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    "Warbird Experience"



    Museum Pilots




    Kris Kortokrax

    Photo by Dan Sheehan www.gearupsix.com


    Museum Planes Flown:
    T-6, T-34, Stearman, L-2

    Bio:
    Kris took his first flight in a white and pink Tri-pacer with a scoutmaster at the former Cedar Lake Airport. After having the experience of flight, Kris accepted the challenge, and began flight lessons with his dad on August 26, 1970.

    Kris soon discovered that one of his flight instructors was a WWII glider pilot (Stanley Davis), making the lessons not only educational about flight, but about WWII history as well.

    As a group, Kris, his dad, and brother purchased a Tri-pacer in December of 1970. On July 9th of 1971, Kris achieved his private pilot checkride at Valparaiso, IN. Don Niemeyer was the instructor who signed him off for the checkride.

    Sometime later, Kris began instructing, and, interestingly enough, taught Mr. Niemeyer's son, Gary, and later signed him off for his checkride.

    At one point, Kris became interested in helicopters, and also earned a license to fly one. Since then, he has flown cross country helicopter trips from Phoenix, AZ to Lansing, IL (both in 1994 and again in 1996) and then from Los Angeles, CA to Lansing, IL (in 1998 and again in 2000) and has added further accomplishments to his outstanding resume:

    Airline Transport Pilot Certificate
    • Airplane single engine land, rotorcraft helicopter
    Commercial Priviledges
    • Airplane multi-engine land, airplane single engine sea, glider
    Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor
    • Airplane single and multiengine, rotorcraft helicopter, instrument airplane and helicopter
    Ground School Instructor
    • Advanced instrument
    FAA Wings Program
    • Phase 10
    Aviation Safety Counselor
    • South Bend FDSO
    Chief Pilot and Chief Flight Instructor (FAA Part 141)
    • Sun Aero Helicopters 1995-2000
    Helicopter Film Coverage for 1996 Chicago Marathon and Fireworks
    • Fox 32 TV
    Antique Airplane fly-in pilot
    • For private owners of the following aircraft:
      • 1927 WACO 10 with an OX-5 engine (1919)
      • 1928 WACO Taperwing with a Wright J-4 engine
      • 1928 LAIRD LCB-200 with a Wright J-5 engine (same engine as the Spirit of St. Louis)
      • 1930 WACO RNF with a Warner Scarab engine
    Other Antique Planes and Warbirds Flown:
    • B-17 Flying Fortress
    • Bird
    • Fairchild F-24
    • Travelair
    • WACO UPF-7
    • QDC & YKC
    • Emigh A-2 (first Trojan)



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