AVIATIONGAZETTE

There’s a photograph of a plane billowing down a hill somewhere in Athens—air lifting its wings, wheels touching the ground, a tree in the distance. If only we could hit play and set the scene in motion. Maybe those wings would rise and the picture reveal the exact day and time Benjamin Thomas Epps became the first person in Georgia to fly. Nobody knows exactly when it happened, but we do know the year: 1907. At 18 or 19 years old, the young man had built his first plane. A 15-horsepower motorcycle engine powered the machine; it flew with one elongated wing and landed on three bicycle wheels. And sometime that year, on the second try, Epps made that awkward contraption ride the wind. If only for a few hundred yards, the young man defied gravity. Decades later, Hugh Rowe provided an eyewitness account in the Athens Banner in his column, “Did It Ever Occur to ‘U’: A Little of Everything—Not Much of Anything:” “Nearly a half century ago, the writer of this column was present when [Epps] demonstrated to a large group of citizens that flying in the air was not a dream, but a reality. In a machine that he built with his own hands, he succeeded in flying a distance that was surprising to those present. The airplane was hauled to a field on West Broad Street, on Brooklyn Branch. It was unloaded on a hill and was pushed down grade, for a run-way, and soon the machine arose and sailed off for a considerable distance before landing.”

In March 1949, Lola Trammel told another version of the story in The Atlanta Journal Magazine: “The plane was declared ready to fly one afternoon in 1907, and the next morning most of Athens’ sporting bloods and the idly curious were on hand for the test flight…The onlookers did not learn until years later that young Epps had waked up a couple of pals at 2 o’clock in the moonlit morning and had slipped out to the field for a preliminary test. The plane flew fine—then. With a crowd assembled, though, something went wrong. The little machine rose about 30 feet above the ground and the amazed witnesses were just starting to cheer, when the plane slipped sideways and crashed.”

A Wing and a PrayerOn the 100th anniversary of his first flight, a look back at the life of Ben Epps, Sr. and his passionate pursuit of flyingBy freelance writer Pate McMichael, Lake Oconee, Georgia.

This article appeared in the March/April 2007 issue of Athens Magazine and is reprinted with permission. To learn more about Georgia’s Classic City, go to www.athensmagazine.com.

• September 14-16 • Rome, North Georgia Air and Car Show

770/672.0808 www.transexpo.org/northGAairshow.asp

• October 13 • Warner Robins, Wings and Wheels

478/926.6600

• October 13-14 • Peachtree City, Great Georgia Air Show

Falcon Field770/487.2225

www.thegreatgeorgiaairshow.com/home.asp

• October 14 •Thomasville, TVI Service

229/225.4313

• October 20 • Eastman, Georgia State Air Show Heart of Georgia Regional Airport

478/374.4723

• October 20 • Athens, Athens Air Show

770/613.3420 ext. 3

• October 20-21 • Augusta, Augusta Aviation Air Show

706/733.1647

See “Epps” on Page 7

C E L E B R A T I N G 1 0 0 Y E A R S

©2007 AEROSPACE INNOVATION CENTER // aerospace.georgiainnovation.org

EVENTS

The content on this site represents only a portion of Georgia’s aviation history; the purpose of this site is to note the

historical significance of the first powered flight, highlight associated celebratory

events and to promote Georgia’s aviation industry and

educational/career opportunities.

If only we could hit play and set the scene in motion. Maybe those wings would rise and the picture reveal the exact day and time Benjamin Thomas Epps became the first person in Georgia to fly.

Welcome to Georgia and thank you for joining us as we celebrate 100 years of aerospace achievements. Let The Centennial of Flight Gazette serve as your personal guide to learning about Georgia aviation’s historic past, discovering our innovative present and creating our promising future in the skies and beyond.

We know how to fly. With 100 years of flight under our shoulder harnesses, Georgia is committed to making the next 100 years of flight as exciting as our past. As a pilot, I understand the needs of the aviation industry; and as Governor, I can say Georgia is positioned for continued growth and development in aerospace. Georgia has become one of our nation’s top ten employers in aerospace, a dynamic industry that offers higher wages than other manufacturing jobs, whether you are a technician or a systems engineer. In Georgia, we offer aerospace careers that are intertwined with national competitiveness and national security. Georgians from all walks of life are flying, fixing, and building the next generation of advanced planes and aerospace systems. As we look ahead to Georgia’s next generation of aerospace pioneers, it is an honor for us to pay tribute to Ben Epps, Sr., the young man who invented and flew the first powered aircraft made in Georgia 100 years ago. His spirit of adventure and untiring determination has inspired generations of inventors and innovators throughout our state, and continues to serve as an inspiration to each of us.

