ONE FOURTY FIVE MAGAZINE
MARCH 2015
Bad to the Bone
Exclusive Interview with Bruce Owens
Cool Stuff about Cool People
TOP 10 AVIATION JOBS
MARCH 2015
EDITORS LETTER
Hey 145 Readers!
I’m sure you’ve probably noticed from the last two issues, we are not your typical aviation magazine. We’ve said it multiple times, but by now you’re realizing for yourself that “Hey, they weren’t kidding.” So ya, we definitely like to get personal here at 145. I’ll tell ya, it has been really fun getting to know people beyond their desk jobs. I find myself saying “You did what?!” all the time. I know there’s more to people than just their 9-5 job, and it has been such a blast talking with people about the fun, exciting, interesting and sometimes CRAZY things they do in their spare time. Oh, and just when I think things can’t get more exciting, they do! We are stoked for the MRO coming up in April. We’re going to take it as an opportunity to chat with some of you in the industry and then who knows, you might find yourself on the cover of an upcoming issue! So be sure to come by the OneAero MRO booth, #4525, and say “Hello” because we’d love to get to know you!
Ashley Fox
Ashley Fox Editor-in-Chief
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March/April Volume 2 Issue 2
CONTENTS 7 12 15 26
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Buy, Build, Sell Repeat
ONE FOURTY FIVE MAGAZINE
MARCH 2015
Aviation Trivia:
First plane to go over 1,000 mph.
Cool Things about Cool People The Importance of Time Off
Bad to the Bone
Exclusive Interview with Bruce Owens
Cool Stuff about Cool People
TOP 10 AVIATION JOBS
Bad to the Bone Excluzive interview with Bruce Owens
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Time to Give Back
42
Top Jobs in Aviation
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Top Shops in Review American Cooler Contact Us
Email: info@145magazine.com Tel: +1.888.820.8551 Ext. 704 Fax: +1.801.772.1947
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Special Marketing Section
Buy Build Sell Repeat
Steve Townes, CEO & Founder, Ranger Aerospace
How long have you been in business? Ranger Aerospace was founded in March 1997. Ranger Aerospace is an active player in the consolidation trends that are affecting the aviation industry. Since our founding, we have sparked hundreds of millions of dollars in buying, selling, and investing transactions. We have added value in each investment by bringing the accomplished Ranger team to bear on operational improvements. We focus heavily on operations, marketing, quality, and people. We subscribe to the “Good to Great” incremental approach to business transformations, combined with aerospace style “TQM” and numerous other process enhancements. We always try to remain a positive and highly principled employer.
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Special Marketing Section What does your business do? Ranger Aerospace is a management holding company for private equity investments in aerospace and aviation focused companies. We are a hybrid mix between private equity capital and deep aerospace expertise. We develop strategies for penetration and consolidation in a narrow sub-segment of the industry—“nichemanship.” We then assemble sufficient capital resources to carry that out on a multi-year basis. Then we reach out to companies in that category that might wish to have our help in growing to the next level. We acquire just a few companies in the segment, grow each one with internal investments, integrate the enterprise carefully, and eventually it is “packaged as a strategic business unit” and sold to gigantic strategic buyers. It’s important to note that each of those Ranger platforms handled and sold in that fashion continue to grow and prosper today with their huge new parent companies. That’s what we do. And now we’re doing it once again.
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What are some of the companies you’ve invested in? Ranger Aerospace has had an interesting, successful array of growth subsidiaries to its credit. The three large consolidation platforms were: “ASIG” – Aircraft Service International Group, Inc. This was an amazing effort, our first big deal back in 1997. It was a corporate Carve-Out from a large parent company, and involved Repositioning, Add-On Acquisitions, International Expansion, Workforce Initiatives, and Quality Innovations. ASIG is now one of the largest airfield fueling and ground handling companies in the industry. Through several add-on acquisitions, plus 3 international joint ventures, we built ASIG in North America, Caribbean, and Western Europe to 4,250 personnel at 56 major airports and 25 large fuel farms on both sides of the Atlantic. The owner of ASIG today is the large British conglomerate, BBA Group
PLC. ASIG has grown now to over 8,000 people at 90 airports, and remains “best in class” in terms of quality and service. http:// www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ranger-aerospace-successfully-completes-saleof-asig-to-bba-group-plc-71306767.html. Samples from Ranger’s Long History
Keystone Helicopter – Keystone Ranger Holdings, Inc. This platform saw the dramatic transformation & accelerated growth of a family-owned Specialized MRO company, plus expanded flight operations, OEM relations, and multiple acquisitions. We tripled this helicopter technical services company to over $130 Million, added new lines of business, invested in every division for growth in all directions, added several strategic alliances with OEM’s such as Sikorsky, and built the giant Keystone “HeliPlex.” That facility is one of the largest rotorcraft technical centers in the industry today. We acquired and expanded Composite Technology Inc., the largest overhauler of rotorblades in the industry, and aggressively expanded KeyTech, which was the DAS-licensed engineering division. The owner of Keystone Helicopter today is United Technologies, and
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Special Marketing Section
Townes (quite frugal) Does NOT Have His Own Jet, But He Sure Likes Deal-Making in Aviation!
