Free shipping in the U.S. — Click here for details .
Sign in Join now
Lightspeed AviationLightspeed AviationLightspeed AviationLightspeed Aviation
    0
  •   was successfully added to your cart.
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Headsets
    • ANR for Helmets
    • Flight Bags
    • Accessories
    • Survival
    • Lightspeed App
    • FlightLink App
    • Authorized Dealers
    • Trade Up Program
  • About
    • About Lightspeed
    • Programs
    • Delta Zulu Saves Lives
    • Awards and Accolades
    • Patents
    • Lightspeed Foundation
    • Careers
    • Associations
  • Community
    • All Posts
    • Blog Posts
    • Events
    • News
    • Sponsorships
  • Support
    • Customer Support
    • Repair Request
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Shipping and Return Policies
    • PFX Firmware Update – PC
    • PFX Firmware Update – Mac
  • Contact
    • Contact Lightspeed
    • Authorized Dealers
    • Donation Requests
    • Media Kit
Sign in / Create Account

Path to Your Dreams: Flying Historic Aircraft

    Home Blog Posts Path to Your Dreams: Flying Historic Aircraft
    NextPrevious

    Path to Your Dreams: Flying Historic Aircraft

    By Lightspeed Aviation | Blog Posts | 0 comment | 8 April, 2022 | 7

    Welcome to “Path to Your Dreams,” the blog series about fascinating and inspirational stories for young pilots trying to figure out their career path. We have talked with an eclectic group of pilots from various walks of life in aviation, to learn about how they followed their dreams in aviation. Here’s another of the many stories!

    The pilot: Colin Aro, flight instructor at Cool Rain Aviation in Reno, Nevada; member of the High Sierra Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), and retired nuclear physicist.

    The dream: To fly historic aircraft, specifically warbirds!

    The path: Colin has wanted to fly historic aircraft for as long as he can remember. His father was publicity director for the national air racing group, so Colin has been around warbirds since he was a small child. He got his first press credential in 1980, at the age of 14, and got his pilot license right after college. (You can read more about that in this blog.)

    Colin’s first plane was a Grumman Traveler, but to achieve his dream of flying warbirds, he knew he would need tail-wheel experience, so he got that endorsement as soon as possible. Eventually, he traded up to a Piper Comanche and added commercial and CFI certificates. As a flight instructor, he took every opportunity to fly different aircraft, earning PIC time in over 50 different aircraft so far. Starting in 2002, he added glider ratings to his other certificates, which led to the opportunity to be a tow-pilot, using a Piper Pawnee, which added thousands of tailwheel take-offs and landings to his logbook.

    “I took this one at the 1981 Reno Air Races (I guess ’81 was a big year for me as a young “photographer”) from the pace plane during the start of the AT-6 Silver race. The lead aircraft (the black one) and eventual winner was
    being flown by the late Ralph Twombly who was the father/grandfather
    respectively to Mark and Ian Twombly of AOPA Pilot magazine. Small world huh?”- Photo and caption by Colin Aro.

    Then, a flash of luck! Charlie Gillespie, squadron commander of the High Sierra CAF Squadron called about renting a hangar from Colin. CAF squadrons are groups of pilots who share the costs and work of maintaining historic aircraft, and Gillespie mentioned that he was looking to house a historic aircraft used for tail-wheel training. He also said that they couldn’t find enough tailwheel-qualified pilots to fly it. Colin offered his skills, and was soon flying the squadron’s N3N bi-plane, a tandem-seat, open cockpit, primary training biplane built by the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia during the 1930s and early 1940s. Colin likes to quote the Roman philosopher Seneca (via his high-school coach), who opined that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity. Colin’s many years of preparation had finally met their opportunity.

    Get your Free eBook now: Path to Your Dreams- Real-Life Stories of Careers in Aviation

    These historic planes need to be flown year-round to stay in top condition, and Colin says winter flights around Reno in an open biplane are no picnic, but he loves even those. He’s also flown the squadron’s L19E Bird Dog, and an SNJ-4 belonging to another CAF squadron. “I love historic planes because they’re challenging to fly. It’s a different era, different sight picture, tail wheel, everything. But for me, it’s even more the historical feeling I get when I look out and see that American star on the wing. Some days I feel like I have to pinch myself, I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

    “I can’t stress enough to go out and get as much different experience as a pilot can get. There’s a line in the movie Apollo 13 where Tom Hanks [as astronaut Jim Lovell] says ‘You never know what combination of events is going to happen to get you home.’ I would say ‘You never know what combination of experience is going to get you to where you want to go.’ So just take it all.”

