~ IN MEMORY ~
NWA Capt. James T. Hancock
June 7, 1945 ~ May 17, 2025
From friends and family we have learned of the
passing of retired Northwest Airlines pilot Captain James “Jim” Thorson
Hancock, age 79. Jim joined Northwest
Airlines 07-10-1967. He is survived by
his wife Vikki, and by his many friends, family members and colleagues.
For those who may wish to send a personal note, I
see the family’s residence listed in whitepages as
1690 ERCOUPE LN.,
SOUTH SAINT PAUL MN 55075-3559
We understand that a Celebration of Life event
will be held in the coming days.
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
PCN memorial site
========================
Captain James T. (Jim) Hancock, age 79, passed away on May 17th after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Jim was born at Bremerton, WA to Ralph and Marie (Thorson) Hancock on June 7, 1945. His father, Ralph, was a butcher who owned a small grocery store that provided meat refrigeration unit rentals. Jim had one sibling, a half-brother named Alan, who died later in life.
Jim attended public schools in Bremerton, where he was a good student and particularly enjoyed baseball, excelling as a catcher. He was also active in Boy Scouts and boating activities. His passion for flying began with flying lessons after graduating from high school.
Initially considering a career as a Lutheran pastor, Jim enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University. However, his love for flying led him to switch to an aviation management program at the University of Illinois at Champaign. This was a productive time for Jim, during which he acquired essential FAA pilot ratings, including Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Multiengine ratings, as well as an Aircraft and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic license. While at the University of Illinois, Jim lived in a camper in the driveway of friends at Champaign-Urbana.
In addition to his FAA ratings and licenses, Jim developed considerable skill at skydiving. As he approached completion of his AA degree, he applied to Northwest Airlines (NWA) as a pilot candidate and was hired on July 10, 1967. To complete his degree, Jim and NWA agreed to delay his reporting date, a decision he would later humorously lament due to the impact on his seniority.
In 1967, potential airline pilots had to consider military service in their career plans. Shortly after starting with NWA, Jim was drafted into the Army. He served 18 months on the DMZ in Korea, returning to his career at NWA afterward.
Jim began his NWA career as a second officer on Boeing 727s. His ascent through the ranks was typical, and his FAA ratings on his ATP certificate read: DC-3, 727, DC-10, 757, A-320, 747, 747/400 and Rotor Wing. He used his GI Bill benefits to obtain the DC-3 type rating and a helicopter rating. Throughout his NWA career, Jim was based at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), Detroit, and Anchorage. During labor strikes, he flew the DC-3 for Shamrock Airlines at Crystal Airport, transporting sport fishermen north to the interior of Canada.
Family was always a priority for Jim. His first marriage produced two sons, Mike and Steve. Today Mike is a home builder in Central America and Steve a captain for Southwest Airlines.
Jim’s career diversified into flight training management, and he eventually became a highly respected NWA flight training manager for the Boeing 757 and 747/400. After mandatory FAA retirement, he remained involved with NWA, doing test and ferry work and serving as a simulator instructor.
While working with NWA Flight Training (NATCO) Jim met his later-in-life wife, Vicki.
Jim had a diverse range of aviation interests, owning four airplanes: a Cessna 170, a RLU-1 Breezy experimental, a Pitts Model 12, and a Beechcraft Travel Air Model 95. His initial interest in Sky Diving brought him much joy, and he completed over 1,000 jumps. His Cessna 170 was modified to include a jump door, allowing him to jump with his son Steve. Jim was certified as a parachute rigger and a regular attendee at the annual EAA convention in Oshkosh, WI, where he never missed a fly-in and often flew Bell helicopters on local tours. A natural teacher, he shared his love of flying with his sons, wife, and stepdaughter.
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