Check out the list of airports I have been to!
~ Here is a little about my aviation background ~
I have been a pilot since 1996 when I first started lessons. My initial training was in a
Piper Warrior (PA28-151). The flight school I attended, Raider Aviation, is a part 61 operation,
located at the Maury County Airport (KMRC). I earned my Private Pilot certificate on March 15th,
1997.
Between 1997 and 2000 I kept flying for personal pleasure. Even after I started Instrument training, I continued to fly
for personal pleasure. Flying is something I truly enjoy.
I started my Instrument training in the spring of 2000 and earned my Instrument Rating on May 5th,
2001. I used a Cessna 172 out of Kalamazoo, MI at Duncan Aviation (also a part 61 operation). At
this time, I also rented from two other flight schools in the area.
Soon after I earned my Instrument rating, I moved back to Tennessee to finish my training. September 11th, 2001 significantly delayed my training, and as frustration grew,
I began to look into other flight schools. I can't say that my time was wasted before this, because
I had gained some experience in a Piper Arrow (PA28R-200). I decided to go to American Flyers in
Pompano Beach, FL to finish my entire single engine training. I left for Florida on January 1st, 2002.
American Flyers is a part 141 school, but my training would be under part 61. Being very
organized (like myself), they proved to me that an excellent flight school does exist.
After spending five days finishing up my commercial training in a Cessna 172RG, I earned my
Commercial Pilot Certificate on January 8th, 2002. To read more about my American Flyers
adventure, click here.
While there, I also enrolled in the CFI Academy. I really enjoyed the 30-day academy, and after
about 15 hours of flight training I earned my CFI certificate on February 24th, 2002. This
Academy also included the CFII rating. I completed all the training, but decided to take the CFII practical test when I got back to Tennessee.
I came back to Tennessee and obtained some additional flight training towards the CFII rating.
The flight school I used, Zeller Aviation, is located at the John C. Tune airport (KJWN).
I earned my CFII rating on May 22nd, 2002.
I now have just under 1000 hours in single engine airplanes including 250 hours of instruction given, 200 hours of cross country, 100 hours of complex, and a good amount of instrument, night, high performance and other flight time. I have also flown about 20 different single engine airplanes and had loads of fun flying them.
Its not just the flight experience that matters. The people you get to know as a pilot are like family. You can be flying far away and hear a voice on the radio and say "hey I know that guy" and sure enough you do. Everyone helps each other out in a small aviation community kind of way. I would not have ever been able to get to where I am now if it wasn't for other pilots and friends in the aviation community who took their time to help me.