    For example, he points out that the High Sierra Squadron’s N3N biplane served at Naval Air Station Glenview, in Illinois, in the 1940s, at the same time then-Ensign George H.W. Bush got his navy flyer wings there. “We petitioned his museum for his flying records, and he didn’t fly this plane. But at the very least, our plane served alongside a future U.S. president during World War II. So, when I fly it, sometimes I look out at that wing and I can’t believe I’m here.”

    Accompanying aerobatic pilot and aerial cameraman Art Scholl’s crew during his performance at the Reno Air Races in September, 1981. Scholl later died while filming Top Gun. Photo by Colin Aro.

    Most memorable flight: “At 15 years old, I flew in back seat of Dan Martin’s P51 Mustang with the legendary fighter pilots Bob Hoover and John Crocker in a demonstration air race in Corvallis, Oregon. As a 15-year-old kid, to walk into the briefing room and see Bob Hoover, who flew chase for Chuck Yeager’s supersonic flight in the Bell X-1. And John Crocker was also champion at the Reno Air Races in 1979. I was just awestruck. I was a lucky teenager!”

    Flights on the bucket list: “I want to fly the P51 Mustang or the P-40 Warhawk, and they’re both available to rent now, so this is going to happen!”

    Advice for other dreamers: “First, go out and get your tail-wheel rating. I did that right at beginning of my flying career because I knew the airplanes that I wanted to fly someday required those skills. Then fly every kind of aircraft you can. You remember Nancy Reagan’s anti-drug slogan, ‘Just say no’.” Well, as a flight instructor, I say ‘Just say yes’ to every kind of experience you can get. Fly as many airplanes as you can get your hands on! I’ve done a billion different odd jobs in aviation, and that’s what prepared me to fly these birds.”

    The view from Dan Martin’s P-51 “Ridge Runner” while chasing John Crocker in his P-51 “Sumthin Else” at a demonstration air race at the Corvallis Oregon airshow in August, 1981. Photo by Colin Aro.

    Bob Hoover, CAF, Charlie Gillespie, Colin Aro, Commemorative Air Force, Cool Rain Aviation, Dan Martin, Flight Instructor, Grumman Traveler, High Sierra Squadron, John Crocker, path to your dreams, Reno Air Race, Zulu 3

    Lightspeed Aviation

    Lightspeed Aviation is a leading manufacturer of premium aviation headsets and helmet products. Since the first product was introduced in 1996 at AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI., the company has established a reputation for leading innovation in the aviation headset marketplace with a number of “first to market” advances, technologies, and features. In 2022, the company launched a new category of aviation products called “Safety Wearables”. Layering life-saving technologies on top of their award-winning audio and ANR platform, Lightspeed ushered in a new era of aviation safety. With this, the company continues to live its mission of “creating products that protect and save lives”. Additionally, Lightspeed is a passionate supporter of initiatives to encourage the next generation of pilots through its support of programs like Young Eagles and Ray Scholars. The company is proud to have participated in helping countless young people experience everything from a discovery flight to getting a Pilot Certificate.

    More posts by Lightspeed Aviation

    Related Posts

    • Pilots N Paws Volunteer Takes Animal Rescue to New Heights

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 0 comment

      Pilots N Paws® is a non-profit organization that connects volunteers involved in rescuing, sheltering, and adopting animals, with volunteer pilots and plane owners willing to assist with animal transportation. According to the American Society forRead more

    • Angel Flight West Pilot Treasures the Human Connection

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 0 comment

      The mission of Angel Flight West (AFW), and its pilots is to deliver health and hope. The organization brings together pilots willing to donate flights with people who have healthcare or other compelling human needs.Read more

    • Delta Zulu gets a Warm Reception this Winter in Europe

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 0 comment

      Lightspeed’s Delta Zulu has taken off in Europe and there are already some great reactions to this next generation headset. If you are one of our international customers or fans, you can see here whatRead more

    • CO and Aviation: A Deadly Mix

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 2 comments

      Lightspeed is on a mission to create products that protect and saves lives. One of those products is the latest eBook, “CO + Aviation: A Deadly Mix”. This free eBook explains the causes and effectsRead more

    • Flying with Hearing Aids – a Game Changer

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 4 comments

      Kiko Jeantette has wanted to be a pilot since he was a small child, but life took him in other directions: building his own IT company and raising a family. A year or so ago,Read more

