| 1912 | Ray I. Petersen was born August 10, 1912 in York, Nebraska |
| 1928 | got his first airplane ride as part of a barter agreement between a pilot and a farmer |
| 1930 | earned his commercial license |
| 1934 | landed in Seward, Alaska as a stowaway with $300 in his pocket and in four days was flying for a living for Les Plumb’s Anchorage Airways. Also flew for Star Airways and Marsh Airways |
| 1935 | formed Bethel Airways with partner John Littley |
| 1936 | Bethel Airways went out of business after both of its airplanes crashed |
| 1937 | founded Ray Petersen’s Flying Service using a Ryan B1 Brougham |
| 1939 | married Marie Antoinette (Toni) Schodde |
| 1947 | Northern Consolidated Airlines is formally approved by the CAB after Petersen merges his air service with several other pioneering air carriers. |
| 1952 | Petersen implements the first pension plan for the airline industry |
| 1968 | Wien Alaska Airlines merges with Northern Consolidated creating Wien Consolidated |
| 1969 | Ray Peterson becomes chief Executive officer of Wien Consolidated |
| 1979 | Petersen leaves the airline business |