Bill started flying at the age of fourteen, an original “Airport Kid” in Danbury, CT. He and a buddy would ride their bikes to the local airport to wash airplanes and sweep hangars for rides. His first log book entry was in the summer of 1962 in a 65hp Aeronca Champ.
A Vietnam Veteran he utilized the GI Bill to acquire the Commercial, Instrument, CFI, Multi-Engine and a Citation Type Rating. Teaching the Citation GS in 1980 and 81. All of Bill’s flying has been civilian in nature.
From 1982 to 1986, between flying gigs, Bill was the Corporate Maintenance Trainer for Kimberly Clark Corporation in Neenah, WI.
In 1986 Bill was hired by McDonnell Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach CA. He spent 4 years in MD-80 Flight Crew Training as a Ground Instructor specializing in Flight Instruments and Avionics responsible for instruction, program development and served as the Avionics Team Leader.
In 1990 Bill was hired by MGM Grand Air as a Boeing 727 Flight Engineer, spending 5 years with MGM on the 727 and DC-8 as a Flight Engineer and First Officer. In 1995 the airline became Champion Air and he upgraded to Captain. While with those two airlines for a total of sixteen years, Bill was fortunate to have flown both Domestic and International.
In 2006 Bill was hired by FlightSafety International in Long Beach CA. as a Citation Instructor, spending 2 years as the Citation Program Manager and a Training Center Examiner, TCE, until retiring in September of 2009.
A retired Airline Pilot with over 13,000 hours in 28 different aircraft ranging from an Aeronca Champ to a Douglas DC-8-62. He spent 10 years as a Captain on a Boeing 727 with Champion Air as well a First Officer and Flight Engineer on the 727 and DC-8. While with the airlines Bill also served as a Ground Instructor and Check Airman on the 727.
Bill has been a member of Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA Chapter 92 in Orange County CA, serving as Vice President and Flight Advisor in 2009. He also served as the Director of Safety and Flight with Warbird Squadron 24 in Punta Gorda, FL. Bill has served with the FAA as an Aviation Safety Counselor and a member of the FAA Safety Team, or FAAST.
Bill currently holds an Airline Transport Pilot, ATP, with Boeing 727 and Cessna CE500 type ratings. A Single Engine Certificated Flight Instructor-Instrument, CFII, and an Advanced Ground Instructor-Instrument, AGII, as well as an ancient Flight Engineer, FE, rating.
Bill currently resides in Waxahachie TX, just south of Dallas, where he calls Midway Airport, KJWY, his home field. He is a member of the Commemorative Air Force, CAF, and the North American Trainer Association, NATA. He has written articles for several Aviation related publications. Bill recently began publishing a compilation of real life based fictional stories for a series of children’s books, “Tommy the Texan.” He is known for ending his correspondence with “Blue Skys and Tailwinds.”
