Thomas Stagliano ? Growing up in the 50's and 60's I was constantly surrounded by news of aviation records being broken, new aircraft, and, of course, the space race and the Apollo program. Thus it was an easy decision to study aeronautical engineering. Fluids, Structures, Propulsion, Guidance & Control, Systems and Transportation theory..... six interesting technical areas in one discipline. Easy choice and I have no regrets!!!

I only wish we had a viable air-taxi/air-shuttle service in place with thousands of 3 to 5 passenger aircraft criss-crossing the USA delivering passengers where they need to be, when they need to be there.......

Mark Pinneo ? Growing up in the vineyards of upstate New York I honestly did not want to be a farmer. The farm is directly beneath an air route and you could see the aircraft flying over all of the time. Many times I would look up at them and wonder where they are going and wishing that I could go too.

I always knew that I would end up in the military out of high school and I chose Naval Aviation. I went in as guaranteed Aircrew and the first time I ever flew as a Naval Aircrew men was on the A-3 Skywarrior. That sealed it for me, aviation became my life's work. I always seek out new aircraft types to lay my hands on, and I have been very lucky in the diverse experience that I was able to acquire over the years, and I will do this 'till the day I die. I love the pace, problems, fixes, and responsibility, I only wish the salary was comeasurate.

Virginia Kurasch ? I really had no intention of ever flying until I joined the Civil Air Patrol 10 years ago and became a Scanner and Observer. This is when the flying bug hit me and I was urged on by the CAP Mission Pilots to "get with it". Now both my husband and I are private pilots and still volunteering for CAP. If you have your license and are current, this is a great way to rack up hours, improve your proficiency and help save lives.

Larry Williams ? I watched a Piper Super Cub tow banners over Daytona Beach, FL during my high school graduation trip and decided that would be the best job in the world...flying up and down the beach all day towing banners. That was 1964. I came back home to Tennessee and went out to the local airport and starting taking flying lessons. Less than 10 months later I was a certified flight instructor. One flying job led to another (flight instructing, towing gliders, air taxi, corporate pilot, regional airline captain, university faculty, and then decided to take a job with the FAA because of security and benefits. Retired last year after 34 years as FAA Inspector and now consulting world wide. Great trip so far!

Alex M. Brown ? Watching Top Gun too many times as a kid*My grandfather was a mechanical engineer who designed parts of various military aircraft ranging from the UH-1 and F-117. His stories fascinated me, and that was a large factor in my growing interest. I wanted to fly or design airplane since I was very young. I always knew I could not fly for the military because of a color deficiency, but I never expected it to hinder my chances of being a commercial pilot (it did). When I was in high school I went to the Centennial of Flight Daytona Air show and I got to meet Sean D. Tucker after his performance, and he convinced me to (and my father to let me) start flight training. I got an internship with an FBO, joined CAP, I later applied to ERAU. Now I am instrument rated with a night restriction on my medical for the color vision deficiency, but I was still drawn to the industry and stuck around with a focus on aviation safety.

Blake Sawatske ? I first got hooked when I was 7 watching Baa Baa Blacksheep and seeing all the old airplanes flying around YYC at the time (this was in the early to mid '70s). Got my first job in it when I was 18 doing parts and I've done that pretty much full time since then- I'm 43 now and I procure parts for a bunch of different types.

Thomas (Tim) Gale ? My first memory of inspiration is sitting in the jumpseat of a DC8 on approach to Honolulu airport at night. The sounds and smell of the hangar floor, the unmistakable aroma of blended oil, electronics and sweat that permeates the cockpit of any aircraft eludes to travel, adventure and the challenge of a mission whether across the continent or across the lake. I was hooked before I was 10.

Paul D. Schulte ? Ahhhh,"Yes,I remember now! Good Morning VietNam! See the world.."Excitment and experiences" in those wonderful LARGE Chinook (can you say targets) Helicopters......lots of sheet metel experience (patches) and those strange Red &Green Tracers flying by.... and about 1200 hours later....well it was an experience and I was young.

Tom Gierhart ? My father learned to fly on the GI bill after he returned from the war. I flew with him in a Piper J-5 all over Texas and New Mexico, hardly ever getting higher than the telephone poles. Then the Civil Air Patrol when I was 16. On to the Navy at 17, and trained as an aircraft mechanic. Twenty two years later, and two tours in Vietnam, I retired as a Maintenance Chief and used the GI bill for my commercial, multi, and glider. I flew commercial, not airlines, for ten years and then spent 18 years as an FAA Inspector. My first aircraft was a 1946 T-Craft. I now certify aircraft as a DAR. What a ride!