that little $38 Million outfit we started with is more than $500 Million today, and a major division of Sikorsky Helicopter. http://www. aviationtoday.com/rw/services/dealers-distributors-brokers/Sikorsky-Global-HelicoptersKeystone-Helicopter_65357.html#.VPYUBsItFYc. Ranger International Services Group, Inc. This 1,000-person enterprise was classic Sector Consolidation, with phenomenal growth through the Recession, employing “Lean” techniques across all operations, and investing in new channels in Specialized Airfield Operations & Aircraft Services, Fueling Services, and Maintenance/Engineering Technical Services. We acquired three companies, invested in an internal start-up for Engineering, and inked a creative international joint venture in Saudi Arabia. These businesses were all performing various levels of Government Services. It is now the Operations & Maintenance division of the very large engineering firm Berger Group Holdings.http://www.prnewswire.com/ news-releases/ranger-international-buyoutrecognized-as-deal-of-the-decade-by-the-maadvisor-magazine-awards-137154858.html.
Ranger AeroSystems LLC. This is our newest venture, started in late 2014. I believe this could become our largest and longest-duration consolidation platform, ever. Mainly because of the nature of our capitalization this time. We very carefully teamed with two large Private Equity funds who have each just recently launched their own brand-new fourth funds, respectively. That means we have the full 10 years’ life of those Limited Partnerships to buy and build businesses, so Ranger AeroSystems could easily run 7 or 8 years, we hope. Time will tell. http:// www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ argosy-private-equity-joins-forces-withranger-aerospace-and-azalea-capitalin-new-investment-platform-argosysthird-time-with-ranger-300008931.html.
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Special Marketing Section What was your most successful investment? Ranger Aerospace has had three large-scale “consolidation platforms” over the years which were quite successful, each in their own way. With ASIG, we focused very heavily on the thousands of front-line professionals who handle the customers’ airplanes, and in so doing we substantially improved workforce turnover, better training, and higher measurable quality. With Keystone, we dramatically transformed a 50-year old family-held company…without cultural disruption or “rough handling” (you often hear horror stories about buyouts, Keystone was a happy story, by contrast). With Ranger International, who would have thought you could have successful investment in the midst of the worst Recession in 50 years? But it was our highest-yielding “IRR” at the exit (roughly 60% returns each year, year over year, for duration of Ranger’s efforts). I’m not a financier, but the Finance guys tell me that’s darned good. We have been fortunate to combine excellent quality, aggressive growth, operations improvements, and numerous positive People Initiatives, with truly superior investment returns. It’s all about the fundamentals, basic blocking and tackling. Do you have a team of people that turn companies around? Ranger Aerospace has a small but expert team of long-tenured industry veterans, each a bona fide expert in his field. Although we have turnaround skills and experiences, we’re not typically looking for turnarounds in the companies we acquire. Ranger and its co-investors add value to acquired companies via seasoned veterans experienced in an array of aviation and business services. We’ll keep repeating this pattern in the coming years, steadi-
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ly improving our growth techniques along the way. We specialize in aviation services, airfield operations, aircraft Technical Services/MRO, aerospace program management, engineering, finance, corporate development, government contracting, MIS, marketing & strategic planning, executive recruiting, Total Quality Management, LEAN initiatives, mergers & acquisitions, post-merger integration, and (yes) turnarounds. Have you ever had any companies you’ve invested in that didn’t materialize? Ranger Aerospace has enjoyed those three large successful “exits” (full-cycle investments in building new consolidation platforms with multiple acquisitions, start-to-finish, including premium valuations upon sale to strategic buyers). We have some other investing activities where Ranger’s executives remain passive shareholders or advisors, but in each of our active holdings, we’ve been lucky to enjoy a string of good outcomes at the end.
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My best suggestion for emerging leaders in growth enterprises is to focus on the fundamentals, on operational excellence, on customer service, and on being an exceptionally good employer. Customers and employees, alike, appreciate and respect that approach.
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Special Marketing Section What are Rangers goals for the future? Ranger Aerospace has started yet another consolidation platform, called Ranger AeroSystems LLC. We have already acquired the first high-growth company with that, and we have other deals in the pipeline. We intend to build as many as three “verticals” in this consolidation, with each vertical’s goal to achieve critical mass of $100MM revenues and/or $10MM of EBITDA profitability. Our business model, as you can see from our multiple successes, is imminently repeatable, so we plan to keep doing this long into the future. In fact, as the founder, I am now contemplating various succession strategies, so that Ranger Aerospace can keep propagating long after my own full-time tenure.