We mean business. Who could have envisioned all that has been done since Ben Epps’s first flight 100 years ago? In 2003, I began the Aerospace Innovation Center to serve the needs of this strategic industry. From helping small Georgia manufacturing businesses and entrepreneur-led aerospace technology start ups to working closely with our largest aerospace employers, including Warner Robins Air Force Base, state government is committed to staying on the leading edge of the wing. As you become aware of Georgia’s place in aerospace history, I know you will find opportunity in the present. We are here to help, and the Aerospace Innovation Center is your “one-stop-shop” for getting the support your ideas need to take flight. Of course we don’t know what the next 100 years will bring in the world of aerospace, but we do know one thing: Georgians will be there.

Governor Sonny Perdue

Since Ben Epps’ historic flight, aviation and aerospace have become a major influence in the lives of Georgians and a cornerstone of Georgia’s economy. In the spirit of innovation demonstrated by Epps, the Georgia Aerospace Innovation Center (AIC) is pleased to announce the first The Ben T. Epps Aerospace Innovation Trophy. The Epps Trophies will be awarded in three categories to recognize the most influential and outstanding aerospace innovations made by Georgians in the last two years. The Epps Trophies are intended to honor fundamental research and development, effective aerospace program management and aerospace education programs that empower the next generation of Georgians to aim higher.

The awards will be presented in three categories:1) The Trophy for an Invention recognizes an individual, team or an enterprise’s patented or patentable work in a first-of-a-kind technology. Eligible inventions may be critical devices, such as sensors, sub-systems, such as avionics, or entire systems, such as an aircraft or satellite.

2) The Trophy for a Process Innovation recognizes successful process improvement through innovation. Eligible process innovations include, but are not limited to, LEAN process implementations, Six-Sigma implementations, or enterprise change management activities, led by an individual, collaborative team, or an enterprise.

3) The Trophy for Education Innovation recognizes effective programs and strategies that improve science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) achievement in education and training. Eligible education innovations may be an individual classroom program, an informal education programs such as weekend or summer science camps, or math and science magnet school programs, or innovative technical training programs.

Interested? Learn more about the Epps Trophies, eligibility requirements and entry process on our Web site at http://aerospace.georgiainnovation.org. Entries are due no later than midnight September 3, 2007; the presentation of the Epps Trophies will take place at the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame Centennial of Flight Celebration on October 20, 2007.

AIC to Award Ben T. Epps Aerospace Innovation Trophy

©2007 AEROSPACE INNOVATION CENTER // aerospace.georgiainnovation.org

I N N O V A T I O N E F F O R T S E N C O U R A G E D

georgiawelcome to

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“Epps” continued from page 1

Ben EppsA few years before flying, Ben Epps made the decision that would transform his life, dropping out of Georgia Tech at the age of 15 and returning to Athens. In addition to helping his parents save money, Ben didn’t much care for spending his days in a classroom, according to a letter home dated Dec. 13, 1904. By all accounts, Epps thrived as both daredevil and engineer—a rare spirit who loved staring down the fear of adventure and the challenge of innovation. His passion for aviation emerged amid the Wright Brothers’ own quest to conquer the sky. Their ever evolving story routinely made headlines in Epps’ day. Soon after returning to Athens, he opened his own bicycle shop on muddy Washington Street. He also did electrical contracting. Eventually, Epps started carrying gasoline and marketing his ability to repair cars. The profits from the garage fed Ben’s desire to fly. He had already started drawing up plans for his first plane —the one he flew in 1907. It took two years for Ben Epps to fly again. This time he teamed up with Zump Huff and stoked the local curiosity early. In March 1909, the paper read, “It is interesting that right here, within the call of Lexington almost, a pair of aviators are to be found and that it is possible a successful machine to fly through space may be the outcome of their endeavors…They have not yet been successful in traveling any great distance above terra firma but they are at work on the machine and hope to have a fine sail before many days.” Trial and error eventually taught Epps a few important lessons. One in particular stands out. In developing what would become the 1912 monoplane, Epps added an alarm clock to time his gasoline consumption; even the South’s first aviator needed a low-fuel gauge. When he flew the plane in 1912, that alarm clock worked like a dream. On the way down, however, something went terribly wrong. Ben kept the nose up as long as he could, but the machine eventually crashed in a field. And once again, he walked away undaunted, unscathed. He even posed for a photograph next to the mangled hunk of wood, wire and cloth. In the picture, he’s wearing a nonchalant expression, a sagging tie, and long sleeves—rolled up of course.

