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     Don Schmotzer has served as our chapter "Safety Advisor" for a number of years and also served as Vice-President in 2008. You can tell right away that he knows what he is talking about concerning aviation. He routinely delivers presentations on safety and pertinent aviation issues at our chapter meetings, which are well received and much appreciated. Here's what Don says about his background in his own words:

    "I have a commercial ticket for single & multi-engine land aircraft. I have about 1600 hours of flight time in at least 20 different types, but my favorite type of flying is stick & rudder, grass-roots, wind in the wires, tube wood and fabric, tail-dragging, puddle-jumping, leather and googles,  can't-believe-I-found-the-airport, ole-timey, grass-field, bounce-em-in, didn't we have fun today, hedge-hopping, wind-sock, dead reckoning, FUN flying."

    Don bought the very nice Taylorcraft shown in the photos below in June of 2007 ... which he now flies every chance he can get Don is shown with his beauty in the center photo below.  It is notable that Don comes from an aviation oriented family. His father flew in WWII and saw quite a bit of action. His son, Stan, is now an Air Force officer qualified to fly the huge C-17 transport plane. Click on the photos below  to enlarge them.

     Don and Stan jointly own the very nice Cessna 172 Skyhawk shown below, which Stan mostly flies these days. Stan has roughly 3000 flight hours as a loadmaster on a C-17 in Charleston. He has flown in and out of a lot of "bad" places since 9/11/01. He was honored as Charleston's "Airman of the Year" in 2005. Don says that he is also a good pilot with a private license and an instrument rating to boot. He had about 600 hours of pilot in command time when the photo at bottom right was taken.

      Stan has since accomplished even greater achievements. In 2008, he finished his 4-year college degree and graduated from Officer Candidate School (OCS). He then attended an 11-month US Air Force flight school in Columbus, MS.  He graduated in early July, 2009, and Don sent this message:

     "Stan just became one of 17 new Air force pilots in our country's inventory. He has completed one of the most demanding flying schools in the world.  He now wears TWO sets of wings on his uniform ... his LOADMASTER wings and  the US AIR FORCE PILOT wings. Of course, we couldn't be prouder.  Next, he will go to Oklahoma in August to train in the C-17 for 3 months, and then he will be returning to Charleston, SC. When finished, he will be flying the very same C-17s on which he was previously a loadmaster."

     In November, 2009, Don reported that Stan is now type-rated in the huge C-17. Now, when you see one of those huge C-17s flying overhead, it just MAY be Stan at the controls! Here are several recent photos. He also married in May, 2010. Congratulations to Stan and his wife, Kim. They now reside in Charleston, SC.

          
Photo #1: Stan's girlfriend pins on his 2nd Lieutenant bars, while his mom, Dianne, (left) looks on & Don takes the photo.
Photo #2: In dress blue uniform
Photo #3: Beside T1 Beechjet
Photo #4: Graduating from flight school
Photo #5: Trainer Stan has been flying

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