Been there, done that in many areas – military pilot, husband, parent, airline pilot, TV weather anchor, aviation analyst/reporter, concert musician, media producer, grandparent, actor – and more. Offered here are Jim Tilmon’s lifes accomplishments and on the pages within this site, his thoughts and how belief played an integral part in everything he did.

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Jim Tilmon (James Alphonso Tilmon, Sr.) lived on this earth from July 31, 1934 until
January 16, 2021. Born and raised in Oklahoma, at age 5 Jim saw his first airplane as it
flew overhead near his home. He decided that day to become a commercial airline pilot,
a nearly impossible dream for a Black kid in 1939. After many challenges and setbacks,
but thanks to military ROTC programs being available, Jim began his flying career in the
U.S. Army as a fixed-wing airplane and helicopter pilot. He served 8 years in the Army
Corps of Engineers and was stationed at bases in the U.S. and in Hanau, Germany. In
Germany Jim was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for commanding his aviation platoon accident free for his entire tour of duty. Jim was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.

From the Army he went to fly for American Airlines as a commercial pilot for nearly 30 years. His childhood dream was fulfilled 26 years after his goal had been set. Holding on to unwavering belief that he would take his place in a commercial airline cockpit, Jim was the 3rd African American hired to fly by American and the 5th overall in the United States. He flew the DC-6, DC-7, BAC 1-11 and Boeing 727 and was also an instructor on the BAC 1-11. He represented American Airlines in Vice-President Hubert Humphrey’s Plans for Progress Task Force on Youth Motivation, a program to enlighten minority students about expanding opportunities in industry and to inspire them to seek careers in areas they may have thought impossible. Based in Chicago, Illinois for his entire airline career he retired with the rank of Captain.

During his time with American he also began a successful broadcast television career.
Beginning in 1968 he hosted a live weekly show “Our People” on the PBS station WTTW in Chicago, the first show of its kind in the United States, produced by, for and about Black people. His own production company, Tilmon Productions, Inc. was instrumental in the operation of “Our People” that was on the air for four years. He then spent 22½ years with NBC owned station WMAQ-TV in Chicago where he hosted a live, Emmy winning weekly show “Tilmon Tempo” and was an on-air weather forecaster/anchor/aviation analyst.

In 1993 a tribute to his 25 years of service as a Chicago journalist was read into the Congressional Record of the United States. He was also an aviation reporter for the FOX stations in Chicago and Phoenix and for 3 years was the on-air weather forecaster/anchor/ aviation analyst for WBBM-TV Chicago. He was frequently asked for his aviation expert analysis by worldwide media entities. Jim also worked with legal firms as an aviation and weather expert witness.

He was given the Silver Circle Award for significant contributions to the TV industry
for 25 years and named a Trailblazer History Maker by the DuSable Museum of African
American History in Chicago. He was inducted into the Chicago Senior Citizens Hall of
Fame and given the Luminary Senior Award for making “significant and continuing
contributions to the social and cultural life in the City of Chicago”.

As a boy Jim always had a keen interest in music. Classically trained, he studied clarinet from the age of 11 and finished first in performance competitions throughout his high school years. He completed his academic studies at Lincoln University in Missouri with a major in music and a minor in education.

Music remained important to Jim throughout his adult life. While in Hanau, Germany he
was instrumental in creating the Hanau Post Community Theatre Chorus. It consisted of
American dependents, German nationals from the community, German nationals who
worked at the military Post, and military people with everything from a PFC to a bird
colonel. They had concert and musical theatre performances, in small and large cathedrals, on the military post and on Armed Forces Radio. The Fifth Army band supported the group by playing for their performances. During the time he lived in Illinois he played first chair clarinet with the Lake Forest Symphony and E-flat clarinet with the Evanston Symphony. He played keyboard and vibes. Branching away from his classical training, Jim was also known to play Jazz clarinet with some of his keyboard-playing friends. He also created and recorded a CD of relaxation music titled Soft Songs (originally called Angel Whispers). Jim created original music for video and audio productions including a made for television motion picture. Some of his works are still being used in conjunction with a one-woman dramatic performance, “Winterkill”.

He acted in an episode of the TV series E.R and made a cameo appearance in the motion picture “Flight”.

Jim was often sought after as a motivational speaker and has authored two books – “Age Is an Attitude, Tips and Tricks for Young People Over 60” that points out your age is not automatically a deterrent to starting something new or a limitation to your dreams – and “I Just Wanted to Fly” that follows his life journey from age 5 to an airline cockpit and beyond. “Age Is an Attitude” is available as an eBook and “I Just Wanted to Fly” is available in print format.

Jim Tilmon lived his dream. An ongoing goal was to share the many life lessons he learned in an effort to help others find their route to success and happiness. He was particularly pleased when others discovered that route to be through the beauty of flight and flying. He always hoped the telling of his story would be an inspiration to do just that.

More than anything, Jim Tilmon just wanted to fly. He credited his success to a strong belief that he would reach his goal regardless of what others thought or what opposition he might face along the way. His parents also believed in him and that he would succeed. His father first instilled in Jim the power of belief and how to act on it. His mother always encouraged him to always reach beyond what was considered ordinary. From every view, in so many ways, that is what he did.

Jim Tilmon was a good man, an accomplished man, a generous and giving man who will truly be missed. But above all he was a loving son, brother, husband, father, uncle, cousin, friend, and mentor. Take comfort that now all of his flights will be without turbulence, his wings will remain level and all his landings smooth as silk.