The Epps Family World War I forced Epps to take a hiatus from flying. He didn’t have to serve because he was married with children by the time the U.S. entered the conflict in 1917. The war brought Epps more garage work than he could handle. Growing up in the Epps household in the 1920s was not unlike living in the future. Unusual for the day, the house had running water and electric lights, not to mention a garage for all the cars and trucks Epps had invented or rebuilt over the years. Evelyn, the first of nine children, loved flying in her dad’s airplanes. She attended the Lucy Cobb Institute and stayed on the honor roll. But every so often dad would let her skip class. They would drive out to the flying field, hop into one of his airplanes and buzz downtown Athens. That way everyone could see the American flag fastened to the fuselage. Then, when they had reached Oconee Hill Cemetery, Evelyn and Ben would throw wreaths into the air. And for a few, solemn seconds, a rain of flowers filled the Athens skyline, before coming to rest on the graves of the city’s heroes, the men who had given their lives in war. Epps’ first son, Ben Jr., was chipped off the old block. Every Sunday his mother dressed him in a white suit and took him out to the flying field where his daddy spent one day a week flying joyrides, giving lessons, and performing stunts. Junior soon made a racket out of selling popcorn and candy to visitors. He could barely carry all the change in his pockets. In the afternoons, the boy hung around the filthy garage on Washington Street—barefooted. The oil and grease caked on his feet so bad it took a putty knife to scrap it off. At home in the country, he played in the fuselage of an old airplane that sat in a field

among the peach trees—throwing the propeller and working the controls. So it was only natural that at age 13 Junior started learning how to fly an airplane. One Sunday evening, Sept. 20, 1929, father and son came home after a long day at the flying field. They sat down at the table with the rest of the family for supper. Junior’s mother, Omie, noticed that the boy and his father were grinning at each other like a couple of possums. “What’s so funny?” she asked. A few hours earlier, Junior had been flying a Waco 9 with his dad in the passenger seat. The boy made four or five perfect landings, so Epps Sr. stepped out of the plane. The boy took off, circled the field and started heading downwind toward the runway—where he landed. Mother didn’t know that her son had just become the youngest person in the world to solo an airplane. Dad couldn’t stop smiling. When the news of Junior’s flight broke, the boy became a national celebrity. He became “The Boy Who Can Fly.” A woman in Baltimore wrote a chapter about him in a book titled Up. She even arranged for Junior to visit Washington, D.C. The President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, wanted to shake his hand. Then the Athens paper ran an article, “Georgia’s Aviation Family,” that ended up on the wire. A famous radio broadcaster, Floyd Gibbons, picked up on the story and devoted a segment to the Epps family on his national radio show. All the attention didn’t faze Ben Epps Sr. He just kept to flying in Athens. In 1935, he took a young couple for a ride one Sunday afternoon. The plane was above the University of Georgia campus when the control stick jammed. Then it went into an ugly tailspin. Newspaper accounts from witnesses said the man at the controls seemed

“desperately” trying to keep the nose up. But at 500 feet the plane suddenly dove straight into the ground, killing Sylvia Raskin on impact. She was 20. Epps broke his hip and suffered severe shock. But when he recovered he did what he had always done. He went right back to flying. In fact, he took off from the flying field in East Athens aboard a De Havilland Gypsy biplane three years later, on Oct. 23, 1937. A first-time student pilot sat in the passenger seat. It was late afternoon—one of those coveted fall days when the sun seems to set for hours on end. Epps opened the throttle and took off. The plane rose fifty feet, stalled, and then slammed back to Earth. The student pilot lived, but Georgia’s pioneer of aviation never regained consciousness because his skull had been fractured. He died right there, on his beloved flying field. Where he had dared, for so many years, to teach others the same skill he had taught himself—one forgotten, yet unforgettable day 100 years ago.

georgia

©2007 AEROSPACE INNOVATION CENTER // aerospace.georgiainnovation.org

Soon after returning to Athens, he opened his own bicycle shop on muddy Washington Street. Eventually, Epps started carrying gasoline and marketing his ability to repair cars. The profits from the garage fed Ben’s desire to fly.

A few hours earlier, Junior had been

flying a Waco 9 with his dad in the

passenger seat. The boy made four

or five perfect landings, so Epps Sr.

stepped out of the plane. The boy

took off, circled the field and started

heading downwind toward the

runway—where he landed.

