Our recent survey was a huge success and we owe it all to you guys! As a thank you, we threw your names in a hat for the incredible new Garmin D2 Watch!
Congratulations to the winner, Mr. Alex Abad from Manhattan, Beach California. We had a chance to do a quick interview with Alex.
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KAN: How did you get into flying?
AA: I was always intrigued by anything with big engines or that went fast. I grew up in El Segundo, CA, which shares its northern border with LAX airport. Watching the planes take off and land everyday never ceased to amaze me. I took my first lesson at 14, soloed on my 16th birthday and the rest is history. They say flying chooses us and as cliché as that sounds, I think I am living proof.
KAN: How did flying a King Air come about?
AA: I spent the majority of my flight training at Hawthorne Airport with Beach Cities Aviation Academy, which is ran by Patrick Carey, who also happens to be my FAA examiner. As I progressed with my ratings, a charter operation was growing on the other side of the airport. To no surprise, Mr. Carey became the Director of Operations and put my name on the radar as a possible candidate. A few months went by and I happened to be in the FBO when President and Chief Pilot Levi Stockton had mentioned he was flying to Beechcraft HQ in Kansas to pick up a new 350. I quickly asked who he was flying back with and he was going to solo the flight. So I bought myself a ticket to Kansas with the hopes of being able to show my flying abilities on this ferry flight back to LA. Two days later I was sitting in the cockpit of a King Air and have not looked back since.
KAN: Did you always want to fly a KingAir?
AA: I have always regarded the King Air as the pinnacle of turbo prop private aircraft. After spending the last 8 months in a King Air 350, I can say the airplane is a wonderful flying airplane with almost no strange characteristics. If you can close the door, you can take off, the King Air has such a tremendous carrying capacity and even fully loaded we see over 1500FPM in the climb all day long.
KAN: How long have you been flying?
AA: I have been flying for almost 15 years now. Essentially half of my life! I flew recreational for many years. Then back in 2010 I started to fly for Red Bull North America and was a lead chase plane for the Baja Off Road Races. I spent a lot of time in a Cessna 210T that I still currently manage. In addition to this, I helped safety pilot a Cessna 340A to build my multi-time. Also, I have spent many hours chasing UAV’s over the desert of California for General Automics, and spent time flying a PAC750XL doing sky dive runs on the weekends. I guess I have done more than I remember now!
KAN: What are your future goals?
AA: My aviation goal is to become a Part 91 Gulfstream Pilot!
KAN: How many hours do you have?
AA: About 1600hrs
KAN: Where are you flying the most?
AA: When I am in the King Air, we are all over the place on the west side of the country. If I am in my 210T, you can probably find me in Catalina!
KAN: Do you have any stories or experiences that stick out so far?
AA: Every pilot has the stories of bad weather and failure this, failure that. I think my greatest story is my journey in aviation; although I feel as if it is still getting started, aviation has been a huge part of my life since I was young. People often ask how and what channels did you take to get to where you are. A friend and mentor of mine who flies Gulfstreams always said, “the road to being a pilot is a huge mountain, if you are at the bottom looking up, the mountain will seem like an impossible task, but if you look at the first part of the mountain, clear it and then look to the next, you will be able to make it.” Aviation is not an easy path and as odd as this may sound. When you finally finish all your ratings, you have now reached the hardest part of your career. You are a qualified pilot with low time. I experienced this for over a year and you just have to look for alternative ways to build your time and relationships within the aviation community. If aviation is in your blood you will find a way to make it work. Because as any pilot knows, once you get the bug, it’s impossible to keep your feet on the ground.
This is just the start of our 2014 giveaways so keep an eye out at www.KingAirNation.com!