Miss. Wing's Tom Simmons honored as 'Master Pilot'

MISSISSIPPI -- Tom Simmons, a captain with Civil Air Patrol's Mississippi Wing, is the latest recipient of the prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by the Federal Aviation Administration in recognition of his 50 years of safe aviation. Simmons lives in Gulfport and flies with the Mississippi Wing's Col. Berta A. Edge Composite Squadron in Biloxi. In receiving the Wright Brothers award, Simmons joins a unique fraternity of fliers. Only 1,473 pilots have received the award over the past 50 years.