7

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Founded in 1958, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, is considered the world standard in business aviation. In fact, the Savannah-based company is celebrating two anniversaries of its own: 2007 is the 40th anniversary of their first flight and 2008 will be the 50th anniversary of the corporation. Since its beginning, Gulfstream has produced more than 1,500 aircraft for corporate, government, private and military customers around the world. The company’s flagship products -- the Gulfstream G150, the Gulfstream G200, the Gulfstream G350, the Gulfstream G450, the Gulfstream G500, and the Gulfstream G550 -- are the world’s most technologically advanced business jet aircraft. More than one-quarter of Fortune 500 companies operate Gulfstream aircraft. As Savannah’s largest manufacturer, Gulfstream broke ground in 2006 at its Savannah plant on a new 600,000 square foot service and support facility. The expansion will create up to 1,100 new jobs, a 25 percent increase from the current employment level of 4,300 employees. For more information, visit our Web site at www.gulfstream.com. Gulfstream, a proud supporter of Georgia’s role in aerospace, sponsored the production of Georgia Flight, The History of Aviation in Georgia 1907 - 2007.*Information from www.gulfstream.com.

Maule Air Incorporated Maule Air Inc, based at Spence Air Base in Moultrie, Georgia, is the manufacturer of the renowned Maule single-engine, 4 place STOL (Short Takeoff or Landing) aircraft. In 1941 the B.D. Maule Company was founded in Napoleon, Michigan to build a light aircraft tailwheel which B.D. had designed. The steerable, full-swiveling tailwheel is still being manufactured today by Maule. By 1956 B.D. had designed the first of the current line of Maule airplanes. In 1962, the company changed its name to Maule Aircraft Corporation and began producing the fast-cruising M-4. With its short takeoff and landing capabilities, stability, ease of handling, float and ski options, roomy interior, and economical operation, the M-4 was a success with pilots everywhere. In 1968, the company moved its operations to Moultrie, Georgia. In the years that followed, the Maule planes gained a reputation as a superb aircraft at a reasonable price. Rugged, simple and reliable, the Maule aircraft has been chosen by pilots throughout the world; in fact, whether on wheels, floats or skis, there is no region in the world where the takeoff or landing of a Maule is impossible. Today Maule Inc. is still a family-owned and operated business with 80 employees;

the company currently produces 16 different models of aircraft. For more information, visit us online at www.mauleairinc.com.*Information from www.mauleairinc.com.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, located in Marietta, Georgia, is home to the C-130J Hercules transport and the F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter. The site is also responsible for the avionics and engine modernization programs for the C-5 Galaxy strategic transport. The plant, located in the northern metropolitan Atlanta area, opened during WW II for production of B-29 bombers under the name Bell Aircraft Corporation. Under new management by California’s Lockheed Corporation, the facility reopened in 1951 to refurbish B-29s to help meet the U.S. Air Force’s immediate need for bombers during the Korean War. During the cold war, the facility later built 397 B-47 Stratojet swept-wing jet bombers under license during the Cold War. Over the next 40 years, Lockheed-Georgia produced some of the most rugged and durable aircraft for the Air Force including transport planes C-130 Hercules, C-141 Starlifter, and C-5 Galaxy. In 1995, Lockheed merged with Martin Marietta, one of the largest aerospace engineering and missile technology companies to form Lockheed Martin Corporation. Today named Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, the organization has almost 8,000 employees and manufactures the C-130J cargo plane and the F-22 fighter plane. For more information, visit our Web site at www.lockheedmartin.com.*Information from “Lockheed Martin,” New Georgia Encyclopedia Retrieved April 3, 2007: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport When Asa Candler of Coca-Cola, decided to build an auto race track south of Atlanta in 1909, he probably never imagined it would become the site for one of the world’s busiest airports. When the raceway didn’t prosper, he abandoned the race track. Over the next 15 or so years, the race track became an airfield for a variety of air shows and pilots. In 1924, two pilots who used the old Candler raceway, Doug Davis and Beelin Blevins, started lobbying William Hartsfield, an Atlanta alderman, to transform the old race track into a new airport for Atlanta. In 1925, when the search for a suitable airport site began, Hartsfield suggested the old Candler race track and it was chosen by the city council. On April 16, 1925 the city of Atlanta signed a 5-year lease on the 287 acre raceway from Asa Candler and renamed it “Candler Field”. The first flight into Candler Field occurred in the fall of 1926 when the airmail arrived via Florida. In 1929, the city

Flight Control Software

Flight Controls

Jet EngineTurbinesand Propellers

Wiring Harnesses

Imaging Radar Switches

Avionics Systems

Georgia’s Aviation IndustryGeorgia companies provide a prosperous aviation industry. All of the labeled parts on the aircraft illustration are manufactured in Georgia.