Give us a tip for success! Ranger Aerospace starts every major meeting with Quality—Safety—F.A.R. Compliance. That is one of our most important mantras. In the aviation industry, if you short-change those fundamentals, you can ruin an entire company or even cost lives. Yet if an enterprise focuses on core values, important fundamen-
tals, and taking good care of good people, it seems the sales, profits, and cash flows come as a happy dividend. I’ve seen strict financial “bean-counters” wreck or hobble perfectly good companies, and I’ve seen brilliant leaders fix, improve, and grow under-performing businesses to stellar results. Funny how that works, huh? That doesn’t mean we run fast and loose; indeed, we run a very tight ship. And our financial results have generally been excellent. My best suggestion for emerging leaders in growth enterprises is to focus on the fundamentals, on operational excellence, on customer service, and on being an exceptionally good employer. Customers and employees, alike, appreciate and respect that approach. Those basics will lead to success.
Townes is actively scouting for new acquisitions. If you want to get in touch with him for any reason, go to www.rangeraerospace.com for Contact information.
Typical airfield support operations from Ranger International Services Group, Inc.
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Aviation Trivia
WHATwas the
first Aircraft to fly faster than 1,000 MPH (1,609 KM/H) ? A. Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet B. Bell X-1
Written By Zeke Christensen
C. Fairey Delta 2 D. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
Answer: B – The Fairey Delta 2, flown by Peter Twiss hit a speed of 1,132
tt
MPH (1,822 KM/H) on March 10, 1956 in Chichester, UK. This speed broke the record set about 6 months previous by over 300 MPH (482 KM/H) making the pilot the first man to travel faster than the rotation of the earth. By essentially travelling back in time, Mr. Twiss had the chance to be the first man to eat breakfast twice in one day. The attempt at the record, and the preparation leading up to it, were done in secrecy. On the last attempt of the last day, the record was set. The Fairey Delta 2 was a mid-wing tailless delta monoplane. It had an oval cross-section fuselage and the engine air intakes blended into the wing roots, and was the first British plane that flew using all-powered controls. While the record was broken several more times in the years that followed, including being almost doubled by the SR-71 Blackbird, the Fairey Delta 2 will forever be in the record books as the first airplane to fly faster than 1,000 MPH.
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World Class provider In the Repair/Overhaul of Boeing and Airbus New Generation platforms.
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Cool Stuff about
Cool People The four individuals featured in this month’s “Bet You Didn’t Know” section show a wide range of talents, from motorcycle and mountain bike racing to hula dancing and drag racing. Each of these amazing individuals has followed their dreams, to accomplish things that required a lot of practice, patience, and perseverance. Some, like Scott Gardner, Customer Service Manager at Delta TechOps, followed his passion for fast motorcycles, to the point he raced motorcycles professionally. Others like Debbie Nakanelua – Richards, Director of Community Relations at Hawaiian Airlines, followed her passion for hula dancing, and was ultimately crowned Miss Hawai’i in 1984. Take a closer look at some of the amazing things these folks have accomplished over the next few pages. • • • •
Mike McCune – Drag Racer Extraordinaire Debbie Nakanelua – Richards – Hula Hottie and Miss Hawai’I 1984 Ivan Volkov – Mountain Biking Enthusiast Scott Gardner – Motorcycle Racing Pro
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Bet you Didn’t Know
NEED FOR SPEED
Scott Gardner Customer Service Manager at Delta TechOps
So Scott, when did you start riding? I started riding motorcycles late in life when I was about 20 years old.
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Word has it you used to race motorcycles professionally. Tell us a little about that. Back in 1997, when I was 31 years old, I was in line to pay for a speeding ticket I’d received for driving too fast on my road bike. I happened to overhear two guys in front of me talking about a road racing school called Ed Bargy Racing School. I asked them for some details, got the phone number of the racing school, and called the following day. In less than a month I was racing motorcycles! I raced only one race at the end of 1997, but then in 1998 I won the WERA Grand National Champi-
onship in the 600 Novice class. The following year I turned pro and switched from Kawasaki to Yamaha, riding a Yamaha YZF-R6 for the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) and WERA (Western Eastern Roadracing Association) Nationals through 2002. I qualified for several races in the AMA 600 pro class, with my best finish for the season being 10th place in the AMA. Competing with factory riders, and bikes, made finishing in the top 10 very difficult. Have you ever been injured riding? Let’s see, I’ve broken my shoulder in three places during a motocross training exercise. I’ve broken a couple ribs while road racing at Virginia International Raceway and I’ve broken a couple bones in my hand road racing at
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Bet you Didn’t Know Mini-Talladega. Mix in a couple concussions, and I’d say I’m par for the course. When you race motorcycles, injuries are just part of the game.