    Leave a Comment

    Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    NextPrevious

    Recent Posts

    • Pilots N Paws Volunteer Takes Animal Rescue to New Heights
    • Angel Flight West Pilot Treasures the Human Connection
    • Delta Zulu gets a Warm Reception this Winter in Europe
    • CO and Aviation: A Deadly Mix
    • Flying with Hearing Aids – a Game Changer

    Join Our Newsletter




      Top Rated Products

      • Zulu 3 - Pilot Headset - LightspeedAviation.com Zulu 3 ANR Headset
        Rated 5.00 out of 5
        $899.00
      • Markham Flight Bag - LightspeedAviation.com Markham Flight Bag
        Rated 5.00 out of 5
        $249.00
      • Sierra® ANR Headset - Pilot Headsets - LightspeedAviation.com Sierra® ANR Headset
        Rated 4.80 out of 5
        $699.00

      Lightspeed Aviation, the leader in wearable ANR technology for pilots, operates with a simple strategy: know your customer well and remain committed to relentless product evolution. At Lightspeed, everything we do is in service to our customer and our products push performance to the edge of technological possibilities.

      Stay Updated – Sign Up Here




        Information

        • Contact
        • Support
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Privacy Policy
        • Home
        • Shop
        • About
        • Community
        • Support
        • Contact
        © Copyright 2022 | All Rights Reserved
        • Shop
          • All Products
          • Headsets
          • ANR for Helmets
          • Flight Bags
          • Accessories
          • Survival
          • Lightspeed App
          • FlightLink App
          • Authorized Dealers
          • Trade Up Program
        • About
          • About Lightspeed
          • Programs
          • Delta Zulu Saves Lives
          • Awards and Accolades
          • Patents
          • Lightspeed Foundation
          • Careers
          • Associations
        • Community
          • All Posts
          • Blog Posts
          • Events
          • News
          • Sponsorships
        • Support
          • Customer Support
          • Repair Request
          • Frequently Asked Questions
          • Shipping and Return Policies
          • PFX Firmware Update – PC
          • PFX Firmware Update – Mac
        • Contact
          • Contact Lightspeed
          • Authorized Dealers
          • Donation Requests
          • Media Kit
        Lightspeed Aviation
          0 items
        We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
        Do not sell my personal information.
        Cookie SettingsAccept
        Manage consent

        Privacy Overview

        This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
        Necessary
        Always Enabled
        Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
        CookieDurationDescription
        __cfruidsessionCloudflare sets this cookie to identify trusted web traffic.
        __hssrcsessionThis cookie is set by Hubspot whenever it changes the session cookie. The __hssrc cookie set to 1 indicates that the user has restarted the browser, and if the cookie does not exist, it is assumed to be a new session.
        _GRECAPTCHA5 months 27 daysThis cookie is set by the Google recaptcha service to identify bots to protect the website against malicious spam attacks.
        ci_session2 hoursThis cookie is set as default session Cookie name in config.php in config folder in CodeIgniter.
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
        JSESSIONIDsessionThe JSESSIONID cookie is used by New Relic to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.
        PHPSESSIDsessionThis cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
        viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
        Functional
        Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
        CookieDurationDescription
        __cf_bm30 minutesThis cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management.
        __hssc30 minutesHubSpot sets this cookie to keep track of sessions and to determine if HubSpot should increment the session number and timestamps in the __hstc cookie.
        Performance
        Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
        Analytics
        Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
        CookieDurationDescription
        __hstc1 year 24 daysThis is the main cookie set by Hubspot, for tracking visitors. It contains the domain, initial timestamp (first visit), last timestamp (last visit), current timestamp (this visit), and session number (increments for each subsequent session).
        _ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
        _gat_gtag_UA_28458117_11 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
        _gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
        CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
        hubspotutk1 year 24 daysHubSpot sets this cookie to keep track of the visitors to the website. This cookie is passed to HubSpot on form submission and used when deduplicating contacts.
        Advertisement
        Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
        CookieDurationDescription
        _fbp3 monthsThis cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website.
        fr3 monthsFacebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin.
        VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysA cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
        YSCsessionYSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
        yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
        yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
        yt.innertube::nextIdneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
        yt.innertube::requestsneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
        Others
        Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
        CookieDurationDescription
        ppwp_wp_session30 minutesNo description
        Save & Accept