G E O R G I A ’ S A V I A T I O N I N D U S T R Y

bought the land and renamed the field the Atlanta Municipal Airport. In June of 1930, Delta Air Service, later known as Delta Air Lines, began passenger service from Birmingham, Ala., in June. In December of that same year, Eastern Air Transport, formerly Pitcairn Aviation inaugurated the first continuous passenger service from Atlanta to New York. During World War II Atlanta was declared an air base location by the U.S. government and Candler Field doubled in size. In 1942, Candler Field recorded 1,700 takeoffs and landings in a single day and was named the nation’s busiest airport, a distinction the current Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retains today. When Hartsfield died in 1971, Atlanta honored the former mayor (1937-41) (1942-61), by renaming the airport -- the William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. In 2003, Atlanta included Jackson in the airport name after Atlanta’s first African American mayor, Maynard Jackson. In 2005, the airport celebrated 80 years of service. The current name reflects two former Atlanta Mayors: William B. Hartsfield and Maynard H. Jackson, along with its international designation. From its humble beginnings to its present world-class distinction, Georgia’s primary airport continues to be a vital link in the world’s air transportation system, handling approximately 84 million passengers per year. *Information from

Delta Airlines Delta Air Lines traces its roots back to 1924, when Huff Daland Dusters was founded as the world’s first aerial crop dusting organization. In 1928 the company became Delta Air Service. On June 17, 1929, Delta inaugurated airline service with the first passenger flights over a route stretching from Dallas, Texas, to Jackson, Mississippi, via Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana. In 1941, the company moved its headquarters from Monroe to Atlanta, Georgia. Delta Air Lines entered the jet age on September 1 8, 1959, with the world’s first Douglas DC-8 jet service (Atlanta-New York). Delta was the first airline to board 100 million passengers in a single year in 1997. In 2007, Delta offered customers service to more destinations than any other global airline, with flights to 292 destinations in 46 countries. Delta is America’s fastest growing international airline and is the world’s leading carrier between the United States and Europe. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights, and services. Including its SkyTeam partners, Delta offers flights to 461 worldwide destinations in 96 countries.*Information from Marie Force, Archives Manager, Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum.

Robins Air Force Base (Warner Robins, Georgia) Robins plays a vital role supporting U.S. warfighters around the world. The global war on terrorism requires maximum effort: since the beginning of that war, Robins has deployed more than 8,000 people in support of Air Expeditionary Forces. At the Air Logistics Center, the surge support team has shipped almost 173,328 required supply parts and has received nearly 40,000 units for repair. The center has accelerated 14 Special Operations aircraft as well as 108 C-130, C-5, F-15 and C-17 aircraft. Worldwide support of U.S. aircraft is at the core of the Air Logistics Center’s mission. The center has global management and engineering responsibility for the report, modification and overhaul of the F-15 Eagle fighter, the C-130 Hercules transport and the C-5 Galaxy transport as well as all Air Force helicopters and Special Operations aircraft. The center is also a hub for logistics, supporting the C-17 Globemaster III and Air Force tactical missiles in addition to computers, avionics and electronic systems on most Air Force aircraft. Another global aspect of Robins is the worldwide management and engineering responsibility for the U-2 Dragon Lady and E-8 Joint STARS surveillance aircraft (Pictured above).

Quick Facts

• Warner Robins Air Logistics Center is the largest single industrial facility in Georgia

• The total economic impact of the base in Georgia is $4.2 billion.

• More than 26,000 people, mostly civilians, work on Robins Air Force Base.

• The base spends more than $330 million per year on prime contracts in Georgia.

• Robins Air Force Base’s 12,000 foot long runway is the longest in Georgia

HistoryOn March 14 1942, the air depot received it first official name: Wellston Air Depot – and it would have that name today, except for that fact that Col. Thomas wanted to rename the depot to honor his friend and mentor Brigadier General Augustine Warner Robins, one of the Army Air Corps’ first general staff officers. Considered the “Father of Modern Air Force Logistics,” Robins eventually became chief of the Materiel Division of the Army Air Corps. However, under Army Air Corps regulations, depots were named after the nearest towns; therefore, in order to rename Wellston, he has to convince city leaders to rename the town, and they gladly did so. In the fall of 1942, the depot became the Warner Robins Army Air Depot, today known as Robins Air Force Base. *Information from Warner Robins Air Logistics Center brochure.

