Phoenix Rising

Born in Columbus, Ohio in 1941, John Gasho was 4 years old when the family moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he has resided ever since. John was destined to be involved with aviation. He took his first commercial passenger flight when he was 12 days old. After a tour in the Air Force, he entered civilian life and furthered his education. While employed, he found time, on the G.I. Bill, to learn to fly. He bought and eventually restored a 1939 Piper J-4 Cub to original factory condition. That aircraft now hangs at the Pima Air and Space Museum. His company, Western International Aviation, Inc. has restored, modified, regenerated and done original certifications for more than 500 surplus military aircraft. He has also, flown many of those same aircraft, delivering them to various parts of the world. Equally significant, he has designed and built special tooling, machines, instrument panels, engine stands, propeller dollies and various other innovations, which enhance and assist the aviation community to do a better job. Many of his former employees have gone on to highly successful careers in aviation.