Stan’s aviation background...
It started at the age of 12...
Stan took his first airplane ride in a “fork-tailed Doctor Killer” at age 12, and was immediately hooked. He worked in the farm fields, cotton gins, and “flagging” for ag planes to earn the money to obtain his private license.
Soloing, getting a license, and buying a plane before age 18, he was determined to stay with aviation. He worked up through his commercial, instrument, and CFI ratings, and did some “crop dusting”/aerial application (same job, different decade) before finding out on a dual cross-country with a doctor that “by George, I’m as smart as he is….and he can afford a plane!”.
Warbirds
With that, he went back to college, got his pre-med requirements, and was accepted to med school…but didn’t quit flying. He obtained his ATP, A&P/IA, and has flown more than 150 types of planes. After getting “bit with the warbird bug” he bought a Stearman, later a T6, a Mustang, and now is an active instructor in tail wheel and wardbird transition.
Ag Flying
In the past several years he has returned to his roots in ag flying, doing some aerial application, and now is a Level One Fire Pilot, flying a SEAT (single engine air tanker) “out west” every summer. He continues to keep his aerobatic card active, and performs in airshows in the Southeast every year.
As with most “aviation junkies”, he will talk planes with little provocation, so be sure and tell him about your flying….