Professional Pilot, September 2016
Squawk Ident There was a television cartoon series called Skyhawks that was aired on ABC in autumn 1969 and captured my interest when I was 9 years old The series ran from Sep 1969 through Sep 1971 and I was an avid viewer Episodes with Mike Cap Wilson chief pilot and leader of the Wilson Crew mainly saved lives with daring search and rescue flights Cap Wilson was my hero I fell in love with aviation from exposure to this tv series and never considered anything else as a career Jon Vannest ATP Pilatus PC12 Chief Pilot Mar Aviation Boardman OH Growing up I didnt have any mentors leading me to a career in aviation Senior week in high school I flew aboard an airliner with a group of friends to Walt Disney World Although this had not been my 1st airline flight there was something about this particular flight that inspired me I came back home after senior week asking my very understanding dad if I could start taking flying lessons He agreed that I could came a flying Navy captain brought me aboard the carrier JFK to see an F4 up close It left such a huge impression on me that I later became an Army helicopter pilot and ultimately ending up as a captain at UPS Kenneth Hand ATP Boeing 757 200 B767 300 Captain United Parcel Service Queensbury NY Before I joined the Army I didnt even know another pilot But my grandfather used to take me to Willow Run in Detroit to watch airplanes This led me to love airplanes and coupled with his encouragement I had a strong incentive to be a pilot I gravitated to helicopters and flew them in Vietnam as an Army pilot Even though he was not a pilot my grandfather planted the seed that grew with my aviation career Patrick Cannon ATP Beechjet 400A MU2 President Mission Air Services Lewisville TX and within a few weeks we selected a flight school together and I signed up for my 1st lesson After that I was hooked and never looked back John McKeever ATP Falcon 50 King Air 350 Captain flyADVANCED Deptford NJ During 1983 I was reading the newspaper at a friends house and saw an ad for a discovery flight I called and made an appointment Wow That ad changed my entire life from top to bottom During the demo flight my instructor gave me the controls Here you take over I thought he was crazy But it was such a thrill to make that aircraft bank and turn After that I was hopelessly addicted Joseph Tiritilli ATP Learjet 35 Director of Ops SkyLink Jets Deerfield Beach FL Imagine being 12 years old and in the cockpit at the controls of an F4 Phantom My cousin who later be EVERY FLIGHT COUNTS when you join the Saker Rewards program Advanced arrival accommodations Weekday late ops discount Catering hotel and transportation arrangements Complimentary conference room and lounge Sunday operational benefits Earn and redeem Omaha Steak Bucks Sign up at sakeraviation com rewards sakeraviation com 2122487240 JRB@ sakeraviation com 20 South Street Pier 6 East River New York NY 10004
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