Meet Our Instructors
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Pete KrollWhat’s your best story involving a student?
Just before I was going to let a student solo I went for a flight with her. She wanted to simulate a solo, meaning she wanted to fly the whole flight and didn't want me to talk at all. Towards the end of tow I told her how well she was doing. As I am sitting in the back on the glider looking at the back of her head I see her hair pony whip back and forth as she shook her head no. I knew right then I wasn't going to talk again during this flight. She soloed on her next flight. What song do you sing to yourself while flying solo? Rubber Duckie What’s your favorite dessert? Nothing beats pumpkin pie with a big pile of whipped cream! |
Tom Binger |
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Paul CampobassoWhat’s your best story involving a student?
Sometimes, students will ask the instructor to take control to demonstrate something or they may just want to take a break. Apparently during one training session the student decided he was tired of flying and just stopped... without telling me! The glider flew for a minute or two without anyone on the controls. I asked if he was going to correct the speed and bank angle, and that's when I found out he wasn't flying anymore! Needless to say, I took, the controls. What song do you sing to yourself while flying solo? I never sing in aircraft. If I accidentally keyed the mic, I might lose my license! What’s your longest flight in a glider? I fly power planes and gliders. Most of the power planes I fly would have to land and refuel to span my longest glider flight, a mere 5.5 hours. I was flying so high my feet were frozen and I really needed to use a restroom! |
Tom IrlbeckWhat made you interested in flying?
My interest in flying was caused by a "gene" that said I had to fly, or I was going to be a Catholic priest as my mother wanted. So the choice was, be a priest and watch all the cute Nuns, or be a pilot and chase women, without "habits". What is one food you can’t live without? That's an easy one, Chocolate Cookies!!!! How long have you been flying? Well, I started flying at the age of 2 1/2. Have a picture sitting on my Mom's lap in the back of John Benson's Cub in the fall of 1945. My Dad was the pilot and was home on leave, as he was checking out in the B-29, he was also a B-17 pilot. My Mom said I enjoyed "pulling and pushing" on the stick. I think I still enjoy pulling and pushing the stick. I soloed at Aero Flight at the Anoka Airport in the summer of 1959. I was a slow learner, and took some 4 years to get my pilots license, I think I had around 100 hours of solo flight, enjoyed flying by myself. |
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Woody MinarWhat’s your best story involving a student?
What happens in a glider stays in a glider. Haha Actually, I had a relatively new student and we were on final when we hit some wind shear and dropped a bit very quickly. I said “Whoa!” and the student said “Hang on Woody. We’ll be all right.” True story. How long have you been flying? My first flight lesson ever was January 9, 2000 in a Cessna 172 in Rush City, MN. I never thought I would get used to interpreting all... those.... instruments. My first glider flight was July 4, 2007—just an introductory one to see the difference perspectives of a glider pilot and a powered pilot. I still remember smelling the fresh air and the quiet ride circling in a thermal. I was hooked! I joined Red Wing Soarding Association and took two more lessons that same day. Seven thousand six hundred hours later and numerous ratings, it’s still a very enjoyable hobby. Not many people can say they “get paid to sit on their butt and tell people where to go, what to do, and how high to do.” What’s your favorite dessert? Bailey’s Irish Cream or Pecan Pie or whatever happens to be around. |
Brad HeckWhat’s your most memorable quote from a student?
We are going to fly in THIS little thing???? What made you interested in flying? My uncle had a Bonanza V35 in the 1970s he flew to visit us. He had expanded the reach of his consulting business with it. At a certain point I realized how aviation could expand the reach of my own business so I jumped in with both feet. Flying is a rewarding self improvement sport in addition to it's business utility. Soaring is the aviation version of yoga to me. What’s your favorite dessert? My dad makes the finest chocolate pie from absolute scratch. I fly 3 round trip hours in an Arrow to eat that. |
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