Norm Walker is a professional aviator, having flown over 14,000 hours in eight different military and commercial aircraft. He was born and raised in Danville, IL and attended the University of Colorado on a US Navy ROTC scholarship. Upon graduation in 1978, with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, he was commissioned into the US Navy.
Selected for the aviation community, Ensign Walker began flight school at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field, FL, training in the T-28B Trojan. He then advanced to jet training at NAS Beeville, TX flying the T-2C Buckeye and TA-4J Skyhawk. Walker earned his Navy Wings of Gold in December 1980. His first assignment was as SERGRAD (selectively retained graduate) training new students at VT-26 in the T-2C Buckeye. From there, he was stationed at NAS Miramar, CA joining the VF-51 Screaming Eagles flying the F-14A Tomcat for two deployments on the USS Carl Vinson from 1983 to 1986.
In 1986, he was stationed at the Pacific Missile Test Center (PMTC) Targets Directorate at NAS Point Mugu, CA where he flew the QF-86F Sabre and QF-4 Phantom for three years.
In 1989, Walker returned to NAS Miramar, CA flying the F-14A Tomcat assigned to VF-213 Blacklions. He completed two more deployments aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Abraham Lincoln. In 1992, he was temporarily assigned to the VF-21 Freelancers aboard the USS Independence in the Persian Gulf. Lieutenant Commander Walker led the first division of F-14A Tomcats across the Iraqi border in Operation Southern Watch on August 27, 1992.
Before leaving the US Navy in 1993, Walker had completed about 600 carrier arrested landings on seven different aircraft carriers.
Walker continued his aviation career by joining FedEx Express in 1995. He started as a Flight Engineer on the Boeing 727 based in Memphis, TN and advanced to co-pilot of the MD-11F in Anchorage, AK, Memphis, TN and Los Angeles, CA. In 2005, he became qualified as a Captain in the MD-11F based in Los Angeles, CA. This is the position he holds today.
Walker is a Trustee for the Fusenot Foundation, a California non-profit organization. Walker resides in San Diego, CA with his wife Grace. They have two daughters, Jacqueline and Madeline, and a grandson Roy.