Cold War Veteran Lives His Dream, Still Flies Harrier Jump Jet

Air Medal USMC honoree Art Nalls talks what it means to still fly at age 62

by Brandon Neilan

If you were to ask Art Nalls what he wanted to be growing up, he’d probably say a Harrier pilot. That’s not to say nothing else never crossed his mind, just when he hit the Naval Academy running and flew in a jet his first time, he thought to himself — this is my career, this is my life.

When I told my friends I was buying a Harrier, they thought I was crazy. I drive a 10-year-old pickup. But my passion was for flying the Harrier jet, and I put my money there. I won’t be able to pass the flight physical forever. So I train replacement pilots. I don’t need to be flying one of these planes to keep it flying.

Art Nalls graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering “With Merit.” After 22 years of service and retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he sought after building his own real estate company to improve the states of Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

I loved not only the Marine Corps, but I loved being around Marines.

But with that, the company did well, enacting Nalls to follow his life-long dream — that of opening his own aviation company he coined as Nalls Aviation.

Nalls love of the Harrier and its vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) is one of due just. On April 29, 1983 during a training flight near Richmond, Virginia, Nalls’ Harrier lost all engine power. This led to drastic measures, as the engine failure occurred at significant altitude — Nalls glided the Harrier to a civilian airport and performed a deadstick landing, stopping just 50 feet short from the runway’s end.

Thus, Nalls earned the Air Medal.

There was also the time Art Nalls’ Harrier hydraulics failed, Nalls declared an emergency landing and landed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. As the jet touched down, the landing gears collapsed and settled hard on the runway. Towed by a pickup truck, Nalls dressed as Santa Claus waving to bystanders, as if nonchalant shrugging it off.

The Harrier was okay and damage was only minor.

Nalls also participated in the 1982 Northern Wedding, a NATO Cold War military exercise, which was designed to test NATO’s ability to rearm and resupply Europe during times of war.

I’m just enjoying life everyday as it comes, life was meant to be lived, so I plan on living it until I can’t do it anymore.

Nalls Aviation now does multiple air shows, community, remembrance, and memorial events a year and consists of two Harrier jump jets. One of which is a two seater, designed for training and testing purposes. Nalls continues to train the next generation of Harrier pilots.

In total, Nalls has flown over 75 types of aircraft and performed more than 400 launches from an aircraft carrier.

He’s still flying and continues to live his dream. See the full 2015 Veterans Day spotlight (below):