Beaverdam, Virginia

Inducted in 2007, Captain Arnim L. Harris, Jr. began flying while in the U.S. Navy serving as an aircraft mechanic. Al soloed in December 1944. After the Navy he flew for Cavalier Aviation as a crop duster and then for Aero Industries under Dave Payne as a flight instructor and charter pilot. In 1952 he was the pilot for the Commanding General of the Corps of Engineers when they moved their base to Richmond. In 1953 he joined Eastern Airlines and flew for EAL until his retirement in 1985. While employed by Eastern he was the Chief Accident Investigator for the Air Line Pilots Association and their Air Safety Committee Chairman. He earned his degree in accident investigation from the University of Southern California. He investigated many accidents and represented the pilots throughout the investigative process. Al also served as an FAA designated ATP examiner and check airman for Eastern. In the 1980s he was appointed the Chairman of the Cockpit Design Committee for the Boeing 757, of which Eastern was the launch customer. In 1979 he was awarded the ALPA “Pilot of the Year”, which is the annual air safety award for “significant contributions to flight safety through many years of dedicated effort in accident investigation, aircraft certification and local safety representation.” When he retired in 1985 he had over 35,000 flying hours. He was a founding member of the Richmond Chapter of the QB and a docent at the Virginia Aviation Museum.