Rodrigo Garcia ? All about aviation is magic. I'm sure all the people related in this field, feels the environment inside it like no other. There is no other best place to work than airports. In my case IT gives me the chance to work in aviation. Of course I wanted to be a pilot like so many children but I am not disappointed, instead of that airport systems is an important part of my professional and personal life. No matter if I get a new job outside of aviation, I could say, I worked here and felt the aviation in the place that no all the people could be. Nice to meet you guys.

Justine Mackinnon ? Aviation was in my blood without me realizing until just recently. I became the first and only female to manage one of the world's busiest and biggest airfields - London Heathrow Airport. I had always wondered where the interest had come from, I am still researching about their history and find it amazing.

My Grandfather and Great Grandfather were pioneers of their time in setting up aviation insurance, Airlines and an Airfield. Sir Percy MacKinnon was also on the Board of Directors of British Airways Limited at start up. I found the following article while researching - (1935)
Tp\VO new directors have been appointed to the Board of . J- British Continental Airways, the company which is operating air lines to Amsterdam via Antwerp and to Brussels and Lille.
One of these is Sir Robert Burton Chadwick, who was secretary to the Board of Trade in the last Conservative Government, and the other is Mr. Graham Mackinnon, an aviation underwriter in Lloyd's, who is well known as a private owner. Mr. Mackinnon is a son of Sir Percy Mackinnon, Chairman of the Board__of Directors of British Continental Airways.

Atul Bhatia ? When I was seven, we lived under the flight path of the local air base. All too often, their MiG-21s would scream by overhead when proceeding for a low-level sortie. Once they went supersonic over our house and shattered a few windows. My dad was philosophical; I was thrilled! A few days later, I drew my first MiG-21. Dad saw it, and arranged a cockpit visit for me. I was over the moon after that.

A few years later, I joined the aeromodelling club at school and started tinkering with Skybees and other static line models. My friend and I spent hours trying to get those 1cc engines running on their castor oil-ether-petrol mix. Getting those engines to run for even a few seconds was pure unbridled joy, getting the models to fly was ecstasy.

I wanted to join the Air Force but was persuaded to join the Navy instead. Found that water and I don't mix too well, so opted for naval aviation. I took my first flight on a jet trainer, soloed in my 19th sortie, looped in the 24th, spun in the 71st. Rolls, barrel rolls, vertical-eights, rolls-off-the-top, four-turn spins, weapons, extreme low level flying (NOE): been there, done that. 20 years on, I've traded that for twiddling knobs on a 7-way adjustable seat while sipping coffee. The thrill is still there!

Nicolas Magnum ? When I retired from the Army I knew I was not cutout to be a greeter at Wal-Mart. I grew up watching the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. As a kid I had always wanted to be a professional pilot, why not. So at 40 years old off I went to Embry-Riddle, got my degree in Aeronautical Science and my flight certificates. Reinvented myself, now I am building my time so I can get into my dream job of corporate aviation.

AUDIE POSADAS ? When I was a kid I was fascinated by the white line in the sky, I said Ill make some someday. Aviation is my life, I started as an Air Traffic Controller (Tower) 1977, this was my best training in aviation business until 1983. Went to Saudi Arabia at King Khalid Intel. Airport (KKIA) Riyadh as Airfield Ops Officer until 1988.Back in Manila i was trained as Flight Dispatch Ops and join airline flight dispatch office. In 1997 I open my aviation school Asian Aviation Academy (AAA) in Manila, until 2000. My only child is in the Naval Aviation based in Jacksonville Florida. So nice to be home again with friends from aviation.

Captain Fred Medlock, CAM ? If you get a chance check out Dick Karls article in this months issue of Flying Magazine, A successful Physician checking out as a 135 LearJet pilot just for the love of Flying. Yes there are many of us who gaze skyward every time we hear the sound of an airplane overhead.

AUDIE POSADAS ? When I was a kid, I was fascinated by watching second world war movies like battle of midway, tora-tora and others. Since then i was transformed to become an airman, became an Air Traffic Controller (Aerodrome), Airline Flight Operations, Charter Flights, Airfield Operations. More than 30 years i spent my life in the airport. Now my son John join the Naval Aviation based in Jacksonville Florida. Aviation it run in the blood!

Spencer Rice ? My Mom and Dad. She was a real Stew for AA when you also had to be an RN. My Dad was with AA for 45 years. I took my first plane ride when I was 6 weeks old and still have the certificate with the Captains signature to prove it..Spence

Christine Negroni ? What's not to love? Think of all the things flying illustrates; physical and natural laws, the variety of geography and culture, adventure, romance, connection and loss. Once you've seen the world from the perspective of the birds, is there any going back? Those who don't appreciate aviation must lack a sense of wonder.

