Wylie Apte, Jr.

Wylie L. Apte, Jr. --also known to his friends and family as 'Bunky' -- of North Conway, New Hampshire passed away suddenly from natural causes on March 5, 2012. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. In his native town of North Conway, Wylie was synonymous with the White Mountain Airport. He was a lifelong aviator, and was never happier than when he was flying.

Wylie Apte sr founded the airport as a fixed base barnstorming operation to give scenic airplane rides over the White Mountains around 1934 after Wylie jr was born. Wylie Jr. assumed control of the airport in 1970 after his father's death. His dream was to build a thriving municipal airport in the valley that would further the prosperity of North Conway. He devoted his life to the White Mountain Airport and aviation. At the height of its operations, the airport based a fleet of 5 restored World War II Waco UPF-7s, a Blanik sailplane, two helicopters, and four fixed wing aircraft. In the peak summer season the Airport provided approximately 300 sightseeing flights allowing over 600 visitors each day an opportunity to take in the grandeur of the White Mountains from the air.

Wylie was born in North Conway in 1934 at Memorial Hospital. He graduated from Kennett High School in 1952 then moved to attend college in Pasadena, California before joining the US Air Force as a second Lieutenant in 1956. Wylie was assigned to the Strategic Air Command 306th Bomber Wing at McGill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida flying KC-97 mid air refuelers. He did duty protecting the 'Dew line' in cold war operations and spent time on temporary duty at Newfoundland, Labrador and Greenland. His last tour of duty was in the Azores, Spain and England. He helped evacuate planes from McDill Air Force Base to Ohio in preparation for a major hurricane in 1960. Following his tenure with the Strategic Air Command, Wylie was active in the Air Reserve based in New Hampshire at Grenier Air Field in Manch