John G. Hite, Wilmington, has been a pilot for 56 years, but he made his real mark in aviation as a proponent of safety through standards for airworthiness. An Army Air Corps mechanic in World War II, he spent 28 years in maintenance at Atlantic Aviation, retiring in 1979 following 13 years as service manager at Wilmington. In that capacity and in years to follow as a consultant, he was a national leader in pressing flight safety through improvements in aircraft systems and maintenance.
Following the war, Hite served five years in the Delaware Air National Guard where he received an airframe and powerplant mechanic's rating. He won his private pilot's license in 1947.
Joining Atlantic Aviation in 1951, he advanced through the ranks: mechanic, lead mechanic, foreman and, in 1966, service manager-plus a succession of advanced ratings in his profession. After retirement, he served as an independent consultant for 12 years. Among his clients were the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and Flight Safety Foundation.
John and Doris Hite are the parents of a son, John Michael of Wilmington, and two daughters: Mrs. Barbara Fina and Mrs. Dianne Nichols, both of Newark.
