Jim Graybill was born in Mason County Kentucky in 1933 and all he ever wanted to do was to fly. He grew up in Shelbyville where he washed airplanes at the grass strip to earn money for flying lessons. He soloed at age 16 from Bluegrass Airport. After Shelbyville High School, he attended Parks College, University of St. Louis studying Aeronautical Engineering. When he graduated from the University of Kentucky, with his BS in Aeronautical Engineering, he joined the United States Marine Corps, hoping to fly but fate intervened and Jim found himself training other Marines as a Drill Instructor at Paris Island, SC. This ability was something that was needed during the Korean Conflict and soon he found himself on the battlefield where he received a Purple Heart and a battlefield commission as Captain. Once out of the military, Jim worked as a flight instructor at Dick Bomer's Flying Service on Bluegrass Field and Dick Mulloy's Kentucky Flying Service at Bowman Field in Louisville. An airline slot opened and Jim found himself working for Eastern Airlines starting in 1961. During his career Jim has logged more than 33,000 hours flying a variety of aircraft including the Martin-404; Convair CV-440; Lockheed L-188, L-1011, L-1049G; Douglas DC-7, DC-9; Boeing B-720, B-727, B-737, B-747, B-757, B-767; Gulfstream G-IV, G-IV SP, plus numerous light single and twin-engine aircraft. Jim is Captain rated on the Boeing B-727, B-757, B-767, DC-9, L-188. He is also an FAA Pilot Examiner and check airman on Boeing B-727, B-757, B-767 and Gulfstream G-IV.

Jim retired from Eastern Air Lines in 1989, after the strike, and continued to work as a pilot in Amsterdam flying a B-757 for Air Holland. Back to the states, he joined FlightSafety Incorporated, Savannah, GA, and American Trans Air Airlines in Minneapolis, MN. Jim has written recurrent pilot examination guides for all G-IV instructors, examiners and check airmen. He participated in writing the syllabus for initial and recurrent G-IV students.

His ratings include Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, Airplane Multi-engine Land. Instructor ratings: CFI, CFII, MEI; Type Ratings: L-188, B-727, B-757, B-767, DC-9, and G-IV. FE Certificate: Reciprocating Engine Powered Aircraft, Turbo-prop and Turbo-jet Powered Aircraft; Commercial Pilot Privileges: Airplane, Single-engine Land. He attended classes at NASA in Cockpit Resource Management.

In January 2006 he retired from FlightSafety International, Savannah, GA and returned to Kentucky with his wife, Beverlee. He is an active volunteer with the Aviation Museum of Kentucky as a docent. He is also an avid collector of Eastern Airlines memorabilia. His house is literally a museum honoring the once proud airline.