John is the son of a country gas station and restaurant owner and private pilot, who for a while owned an Aeronca 7AC Champion. When at the age 6 of John first flew with his father, he knew immediately that flying was something he was going to do.
In 1960 at the age of 16, John started learning to fly in another Aeronca Champion and soloed. He soon felt guilty about spending the money to fly. Concerned about saving up money for college, he set flying aside.
In 1965 John married his flying partner-to-be, Martha, when they were both students at Indiana University. The newlyweds made a deal to be partners in everything they were to do and that meant that if John was going to fly, so was Martha.
In 1969 after graduating from Indiana University and starting their own business, they bought a Cherokee 140 and learned to fly in it. When they went broke in their business, they decided to teach ground schools for a living. Over the years through intimate video instruction, John has been able to help hundreds of thousands of pilots achieve their dream of flying.
John and Martha have used general aviation airplanes for personal transportation ever since they had their first Cherokee. They have always owned more airplane than they could quite afford. Today they can’t quite afford a Falcon 10.
