Bob Cummings - flying roots

Bob Cummings has long been one of our favorite actors. My son, Joshua, pointed out to me that his godfather was Orville Wright, the aviation pioneer. He taught Cummings to fly, and while he was still in high school he gave flying lessons for $5 each. When the government began licensing flight instructors, he was issued flight instructor certificate #1, making him the first official instructor in the United States. Naturally, during World War II, he joined the Army Air Corps, serving as a flight instructor. After the war, he served in the Reserve, where he reached the rank of Captain.