GORDON BOWMAN-JONES – The Voice of Aviation
Born 4/27/1947 - Passed 2/15/2015
One of the most professional and experienced voices in the air show business, is announcer and narrator Gordon Bowman Jones. Born in England and raised in Australia, regular air show visitors in many countries recognize his familiar "Aussie" accent from any of the hundreds of air shows that he has narrated all over the world. From New England to New Zealand and Tennessee to Tokyo, air show fans have been thrilled with his vivid narratives and engaging style for more than twenty years.
His stages have been many of the largest air shows in the world. International venues have included the Paris and Farnborough Air Shows, Berlin ILA Air Show, the NAF Atsugi Wings Shows in Japan, the Australian International Air Show and Skyrace Tasmania in Australia, the Swiss Buochs and Neuchatel Air Shows and Sky Show Monterrey in Mexico. Domestic mega-events include EAA Oshkosh, San Francisco Fleet Week, MCAS Miramar, NAS-JRB Willow Grove, Dayton Air Show, Edwards AFB, Andrews AFB, and the Reno National Championship Air Races.
Gordon Bowman Jones is also well known in millions of living rooms across North America. His busy schedule this year will include performances at more than thirty leading aviation events, many of which are being carried live in the broadcast media. The last NAS Sth. Weymouth Air Show in Boston was broadcast live by ABC television. Gordon joined personalities Chet Curtis and Natalie Jacobson for a production that was simultaneously hosted live to the event audience of over 200,000 and to a television viewing audience of more than three million. The Aerospace America Air Show in Oklahoma City was highlighted on the local ABC affiliate KOCO TV and was the feature of a national "Good Morning America" segment. You've seen him daily as the aviation expert for the "Popular Mechanics Show" on the Discovery Channel and as a host for "Ultimate Flights" and the "National Unlimited Sport Flying Championships" on ESPN -2.
One of his favorite roles was that of "Captain Cloud", which he created and played aboard the Queen Mary. "Captain Cloud and the Royal Flying Circus" thrilled thousands of visitors as part of Disney's year long "Voyage to 1939" production. His distinctive voice and countenance are featured in many aviation video specials and in the "Flight Video Magazine" aviation productions. In 1992 he was recognized by readers of General Aviation News and air show fans across the United States, who voted him their "FAVORITE AIR SHOW ANNOUNCER."
He has been distinguished by the FAA, who have recognized his work in aviation by appointing him as an Aviation Safety Inspector. He has also joined a former astronaut and a past U.S. President in being named an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Society. An avid aviation historian, he is well known for his wealth of knowledge related to almost anything that flies. His scrupulous attention to detail always provides an experienced mix of informative detail on exotic and unusual aircraft on display.
Readers of Plane & Pilot, In Flight and many other aviation magazines will recognize his name from articles he has authored on first hand flying experiences, civilian and military aircraft, "how-to" features on aircraft restoration and his many stories on air shows and the air show industry.
"I still vividly remember my first air show", Gordon said recently, "as a young boy in Australia, standing behind the yellow ropes with my Dad, at the RAAF base in Laverton, Victoria. I was enthralled, watching the RAAF TELSTARS perform in their de Havilland Vampires, and the supersonic Mirages ripping up the skies." He smiled and reflected, "That was where I first got the "bug". If I can impart to an air show audience even a fraction of the joy that I still vividly remember of that wonderful day in Australia, my long day on the announcer's stand was well worth it."
With more than 2000 hours of time in the air, Gordon Bowman Jones has owned and flown numerous aircraft from Auster's and Ercoupe's to Messerschmitt's and MiG's, even the GULF blimp! He has pursued a lifetime of flying interests, including gliding, sky diving and aerobatics. He currently flies an award winning 1943 Boeing Stearman PT 13D, which he fully restored in 1984 at his home base in California.
Please see demo of Gordon Bowman-Jones
The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJDYI0bC3MM
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