On May 17, 2025, Douglas G. Matthews was formally inducted into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, honoring a lifetime of distinguished service to military and civilian aviation, warbird preservation, and flight innovation. A 28,000-hour pilot, Matthews began flying at age 14 and went on to serve two tours in Vietnam as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, flying 123 combat missions and earning 11 medals and ribbons, including 10 Air Medals. After his military service, he launched a remarkable civilian aviation career centered in Georgia, where he lived from 1972 to 2020.
Matthews spent 11 years flying for Delta Air Lines, piloting the DC-9, DC-8, B-727, and L-1011. He simultaneously pursued entrepreneurial ventures, founding The Flight International Group at Peachtree-DeKalb Airport—a diversified aviation services company that included charter operations with Boeing 727s, aircraft leasing, and flight support for military clients worldwide. He also established Georgia’s second airline, Flight International Airlines, and built the largest Fixed Base Operator (FBO) in the state, now part of Signature Aviation. Matthews’ impact extended well beyond business. A record-setting aviator, he has set nearly 100 U.S. National Aeronautics Association and FAI World Records, including the still-standing world altitude record for a reciprocating-engine powered aircraft at 42,560 feet. He also holds 26 type ratings in both standard and experimental aircraft.
A passionate warbird collector and airshow performer, Matthews owned over a dozen historic aircraft, including the iconic P-51 Mustang The Rebel and a combat-veteran Chance-Vought F4U-5 Corsair. He flew in more than 400 airshow performances before retiring in 2022, and competed for nine years at the Reno Air Races in both Jet and Unlimited classes.
Matthews is a lifetime member of the Commemorative Air Force, EAA, and Warbirds of America, and has been a dedicated member of the CAF’s Falcon Field unit in Peachtree City, Georgia, for over 40 years. In recognition of his contributions to aviation, he received the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in 2015 and was inducted as an honorary member of the American Fighter Aces Association in 2018. His accomplishments were also acknowledged in 1985 with a letter of commendation from Georgia Lt. Governor Zell Miller.
Doug Matthews’ induction into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame celebrates a legacy of innovation, courage, and unwavering dedication to preserving aviation history and inspiring future generations.
