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Originally from Dayton, Ohio John now lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida. John credits
his love of flying to his father and growing up in the "Birth Place of Aviation". "My
Dad instilled my love of flying; the Air Force Museum was our 2nd home. I'd run
outside every time I heard an airplane. Balsa wood airplanes, model rockets, and
radio-controlled airplanes filled my time. My Dad and I would always go to the Dayton
Airshow. There we watched Bob Hoover, Duane Cole, Art Scholl, Charlie Hillard &
Harold Johnson among others."
John learned to fly in 1984 when he was 17 at a little airport called Moraine Airpark.
He acknowledges this as a defining time for him. "My first lesson was during Easter
break in 1984. I had my pilot's license before I started my senior year of high school.
Moraine Airpark also offered aerobatic training. My first aerobatic lesson was in a
Super Decathlon before I had my private license. I still remember my first time upside
down like it was yesterday."
John attended college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. He
received a Bachelor of Science in Aircraft Engineering Technology and completed the
A.F. ROTC program. His summers always led him back to Dayton though. "I spent
my college summers back in Dayton at Moraine Airpark pumping gas, cleaning
windshields, mowing the field, and flying everything I could get my hands on". John
was commissioned in the Active Duty Air Force in August 1989. He completed pilot
training in April 1991 after a year of flying T-37s & T-38s.
During John's ten years in the Active Duty Air Force all his assignments were flying
F-15Cs. He is now an Active Duty (full time) member of the Florida Air National
Guard @ Jacksonville, FL IAP flying F-15As and Cs.
Even though John flies one of the best airplanes in the world he's always held aerobatic
flying close to his heart. "Through all my Air Force years I've continued to fly general
aviation aircraft, especially Citabrias and Decathlons. We bought our Super Decathlon
in early 2002. It is a great airplane! The Bahama Blue color of her paint really stands
out in the sun, so we started calling her "Blue". I have a little over 575 hours in Super
Decathlons, most of those in "Blue". I always tell people when I retire you'll be able to
find me at the airport tinkering with the Decathlon.
John has flown over 40 types of aircraft flying more than 5200 hours and 4400 sorties
in the last 24 years. He is an Instructor and Evaluator in the F-15 with more than 3250
hours of Eagle time.
Originally from Dayton, Ohio John now lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida. John credits
his love of flying to his father and growing up in the "Birth Place of Aviation". "My
Dad instilled my love of flying; the Air Force Museum was our 2nd home. I'd run
outside every time I heard an airplane. Balsa wood airplanes, model rockets, and
radio-controlled airplanes filled my time. My Dad and I would always go to the Dayton
Airshow. There we watched Bob Hoover, Duane Cole, Art Scholl, Charlie Hillard &
Harold Johnson among others."
John learned to fly in 1984 when he was 17 at a little airport called Moraine Airpark.
He acknowledges this as a defining time for him. "My first lesson was during Easter
break in 1984. I had my pilot's license before I started my senior year of high school.
Moraine Airpark also offered aerobatic training. My first aerobatic lesson was in a
Super Decathlon before I had my private license. I still remember my first time upside
down like it was yesterday."
John attended college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. He
received a Bachelor of Science in Aircraft Engineering Technology and completed the
A.F. ROTC program. His summers always led him back to Dayton though. "I spent
my college summers back in Dayton at Moraine Airpark pumping gas, cleaning
windshields, mowing the field, and flying everything I could get my hands on". John
was commissioned in the Active Duty Air Force in August 1989. He completed pilot
training in April 1991 after a year of flying T-37s & T-38s.
During John's ten years in the Active Duty Air Force all his assignments were flying
F-15Cs. He is now an Active Duty (full time) member of the Florida Air National
Guard @ Jacksonville, FL IAP flying F-15As and Cs.
Even though John flies one of the best airplanes in the world he's always held aerobatic
flying close to his heart. "Through all my Air Force years I've continued to fly general
aviation aircraft, especially Citabrias and Decathlons. We bought our Super Decathlon
in early 2002. It is a great airplane! The Bahama Blue color of her paint really stands
out in the sun, so we started calling her "Blue". I have a little over 575 hours in Super
Decathlons, most of those in "Blue". I always tell people when I retire you'll be able to
find me at the airport tinkering with the Decathlon.
John has flown over 40 types of aircraft flying more than 5200 hours and 4400 sorties
in the last 24 years. He is an Instructor and Evaluator in the F-15 with more than 3250
hours of Eagle time.
| John Black American Champion 8KCAB Super Decathlon ("Blue") Cocoa Beach, Florida |
