Jon D, an old friend & mentor stops by...

Jon, my former boss at Sutton James recently bought himself a Piper Cub. For many years Jon has owned a Mooney and has flown it while accompanied by a lisenced pilot. Jon has helped out many beginner pilots by hiring them to go on trips with him, building their hours, instrument time, cross country hours, etc. while flying with a very accomplished and knowledgeable pilot. Jon was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was 24, he was already a flight instructor, seaplane pilot and charter pilot. This was a crushing blow to someone who loved to fly so much. It was so much more than a job. Determined to satay immersed in airplanes, Jon took a job at an aviation insurance company in NYC. Within a few years, Jon was back at Brainard Airport, operating his own aviation insurance brokerage. When I joined SJ in 1990, Jon had purchased a C-172 and was flying it with whoever was licenced and wanted to gain some flight time. You didn't have to know how to fly- Jon knew how :) After 16 years of knowing Jon and his passion for flying and his knowledge of everything aviation related, I was thrilled to hear that he could operate this airplane (light sport) on his own. He deserves it more than anyone I know.



Cute little boy pretending to be an airplane........

Or not.....