Flight Control Surfaces

Actuator Assemblies

Composite Fuselage Structures

Sheet Metal Panels

Atlanta Technical College Atlanta/(404) 225-4601www.atlantatech.eduAviation Maintenance TechnologyAviation Maintenance Technology (D)Avionics Maintenance Technology (D)Avionics Technician (TC)Aviation Maintenance Tech (TC)

Augusta Technical College Augusta /(706) 771-4000www.augustatech.eduAviation Maintenance TechnologyAviation Maintenance Technology (D)

Central GA Technical CollegeMacon /(478) 757-3400www.centralgatech.eduAircraft Structural TechnologyAircraft Structural Technology (D)Advanced Aircraft Sheet Metal Tech (TC)Aircraft Structural Maintenance (TC)Aircraft Assembly Tech (TC)

Coosa Valley Technical CollegeRome /(706) 295-6963www.coosavalleytech.eduAviation Maintenance TechnologyAviation Maintenance Technology (AD)Aviation Maintenance Technology (D)Avionics Maintenance Technology (D)

Georgia Aviation Campus of Middle Georgia College (as of 7/07) Eastman /(478) 374-6980, (866) 374-6980 www.gaaviationtech.eduAircraft Structural TechnologyAircraft Structural Technology (D)Advanced Aircraft Sheet Metal (TC)Advanced Composites Processes (TC)Aircraft Structural Worker (TC)Aviation Maintenance TechnologyAviation Maintenance Technology (D)Aircraft Electrical Installer (TC)Aviation Maintenance Tech, Airframe (TC)Aviation Maintenance Technology, Powerplant (TC)Aviation Maintenance Tech (TC)Aviation Service Center Line Tech (TC)Aviation Operations TechnologyAir Traffic Management (AD)Airport Management (AD)Aviation Office Business Technology (D)Aviation Service Center Tech (TC)Flight TechnologyFlight Technology, Airplane (AD)Flight Technology, Airplane (D)Flight Technology, Helicopter (AD)Flight Technology, Helicopter (D)Flight Technology Business Aircraft (D)Business Aircraft Pilot (TC)Commercial Pilot Airplane (TC)Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft Helicopter (TC)Flight Instructor Airplane (TC)Flight Instructor Rotor Helicopter (TC)Instrument Pilot Rating Airplane (TC)Multi-Engine Pilot Airplane (TC)

Middle Georgia Technical CollegeWarner Robins /478-988-6800www.middlegatech.eduAircraft Structural TechnologyAircraft Structural Technology (D)Advanced Aircraft Sheet Metal (D)Aircraft Blueprint Reader (TC)Aviation Maintenance TechnologyAviation Maintenance Technology (AD)Aviation Maintenance Technology (D)Aviation Maintenance Tech (TC)

Savannah Technical CollegeSavannah /(912) 443-5700www.savannahtech.eduAircraft Structural TechnologyAircraft Assembly Tech (TC)

South Georgia Technical CollegeAmericus, GA /(229) 931-2394www.southgatech.eduAircraft Structural TechnologyAircraft Structural Technology (D)Aircraft Structural Maintenance (TC)Aircraft Assembly Tech (TC)Aviation Maintenance TechnologyAviation Maintenance Technology (D)Avionics Maintenance Technology (D)Avionics Bench Tech (TC)

West Central Technical CollegeWaco / (770) 537-6000www.westcentraltech.eduAircraft Structural TechnologyAircraft Structural Worker (TC)

A skill, a hobby, a profession and a lifestyle - being a pilot is all of this and more, according to Lindy and Kathy Lindstedt, both pilots for a major cargo carrier. During a recent interview the couple expressed a love for flying, saying they “didn’t think there’s another career where it always feels you are getting paid to do something you love.” Kathy Lindstedt, who has flown a Boeing 727 for the past eleven years, took the civilian route in her aviation training and career. She earned her degree in Aero Technology from Bowling Green State University in Ohio; as a part of that degree, she obtained her instrument and commercial ratings. At that point, Kathy knew she wanted to fully pursue aviation, so she continued earning instructor ratings after her degree, becoming a Certified Instrument Flight Instructor. Her first post-degree job was serving as a flight instructor at the airport in Bowling Green. “Even now,” said Kathy, “some of my favorite memories are from my flight instruction days. I really enjoyed taking someone through the learning process of becoming a private pilot; I especially loved watching them solo for the first time.”

Kathy then worked for a commuter airline, flying a Donier 228 and a Brasilia 120, both twin engine turbo props; later, with another commuter,

she flew an ATP, a 64 passenger aircraft out of Chicago O’Hare Airport. Today, with over 5,500 hours of flight time, Kathy still loves her chosen career path. “There is always the challenge of trying to have the best flight I can have,” she says. “Each flight is different, making it impossible to become complacent.” George “Lindy” Lindstedt, who currently flies an Air Bus A300/310, chose the military route for his initial training and career. He earned an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University with a US Air Force ROTC scholarship. After graduation, he entered the Air Force where he spent the next 23 years flying various aircraft, including the A10 Thunderbolt and f-16 Falcon. His flying assignments included an overseas tour of duty where he flew combat missions with the Bahraini Amiri Air Force in Desert Storm. “While I can’t say I loved combat, I was proud to be able to serve and do my part during that conflict,” said Lindy. “I loved the camaraderie of the pilots in the air force; the same type of feeling exists in my current civilian job. We are a tight-knit community because of one

