After the Air Force

After the Air Force ( my enlistment was up in Sept. 1989) around 1992 I decided to start flying for a living ( I had enough of the Southern California Edison power plant and then working at Checker Auto in Flagstaff as an assistant manager).

The Air Force owed me alot of money and I used it all. It took about a year and a half of fulltime flying to get through all the training but it was all good. Being an ATC in the AF made it alot easier. I decided to start my own biz and ended up with four airplanes both, teaching people how to fly and renting my aircraft to local / out of town pilots.

my first airplane Three of my flight students, Marissa is now a commercial pilot.

Oh yea, I was also flying for Grand Canyon Airlines for a while. I had several pilots working for me in Flagstaff so I would fly for GCA just to get into a bigger aircraft (Twin Otters)......20 seats and 12000 lbs.... It was alot of fun.

It was a great run and doing well but 9-11 ruined it. I sold all the aircraft and started another business in Flagstaff that keeps me on the ground ..... a Limo service . I'm actually alot less stressed out now and enjoying myself more. I still fly now and then but stay away for the most part.

I'm a car freak! and have had some fun ones, which were a far cry fun my old primer grey 1969 Mercury Comet I had in High School. Two Chevy Blazer 4x4's, 1973 Mustang, 1975 Bricklin SV1, 1970 Dodge Charger 502 cid stroker, my 1988 Merc Cougar and a 2000 4x4 Ford Excursion with a Turbo Diesel, 2000 & 2003 Lincoln Navigators and more that have come and gone over the years. Cars are a passion for me but not my wife. She gets a little impatient some times. Between you and me I think she likes the car thing more than she will admit......

I just can not help myself. Too many days playing in the dirt with my little Hot Wheel cars and wishing they were real. LOL

1980 Chevy Blazer. My first 4x4 while I was in the Air Force. I loved that thing. It was stolen in Phoenix, stripped and burned. The only full view photo I could find is later with all the Silverton Colorado pictures.

This is a picture they put in the Bricklin car club mag.

1975 Bricklin SV1 I originally restored this for Deanna but everybody accused me of wanting it for myself....lol . I liked the car but I did not fit in it very well. It was designed for a person no taller than about 5'10". My head would rub on the upper door unless I leaned the seat way back and my knees would hit the lower dash on each side of the steering wheel. When it was finished she drove it a few times but was afraid she would wreck it and did not want to drive it any more.....go figure. I gave up and sold it in 2003. It lasted 3 days on ebay and is in New York City now.

......she wants an SUV, fine lets go get you an SUV,

Deanna seems more comfy in this 2003 Lincoln Navigator 4x4 these days.

Thank you God.....it was crazy the complaints she had about cars. LOL She went through 1990 - 2003 driving a Pontiac Sunbird, my Blazer now and then, my Cougar (which she hated!), another Pontiac here parents let us have, a 1996 Jeep Cherokee, the Bricklin SV1, 2000 Cadi Escalade 4x4, before she ended up with a 2000 Lincoln Navigator 4x4 and loved it. I say again....thank you God.

In 2006 picked up the 2003 Navigator with 40K miles and she is very happy.

My Baby....1970 Dodge Charger 500, 502cid and 550hp

I got this car after 8 years of beggin, from the mother of an Air Force buddy of mine. Deanna and I went to Sacramento to visit my buddy Arron Cunningham and when he took me to his mothers place to introduce me.....this thing was in the driveway screaming at me. It was in totally original condition and beggin for resto....He said, "forget it, she will never let it go", well 8 years later she did and I built it back up my way....."Thanks Mom"