SkyWest Airllines

About Me

Growing up in Washington, DC, I was interested in Erector Sets, and Lionel trains (OH gauge), and then electronics. I became a ham radio operator at age 12 (WA3CZZ and now Amateur Extra K1PK) and won a soldering iron at a hamfest for being the youngest ham there in 1965. I built a Heathkit Color TV for my godfather and watched the first moonwalk on it 10 days after receiving the kit.

 

I think I had my first plane ride, around 1962. It may have been a DC-3, from NJ to DC, but that memory is very vague. Later my godfather worked for the FAA and became a pilot, and took me on a few flights in a Cherokee 140 in 1965 or so.

A few dollars after college (as a result of working for Digital Equipment Corp), I started flying because I'd always wanted to. And I've been flying since 1976, accumulating over 6400 hours and many different FAA ratings. I've been as far as Barrow, AK, the farthest north American city. And I've also flown quite a few different aircraft.

 

If you ask me why I fly, my answers don't make sense to the brain. All I can say is that when I'm up in the air, the world is a different place. It makes more sense up there away from the confusion and hate on the ground. If you press me further, I can offer you only a collage of things that are more felt than seen. I feel truely blessed to be a member of the aviation fraternity. You just have to experience it for yourself.

 

Some of my favorite things about flying (apologies to Julie Andrews :-):

(More Things!)