Bernard King
Professor of aeronautics
Aviation expert Bernard "Barney" King, professor of aeronautics at Kansas State University
Salina, has been in the business for more than three decades. His passion for flying
is rooted in his military background.
King graduated as a second lieutenant in the infantry from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1969. While flying in a transport helicopter during a tour in Vietnam from 1970-1971, King became interested in aviation. Six years later, he was flying military helicopters -- first the Huey, then the Black Hawk UH 60.
King served as an Army aviator for more than 20 years. After retiring in 1992, he worked as a flight instructor and government contractor before joining the K-State Salina faculty in 1998.
In 2001 he was designated a Master Certified Flight Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors, becoming the first from K-State Salina and the sixth Kansan to earn the honor.
King received his master's degree in secondary education from Georgia State University in 1975 and a master's degree in computer resource and information management from Webster University, Kansas City, Mo., in 1996 He attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in 1983 and the U.S. Air Force's Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in 2000.
Among King's many awards are a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Valor, two Purple Hearts and two Army Commendation medals. He was named Academic Adviser of the Year for 1999-2000 and 2002-2003.
King currently is a volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol, serving as a finance officer of the Kansas Wing and as an incident commander.
King can be reached at 785-826-2683 or kingb@sal.k-state.edu.