common thread: we love to fly.” Lindy continued his career after returning home from Bahrain, serving as an F-16 instructor with the USAF Reserve and transitioning into his new career as a pilot with a major cargo carrier. “Honestly,” he says, when asked about his career choice, “I just love flying. I love being in the plane, looking out of the window at the ground, the clouds, anything. It is still the great thing ‘since sliced bread’.” Both Kathy and Lindy say the profession is special because “you have to love it to do it well.” They also acknowledge the challenges of the profession, such as the spent time away from home and the pressures associated with flying safely. However, the couple thinks that the level of understanding they share by both being pilots serves them well. When asked what they would tell people considering becoming career pilots, they said that, in addition to earning the required college degree, the best advice they could give is to encourage people to “go to their local airport and sign up for lessons…if they love learning to fly, then they will know what they need to do!”

Georgia Technical Colleges with Aviation Programs

Lindstedts Share Love of AviationC A R E E R S I N A V I A T I O N

Husband and wife, Lindy and Kathy Lindstedt, are both pilots for a major cargo carrier. Kathy flies a Boeing 727 and Lindy an Air Bus A300/310.

©2007 AEROSPACE INNOVATION CENTER // aerospace.georgiainnovation.org6

*AD: Associate Degree D: Diploma TC: Technical Certificate**Information provided by the Georgia Department of Technical & Adult Education

Where to Get Your Wings

©2007 AEROSPACE INNOVATION CENTER // aerospace.georgiainnovation.org

What began as an economic development pilot program to strengthen the bonds between Georgia research universities and the state’s strategic industries is now a hot-bed of innovation. The Aerospace Innovation Center is just one of Georgia’s Centers of Innovation, designed by the Georgia Department of Economic Development to pursue organic economic development strategies, based on Georgia’s intellectual capital and world-leading research capabilities, versus traditional state incentive programs that rely on recruiting and relocating businesses from out of state and abroad. “Each of our centers is unique, and each has had unusual success creating wealth for Georgians from opportunity we frankly already had,” explains Don Betts, Director of the Centers of Innovation Program. “Our job was to put the pieces together,” he adds, “so the little company with the technical challenge could take

advantage of the know-how Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, for instance, already had working on the same problem.”

Take the case of Warner Robins AFB, whose responsibility includes providing clean-burning diesel fuel to military ground vehicles all over the world. “Now there’s a three-way partnership between a small company, nGimat, the US Air Force, and

Georgia Tech,” adds Nick Fuhrman, Director of the Aerospace Innovation Center. “This partnership will create high-tech manufacturing jobs once successful field testing of a new diesel fuel desulphurization system concludes, and the Air Force begins buying multiple units,” Fuhrman explains. “The technology and ability to perform was here,” Betts says, “We just needed to orchestrate the key elements.” The same scenario is playing out at Georgia’s other four Centers of Innovation: Agriculture, Advanced

Manufacturing, Maritime Logistics, and Biotechnology. “Some of our centers are acting as incubators or new companies, others offer hands-on training to industry,” Betts adds. “The common thread is each Center is doing what the strategic industry needs most, and doing it by combining capabilities that we’ve always had, but failed to bring together around a concrete business problem.” One new focus of each Innovation Center is industry-specific workforce development. Bill Boone, Director of the Agriculture Innovation Center is working with technologically-dependent farming operations to ensure that schools and technical colleges point young people into precision agriculture and give them the skills they need to prosper. “Bill’s experience reflects what is going on in each of our key industries: the person has become the capital asset,” Fuhrman points out. “In aerospace, the plane or the spacecraft is entirely dependent on people to work. As 50% of the engineering and technical workforce nears retirement in the next five years, we are working to avert a crisis.” “Georgians are hard-working, dedicated, and willing to meet the challenges,” Betts observes, “But developing these strong characteristics into actual human assets working in

our strategic industries takes the same partnering and programmatic nurture we use to invent a widget.” The Georgia Centers of Innovation, and in particular, the Aerospace Innovation Center see the strategies converging. “If we can’t give young people cool jobs making things that fly and flying them, some other state will do it and own the future,” Fuhrman warns. “The innovation aspect goes hand-in-hand with education. We are making companies basically out of ideas so that people with ideas stay in Georgia and make highly valuable things that employ thousands of people doing precise work that saves lives,” concludes Fuhrman. “Innovation is hard sometimes to define,” Betts reflects. “We talk about helping people take their ideas to product. We talk about giving research that we’ve already paid for a chance to earn its place in the market. We talk about the technology companies need to stay ahead. In the end, we are about making potential happen. “In this Centennial of Flight year,” Betts concludes, “we’re reminded of how innovation has always been our best strategy for growth and prosperity.” Learn more about the program and how the Aerospace Innovation Center can help your business by visiting us online at www.georgiainnovation.org.