Andy Hakes ? I was fortunate enough to walk into an open house at a local aviation high school when I was in the eighth grade and see an entire fighter aircraft sitting on jacks. That was enough to hook me, and its only gotten better since. The maintenance side of the industry has had more than its share of challenges, but I couldn't forget about airplanes if I tried. Therefore, I do not try.

Andres Darvasi ? When I was really young, under 5, our neighbor in the outskirts of Santiago, Chile was a private pilot and used to do fly bys by his house, very low. I was fascinated by airplanes since then. My father later became a private pilot and my fist ride was in a Fairchild PT19 when I was 8. In the 60's my dad bought a 1959 Cessna 180, I flew a lot with him, but never taught me fly "because if you are going to fly the way you drive..."
Then I went to live in Canada. Work, children, business travel, hard winters, etc. made it very difficult to learn to fly, however, I still flew a lot in Cessnas 310, 340, Conquests, etc because of my work, and the pilots were always very nice to let me sit on the right side when possible.
Finally, I was living in Mexico and in November 2004, three month before turning 60, I started my Private Pilot training, I did my solo in 11 hrs, got the license at 41 hrs three days before my birthday in February 2005, bought a Cherokee 180 which I flew for about 100 hrs, sold it and bought a Cessna TR182, sold it after about 300 hrs and now I have 800 hrs, obtained my IFR rating last June and fly a Cessna T210 between 12 and 15 hrs a month. My only regret is having started too late, but at least I can say that I realized a life time dream.

Tim Lough ? Quite simple; both my parents were pilots, we had a Cessna 140 sitting in the hangar on our farm for commuting into the local town, the instructor came out and gave me eight hours of instruction and then told me to get on with it; so basically after the first eight hours I instructed myself and it was practice... practice...practice...so that by the time I took my exam at age 17 I already had 75 hours of solo flying and I just sailed through and never looked back. That took place in 1959.

Rich Evans ? The Bridges of Toko Ri. First time I ever saw, or heard of, carrier-baed aviation. At 13, I actually thought it was a science fiction movie at first. When my Dad (a WWII Navy Vet) got done laughnig at me, and explained that we really had ships that launched and recovered aircraft, and there really were guys that got to fly those planes, I knew I wanted to be one of those guys. 9 years later I'd earned my wings, and went on to fly SH-3H Sea Kings, and complete a naval career in aviation and intelligence. Now I work for Chicago O'Hare, and even though I no longer fly (eyes), I still get jazzed every time I see one landing or taking off.

William (Barry) Hubbard ? I joined the Navy as an electrician (was never going to fly, ever) and was posted to ship and had to go by C 119 Flying Boxcar...didn't get sick and got into the cockpit for a look....flying over Maine on a moonlit night, severe clear for miles...great introduction to flying....after my tour on the ship, transferred to Naval Air and when I was finished my time, went Air Force and never regretted a day of it....I'm still only "semi retired" from aviation.

Tyler Pearce ? I took a Discovery Flight for my high school graduation at the local airport in Lawrence, KS (KLWC) and was instantly hooked! After getting my CFII, MEII, in Phoenix, AZ, I returned to KS to become a primary flight instructor so I could help continue to spread the joy of aviation those before me had pioneered. The smile on a student's face following their first solo is priceless! After my aviation career progressed, I realized I enjoyed the preparation, execution, excitement, exploration, and freedom aviation in the U.S. provided. It would be hard to return to flying a desk after having an office in the sky, so let's hope the next 100 years of aviation in the U.S. is as strong as the first 100.

Ruth Paul ? Well I got "called" into this role. I am a full time missionary (now part time) and I was steered into this line of work. Have been in aviation for more than 18 years now. It's part of my life and it's a learning process every day for me. Aviation has taken me to a lot of places in regards to travel and meeting people. It's in my list of "to-do" to become a private licensed pilot.
It's great to hear everyone's experiences though. Keep it coming

Aaron Gill ? When I was 12 years old, we lived near an old 200' paved airstrip that local Ultra-Lite enthusiasts would use. When they weren't using them, there was a group of retired men that belonged to an R/C airplane club that used it as their home base. On any given weekend, I could go watch some sort of airrborne-based activity and I was amazed. Other kids were riding their bikes and "playing war" with their BB guns while I would sit on the hot pavement and just stare upward, mesmerized.

I was 18 in 1990 when I signed up for the US Navy and went to Aircraft Electrician's school in Millington, TN. about a year later, I was maintaining the mighty F-14A/A+ Tomcat. Working on the flight line on the greatest aircraft to have graced the Navy's inventory was great, but working as a troubleshooter/final checker on the catapults aboard the carrier to launch the beasts was even better. Exhilarating, hot, dirty, dangerous, refreshing and rewarding all at the same time. I've been hooked since then.

