SAFE#: 0098 Hometown: Scotts Valley, California Home Airport: KWVI Occupation: High Tech in Silicon Valley Website: Straight-and-Level Aviation Education: MS, Aviation Safety Systems; Embry Riddle University Pilot Certificates: Commercial Pilot- ASEL AMEL; Instrument Airplane; Flight Instructor – ASEL, Instrument; Ground Instructor – Ground, Instrument; Gold Seal, MCFI 2005-2009 Airplanes Flying/Flown: BE35, BE36, BE77, C172, C182, PA24, PA28, PA32, PA34, PA44 Educational Specialty: Primary Instruction |
Q & A
| What drew you to aviation? I remember watching the Mercury launches in the early 1960s and staying up late just to see “High Flight” as the local station signed off. Since a young kid growing up in the south I knew one day I would fly too!
How long have you been involved in aviation education? Since the summer of 2001 when I spent my vacation to obtain the flight instructor certificate in Arizona.
What’s your favorite part of what you do in aviation education? The pilot’s smile when he/she passes the check ride.
What’s your least favorite part of what you do in aviation education? Figuring out what went wrong when the pilot doesn’t pass the check ride and motivating him/her to get back in the air.
Do you have a memorable aviation experience you’d like to share? A solo cross-country flight from North Carolina (my child hood home) to my current home in California. The experience was gratifying in every possible way: educational, personally satisfying, and spiritually insightful.
Why did you join SAFE? It’s member centric, professional, with a shared interest in openness.
What would you like to see change in aviation? The accident and incident rate continue to decrease, year after year.
Any suggestions on how the above might be accomplished? The new FITS effort (scenario-based – train-like-you-fly; fly-like-you-train concept) should become compulsory.
Any accomplishments in, or noteworthy contributions to aviation and/or aviation education you’d like to mention? I’m a flight instructor.
Who are your role models in aviation? Eugene Bullard, Woody Spears, Charles Bolden, Jr., and my favorite CFI Booker Anderson, Jr.
Anything else you’d like to add? Next time you are in Watsonville look me up! |