May 2019 - Page 5 of 10 - Recreational Aviation Foundation

RON KELLER

New Mexico State Liaison Toward the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Ron Keller was stationed in Albuquerque and has lived in New Mexico ever since. His first ride in a GA aircraft was with an Air Force co-worker. His interest in aviation began from a maintenance perspective, until he married his wife, Mary…

JOHN MEADE

New Hampshire State Liaison John grew up in New York and had the Navy take him away; eventually depositing him in Massachusetts. John’s father-in-law flew, and in the late 80s, John got bitten by the flying bug as well. Eventually a SuperCub on floats became his pride and joy. It became a convertible with Bushwheels,…

DAN KELLER

Nebraska State Liaison During his freshman year in college, a “Learn to Fly Here” flyer caught Dan Keller’s eye. Four years later he graduated with an ag business degree. It was post-911 and “two thousand pilots had just been laid off. My flight instructors from four years prior were still instructing,” says Dan. So he decided on a…

SCOTT NEWPOWER

Montana State Liaison For 25 years, pilots flying into Montana’s Logan International Airport in Billings probably heard Scott Newpower in the tower. He decided on an ATC career in Hudson, WI, during college when he saw an ad in the local newspaper to become an FAA air traffic controller. After four years in the tower…

RON NORMANDEAU

Montana State Liaison It’s not often a volunteer shows up for an RAF project with a passion for flying the backcountry and a career of cartography behind him. Ronald Normandeau was raised in Polson, Montana, attended the University of Montana, spent 22 years with the U.S. Geological Survey and retired from the U.S. Forest Service…

KEVIN BARRY

Georgia State Liaison “I pretty much grew up in the cockpit,” Kevin Barry says. “My father was a fighter pilot turned test pilot, and my favorite birthday present every year was to sit in the cockpit of whatever fighter aircraft Dad was flying at the time.” Kevin chose the United States Military Academy at West Point…

KURT PENNUTO

Colorado Ambassador Day job: safety administrator for Colorado Doorways Inc. We manufacture hollow metal doors and frames, custom solid wood doors, as well as install and repair commercial doors. Favorite airstrip: Bowstring Airfield in Minnesota. Next adventure: Exploring the higher altitude and terrain of Colorado.

KIRK HINER

Minnesota State Liaison Kirk Hiner, who lives in Kenyon, MN, grew up in an aviation family thanks to his dad who flew B24s out of England during World War II and then continued to fly after the war. Kirk received his private pilot license in 1976, and his commercial, instrument and CFI ratings in the…

BRAD FREDERICK

Michigan Ambassador Brad Frederick’s son taught him to fly. You read that right. The Michigan native says, “At age 55, learning to fly from my son Ed remains one of the absolute highlights of my life.” Brad loves aviation so much he bought a closed airstrip in Sidnaw, MI, a remote area in the western Upper…

CRAIG MCCULLOUGH

Maryland Ambassador A private pilot since 2003, Craig McCullough received his instrument rating in 2005 and has since flown his Cessna 172 up and down the eastern seaboard to airstrips in Philadelphia, Williamsburg, Charleston, Savannah, Key West and many points in-between. Craig works for Hewlett-Packard managing sales teams that support civilian and intelligence agencies within…