes and read about crosswind landings in encyclopedias.At the age 15,he had his first ride in an OX5 Swallow.Two years later,he design and flew his own hang glider-biplane and monoplane,purchased a partially completed Alco Sports Monoplane,and installed a motorcycle engine on it.In 1930 Lewis began formal flight instruction and by 1932,with five different pilots providing instructions,Lewis soloed in his own Waco 10 airplane.
From 1923-1937,the branstromed throughout Indiana and Ohio,earning money as he acquired a Transport Pilot's License.In 191939,he was re-rated to commercial License with Instructor Rating.That same year,he earned a B.S. degree in Education at Indiana Wesleyan University.Lewis taught in the public schools.His real love was flying,and in 1940,he joined Cornelius Coffey in the Coffey and Jackson Flying School in Chicago,and completed advanced acrobatic training at Chicago School of Aeronautics.
In October of the same year,he went to Tuskegee where,he was appointed Director of training at the Army Air Corps 66th Flight Training Detachment,which prepared pilots who would eventually fly in the 99th Pursuit Squadron.As director,he guided the school to high standards of performance and on three different occasions,his students ranked first when compared to the other 22 schools in the Southeast Army Air Corps Training Command.After the war Lewis moved to Ohio,became an FAA Flight Examiner,and tested over 400 pilots flight certifications from 1947-1960.
He developed an aircraft computer called a NAV-KIT which was used by many pilots in obtaining their licenses.His other activities and successes included a multi-engine rating and appointment to the Citizens Advisory Committee,FAA,President of Experimental Aircraft Association.In 1948,Lewis received his Master's Degree from Miami University,Oxford Ohio,and 1950,a Ph.D in Higher Education in the United States from Ohio State University.The title of his dissertation was "A study of Aviation Courses and facilities in Higher Education in the United States with Predictions and Future Trends." Lewis spent a year as associate professor of Aviation at Ohio State University and wrote an unpublished book titled,"The Fundamentals of Flight."
His life was also dedicated to education as well as avivation.Lewis began teaching in 1936 in a one-room,eight-grade school.After World War II in 1946,he began teaching at the college level,and served in many college and university administrative positions,including Graduate Dean,Dean of Students,Vice President for Academic Affairs,Acting President and President,Central State University,and Acting President and Vice President for Administration at Sinclair Community College.
Another of Dr.Jackson's great interests was in entrepreneuship.In 1974 he fostered the business entrepreneur program at Sinclair Community College.He felt that more students should think as employers and thus be more self-reliant;that in this way,students would be taught to create employment.He receive many honors;Distinguished Alumnus Award,Indiana Wesley University,Alumni Association;Frontier Award,First Frontiner Inc;Pioneer,Achievement,Trail Blazer Award,Avivation Adminstration,Certificate of Appreciation,xenia Area Development Corporatiom.
He served a number of years of the Greene County Regional Airport and the Board of Directors of the Xenia Area Development Corporation."An Airplane in every garage" was a goal of Dr.Jackson.Until a few months before his death,he was still working on such a design that would accommodate the common man-an airplane which could be stored at home and towed or driven to the airport.In 1956 Dr.Jackson created and flew Versatile I (the first of ten experimental airplanes) developed to served as both an airplane and a car.The idea was to drive it to the airport,take off ,return,and then drive it home.
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