Cagdas Efe BALIN ? I had an accident when i was a 10 years old boy. The nearest capable hospital was 3 hours away... I was about to lose my arm and then a military UH-1 helicopter came and rushed me to hospital in 20 minutes. Simply, there it began:)

Hosein Nayyeri ? There are two infinities in our life (things that are "eternal"), death and flight.

Steven Roy ? One day in my childhood, having about 2 hrs flight from point A to point B southbound, I was invited to the cockpit. Can you imagine my emotions and wide open eyes being on the co-pilot seat? Yes, I suppose, you can. When the captain, on my left, pushed the unknown me button and in a moment the pretty good flight attendant brought him the cup of coffee, free of charge. He was sipping the coffee, flying over the clouds. It was amazing. So, I decided to be in aviation after that : -)

Karlene Petitt ? Inspiration struck when I was 9-years-old, and was playing a board game called careers. Actually, it was more stubbornness, than inspiration. The career options of this game were: Stewardess, Librarian, Teacher, Nurse, or Model.

My friends all wanted to become stewardesses, and they all landed on the spot to achieve that dream...During the board game at least. One of my friends actually did end up becoming a Flight Attendant for Northwest Airlines. But that's not the point. Or is it?

Back to the story I call my life. I couldn?t get so lucky and missed the stewardess dream spot. I said, ?I don?t want to be a stewardess, I?m going to be the pilot!? My girlfriend responded, ?You can?t be a pilot. My dad?s a pilot, and girls can?t do that.? We had a little argument and I took that challenge to the next level. I had a career plan, and all because I was told I couldn't.

Six years later I took my introductory flight, and the moment I took to the sky I thought, ?Wow! They?re going to pay me to do this?? I was hooked. I loved it. I felt a sense of freedom in the sky. Quiet. Calm. Controlled. Peaceful. I belonged. The rest is history. 7 type ratings, eight airlines? and heading to Athens tomorrow.

Carl Jeff Jones ? As a child, I always had my eyes in the sky. I grew up about 2 miles from a regional airport in Mississippi and was constantly watching airplanes fly over on the VOR approach to the airport. My ears became turned to the difference between Lycoming and Continental engines, so I could usually guess if it was a Cessna (Lycoming powered), or a Beechcraft (Continental powered) without even looking up into the sky. I?m not sure if the difference in sound was caused by timing, valve train, or exhaust, but I could tell a difference. My dad had a side job to fly power-line patrol, and I joined him a few times during my preteen years. I was allowed to fly a 152 and 172 while my dad helped with the rudder. I couldn?t see out the front, so I flew with airspeed, altitude, and compass or VOR. Dad and I had a great time! As I became a teenager, other things occupied my time like work and hanging out with friends.

Near the end of my teen years, I joined the US Navy. My dad was an Iwo Jima veteran, and I wanted to serve my country too. I joined the Navy as an Avionics Technician, and was able to work on the A-6 Intruder, F-14 Tomcat, F/A-18 Hornet, and EA-6B Prowler. While deployed, I would take some time to go up to the crow?s nest to watch flight operations. It was great to see the jets that I worked on out on the deck and in the air! I smile today remembering the catapult launches and arresting hook recoveries. My active duty came to an end, and I had plans to go back to school for a degree or two.

Since I was an Avionics Technician in the Navy, I completed an Associate?s Degree in Electronics Technology. Next, I continued to university and completed a Bachelor?s Degree in Electrical Engineering. The whole time I was in college, I envisaged getting a job working on airplanes or possibly getting my pilot?s license after college. I missed my university graduation ceremony because of a local airshow with the Blue Angels as the big feature.

My job search led me to my first big job at Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (formally Raytheon Aircraft when I was hired). I worked avionics issues on the Hawker 4000 and even flew on a few flights to collect data for researching some of the software, hardware, and integration issues we encountered in the early Horizon days. During flight tests on the H4000, I was on the verge of getting air-sick watching a computer while performing 2G banks at 60+ degrees for TAWS testing and numerous approach go-arounds on gusty days, but I never turned down a test flight. My next position was on the Government Business side of the company working on the T-6B/C. I lead the team on troubleshooting certification and military qualification issues. My final project at the company which is now Hawker Beechcraft Defense Company was working on the AT-6C. The AT-6C project was by far the most fun I had ever had at Beechcraft. Working with new suppliers and integrating the weapons system was challenging, and rewarding. I supported offsite testing and watched inert munitions being released from the airplane. My next exciting adventure required me to leave the Beechcraft for Rockwell Collins.

I am now just getting started at Rockwell Collins working on a tanker project. I am eager about what the future brings to me, my family, and my career. I have completed ground school, and maybe I will start flying lessons to work on getting that pilot?s license I have wanted all my life!

If you love aviation, don?t ignore the airplanes flying overhead, look to the sky and dream high!