Serious About the Future:Georgia’s Centers of Innovation

*Just for Kids word scramble obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration Web site

Centers of InnovationThe Centers of Innovation program works directly with existing businesses and entrepreneurs to foster growth in strategic industries. Access to university level research and development is only one of its signature services. One of the programs areas of focus is the aerospace industry; learn more about the Aerospace Innovation Center and the program’s entrepreneur support system at the following links: www.georgiainnovation.org, aerospace.georgiainnovation.org and outreach.georgiainnovation.org.

Georgia Department of Economic DevelopmentGeorgia’s lead governmental organization for promoting, marketing and supporting economic growth offers outstanding services for aerospace and aviation businesses. For complete resource information, visit them online at www.georgia.org.

University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC)For business consultation and educational opportunities that address human resources, management, technology, business plan and strategy development, capital formation and infrastructure needs, visit the Web site at www.sbdc.uga.edu.

Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), headquartered at Georgia Tech, is a nationally recognized science and technology incubator that helps Georgia entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies. Learn more about the cener at www.atdc.org.

Teen Web Guide The Teen Web Guide site to introduces teenagers to the concept of small business ownership. The site features the fundamentals of starting a small business. Learn more at www.sba.gov/teens.

Georgia’s Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE) Maintaining an adept workforce is imperative for keeping your business successful in today’s ever-changing competitive environments. Learn more about how our programs can help at www.dtae.org.

Quick StartAdministered by the DTAE, the Quick Start program provides flexible, customized training through a network of technical colleges, multiple satellite campuses and four associated universities. Learn more about the Quick Start program at www.georgiaquickstart.org.

BEST BETS

*For a complete listing, visit www.georgia.org.

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for business

Learn more about aviation in Georgia! For more information visit the Georgia Airport Association

Web site at www.georgiaairports.org, or the Georgia Department of Transportation Web site at

tomcat2.dot.state.ga.us/Aviation/Home/index.cfm.

AlbanyChallenger Astronauts MonumentHazan Shrine Temple1822 Palmyra Road229/432.1011

Thrush Aircraft Corporation300 Old Pretoria Road 229/883.1440

AmericusLindbergh Exhibit, So. GA Tech CollegeGriffin Bell Aerospace CenterGA Hwy 49

National POW MuseumAndersonville Nat. Cemetery Historic SiteGA Hwy 49229/924.0343

Atlanta AreaDelta Air Transport Museum1060 Delta Boulevard404/773.1219

Dobbins Air Reserve BaseUS Hwy 41, Marietta678/655.5055

Fernbank Science Center156 Park Dr., NE, Atlanta678/874.7102

ColumbusCoca Cola Space Science CenterColumbus State University701 Front Avenue706/649.1470

EastmanAircraft Manufacturing and Development (AMD)Heart of Georgia Regional Airport415 Airport Road478/374.2759

HelenHead Balloons706/865.3874

HinesvilleFort Stewart MuseumFort Stewart, Building T-904 2022 Frank Cochran Drive, Savannah912/767.7885

MoultrieMaule Air, Inc.2099 S GA Hwy 133 229/985.2045

Rising Fawn/Lookout Mnt.Lookout Mountain Flight Park7201 Scenic Highway800/688.5637 or 706/398.3541

RomeRichard B. Russell Airport304 Russell Airport Road706/295.7835

SavannahMighty Eighth Air Force Museum

ThomasvillePower of the Past Museum Regional Airport GA Hwy 122 229/226.3010

ValdostaMoody Air Force Base229/257.2474

Warner RobinsGeorgia Aviation Hall of Fame GA Hwy 247 S&Russell Pkwy478/328.0704

Museum of Aviation, Robins AF BaseGA Hwy 247 & Russell Pkwy478/926.6870

WoodstockAir Acres Museum376 Air Acres Way770/517.6090

Drive Georgia’s Aviation History

Sites worth a visit!

Albany

Americus

ValdostaThomasville

Moultrie

SavannahEastman

Warner Robins

Macon

Columbus

Atlanta

Rome

Woodstock

Rising Fawn/Lookout Mountain Helen