B.C. Thomas was named an “Outstanding Graduate” of Denison High School in Denison, TX and delivered the commencement address to 2014 graduates of DHS.
After graduating from SMU with a B.S. in mathematics in 1964 and an M.S. in statistics in 1966, Thomas entered the United States Air Force and served a 22-year career as a military pilot, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His service career includes a combat tour in Vietnam, graduation from the Air Force Test Pilot School and 11 years as an operational reconnaissance and test pilot in the SR-71, the world’s fastest and highest flying aircraft.
He logged more flight hours in the SR-71 than any other pilot and is the only person to have flown all three U.S. Air Force high-altitude (above 60,000 feet) reconnaissance aircraft: the RB-57F, U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird.
Following his retirement from the Air Force, he was a flight test engineer for the Northrop B-2 Stealth Bomber. He also served as a flight test captain for United Airlines, flying the airline’s entire fleet of commercial aircraft.
Thomas lives in Foster City, CA.
