J. David Jones; Stunt Pilot, Coordinator of Aerial Filming

J. David Jones, 61, aerial coordinator and stunt pilot on films from “Apocalypse Now” to the recent “Con Air.” During his long career, Jones provided an aerial camera platform for about 400 films and television series and more than 1,000 commercials and documentaries. He was responsible for such memorable shots as the scene in “Funny Girl” featuring a long, carefully timed pullback from Barbra Streisand’s face to reveal her standing on the bridge of a tugboat in the middle of New York Harbor. Born in Pensacola, Fla., Jones began taking flying lessons when he was 14. He graduated from the University of Florida and earned his wings from the Naval Flight School while serving in the Marines. He flew crop dusters over banana plantations in Central America, was a bush pilot in Alaska, ferried firefighters for the U.S. Forest Service and was a test pilot for the Atomic Energy Commission before gravitating to Hollywood. Jones earned the Society of Operating Cameramen’s first lifetime achievement award for mobile camera platform operator and the 1985 best aerial stunt award from the Hollywood Stuntman Assn. Among Jones’ other recent films were “Speed,” “Wyatt Earp,” “Courage Under Fire” and “Twister.” On July 14 in Redway, Calif., of lung cancer.