KNIGHT PROWLING FOR A JET FORMER PILOT TAKES FIRST TOUR OF NAMESAKE HIGH SCHOOL.Byline: Peggy Peggy may refer to:
PALMDALE - State Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight said he is trying to acquire a surplus military jet - preferably pref·er·a·ble adj. More desirable or worthy than another; preferred: Coffee is preferable to tea, I think. pref one he flew during his Air Force career - to mount at the high school named for him. Knight and his wife, Gail, made their first official tour Friday of newly opened Knight High School, where he was welcomed by banners and students waving pompoms in black and gold - the school colors. ``I'd like to get an F-100 but if I can't get a 100, I'll settle for a T-38 or a F-86, whatever,'' said Knight. He said he would ``finagle and, you know, beg, borrow and steal and see what we can come up with.'' Knight flew an F-100 Super Sabre fighter jet in Vietnam and was a test pilot on the T-38 jet trainer at Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. in 1959 and 1960. School officials gave Knight a baseball cap, shirt, school planner and pen all inscribed in·scribe tr.v. in·scribed, in·scrib·ing, in·scribes 1. a. To write, print, carve, or engrave (words or letters) on or in a surface. b. To mark or engrave (a surface) with words or letters. with the school logo. ``I can't tell you how honored I am to be here and participating in the first class,'' said Knight, 73, wearing the baseball cap as he addressed the 850 ninth-graders from a second-floor walkway walkway Rehabilitation medicine An instrument used to measure the timing of foot contact and or position of the foot on the ground . ``When you graduate, you will have made history. You will never know what it is to be an underclassman. You will always be the upper class.'' To prime students for the senator's visit, the school conducted a daily trivia contest, with questions about his Air Force and political careers asked over the campus public-address system pub·lic-ad·dress system n. Abbr. PA An electronic amplification apparatus installed and used for broadcasting in public areas. public-address system Noun . Teens got prizes for correct answers. A test pilot and Vietnam combat veteran, Knight earned astronaut's wings in 1967 for flying the X-15 rocket plane rocket plane n. 1. An aircraft powered by one or more rocket engines. 2. An aircraft designed to carry and launch rockets. into space. On his most famous X-15 flight, on Oct. 3, 1967, Knight flew to 4,520 mph - Mach 6.7 - a speed record that still stands. Retiring from the Air Force in 1982, he served as Palmdale's mayor from 1988 to 1992. He was elected in 1992 to the state Assembly, then in 1996 to the state Senate. ``It's really neat for the kids, not only that they can learn about it, but that he's here today. The kids are really excited. Especially because he's accomplished so many things over so many years in different areas. He's a real good role model,'' said Principal Michael Vierra. ``They kept asking over and over again: Is he really going to be here? It's hard for them to realize ... he's actually going to take the time to come on campus and go to assembly with them.'' Knight plans to donate a bust of himself from his office to the school, along with other memorabilia mem·o·ra·bil·i·a pl.n. 1. Objects valued for their connection with historical events, culture, or entertainment: posters, publicity photographs, and other movie memorabilia. 2. . ``When they get established I can give them all kinds of stuff ... whatever they think they can display,'' said Knight. Peggy Hager, (661) 267-5741 peggy.grimm-hager(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Antelope Valley Union High School District The Antelope Valley Union High School District (A.V.U.H.S.D.) is located in the Antelope Valley area of California, in northern Los Angeles County. The district includes eight public high schools, one trade school, and two continuation high schools in the cities of Palmdale trustee Jim Lott, left, welcomes state Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight and Gail Knight to Knight High School on Friday, with Principal Michael Vierra, right. (2 -- color) Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight observes a computer class at the new Knight High School in Palmdale. Knight hopes to donate a military jet to the school. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer |
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