Lt. Col. Jacob "Bud" Iles USMC, ret.

I flew with Bud for many years at Grumman St. Augustine. He was my Manager but more importantly he was my mentor. I learned so very much from Bud that I still use as lessons to the next generation of flight testers today. Bud was very serious when it came to flight test but one day while he and I were flying an A-6E Bud did an unexpected split S, dove the aircraft down to 50' above the waves and sped towards the coastline. This was quite unexpected and when I looked over to him quizzically...

I am grateful to have known and work with Bud. He was a demanding test pilot who wanted his Plane Captains to give their very best for Safety and Quality. Have a great flight Bud!! Thanks for everything!!

Bud was a man's man. I would not trade 20 Brad Pitts or maybe 10 Tim Tebows for 1 of Bud. When he attended our suppers and gatherings at Shores Church I would always love to engage his mind. His intellect would always challenge and stimulate my thinking. He was the Right Stuff.

My condolences to the family. I worked with Bud about fifteen years in the government aircraft test programs. He was a great pilot, and was very involved with maintence ground crews, for feedback. Sometimes he would fly as many as four different types of test aircraft in a day. That was remarkable for a pilot. He was always stressing cockpit management. He save numerous aircraft because his knowledge and wisdom.

“Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he...

My condolences to the family. My father spoke of times flying with "Bud" in N.Y. and the respect he had for him. When I first came to St. Augustine and met Bud I was fortunate to get to know him and came to respect him like so many others.

I knew Bud as a classmate at the US Navy Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, MD. We were both helicopter-rated pilots, Bud from the Marines and me from the US Army. I quickly acquired a great respect for him as a pilot and as a friend. After graduation, our paths didn't cross again until recently at an air show in Stuart, FL where we were able to chat for about ten minutes. I intended to renew our friendship when we moved to St. Augustine but sadly, the clock ran out. I now extend my deepest...

Bud was my first test Pilot at GRUMMAN when I was a plane captain on the flightline in the early 90's. He used to visit us from time-to-time on the line when we were getting his plane ready for flight...he'd show up in his orange filght suit, and then go thru all the pockets looking for a cigarette; finally, after searching thru his suit to no avail someone would offer him one. Many, many memories...RIP Bud

Bud, your pilot's qualifications are now valid for all eternity. Time to buzz the tower.

my condolence's to the family,I'll miss"Bud",he made working here fun,even after he retired.Now he's flying with LES again