What kind of motorcycles do you ride now? I currently ride a four-stroke Kawasaki 250F and a two stroke Kawasaki 250. Both bikes are motocross bikes. Road racing bikes are still my first love, but I haven’t had a road bike since 2005. I was always ridding too fast on the street, and that’s not the place to do it. Having raced for so many years ruined riding on the road for me. It just seems too slow now. Maybe one day I’ll grow up and slow it down a little.
What are some of your most memorable rides? Outside of racing some of the best race tracks in the United States - like Road Atlanta, and Virginia International Raceway, I’d have to say riding in Iceland. I’ve done three dirt bike trips to Iceland now, and I’m planning a fourth trip this coming August. If you ever get the opportunity to ride in Iceland, don’t pass it up. It has to be some of the most beautiful, untouched, terrain on the planet! We found ourselves in some really difficult situations, with multiple bikes getting stuck, but with teamwork we all made it back safely. All I can say is, those Vikings sure know how to ride!
Are there any motorcycles out there that you’d love to own? No real classic bikes have caught my eye yet. I guess right now I would say the KTM 1190 RC8 R (2015). A true bucket list bike would be a Valentino Rossi Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGp bike! But fortunately for me, they aren’t for sale. If they were, I could never afford one anyway.
A little about Scott’s family I was first married in 1985 when I was just 18 years old. My first son, Zachary, was born one month after my 20th birthday. Then a little over three years later my second son, Brandon, was born. I was married for almost 10 years before becoming a single parent. I took about a 15 year break from marriage, during which time I enjoyed some of the things I missed out on from being married at such a early age. One of those things included Road Racing. Then in January of 2013, I married the most wonderful woman in the world, Elizabeth Tilden. Elizabeth (who also works in aviation) and I started the family life over again together. I now have an amazing 8 year old step son, Calvin, and a new 1 ½ year old son named Caleb Tilden Gardner. If you do the math, Zachary was 26 and Brandon was 23 when Caleb was born. Now that is having a couple of BIG brothers! I have really enjoyed a lot of fortunate things in life, but none better than my children. Children are the greatest gift in life!
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Bet you Didn’t Know
For the
love of
HULA I
n the Hawaiian language, there is a proverb that says ‘A‘a i ka hula, waiho ka hilahila ma ka hale, which translates to When one wants to dance, bashfulness should be left at home. That is a proverb that Debbie Nakanelua-Richards always lives by as a hula dancer whenever she dances, whether it’s a performance on stage in front of a large crowd or for a few close friends at an intimate gathering at home. For 36 years, Nakanelua-Richards has represented Hawaiian Airlines as a distinguished community leader and brand ambassador in the Hawaiian Islands and around the world. As Director - Community Relations, she spearheads the strategic community efforts of Hawai‘i’s largest and longest serving airline, ensuring that its community presence in Hawai‘i is maintained and in line with the company’s mission and values. As a Miss Hawai‘i 1984 title holder, Nakanelua-Richards has served as Hawai‘i’s ambassador of aloha, representing Hawai‘i and sharing its culture and values with the world. She is also an accomplished hula
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dancer who has studied under the direction of revered hula master Maiki Aiu Lake, and has performed in almost every showroom in Waikīkī. Every Sunday night for the past 28 years, Nakanelua-Richards can be found dancing hula for an audience of visitors and local residents at Halekūlani, a luxury oceanfront resort in Waikīkī.
When did you start dancing?
I actually started dancing hula not by choice. I was six years old and my aunty was already dancing for the late Kumu Hula (hula teacher), Maiki Aiu Lake, and her hula school Hālau Hula o Maiki. So she took me with her to class which was held every Saturday morning for one hour. My earliest memory of dancing hula at such a young age was how formal and extensive the training was. Our hālau was like a finishing school, and in addition to learning hula and chanting, Kumu also taught us life lessons to discipline ourselves. This included ensuring our slippers and shoes were neatly arranged on the doorstep outside of
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Bet you Didn’t Know class before we stepped inside, as opposed to leaving them scattered. Every hula school has its own style, and our hālau’s style is gracefulness and precision.
and we all embarked on this path together and became very close throughout the years until the official ‘ūniki ceremony. These are relationships that I built and are still a part of my life today.
At a very young age, I was very confident in everything that had to do with hula both academically and physically. Dancing hula was something that came so natural to me. We were able to share our knowledge of hula through performances around the island at special functions, events and lū‘au. How was the journey going through the Uniki process to become an olapa? It was a very memorable journey with rigorous training involved. When a haumana (student) goes through the ‘ūniki (graduation) process, he or she either becomes an ‘ōlapa (dancer), ho‘opa‘a (chanter), or kumu (teacher). I was 16 years old when I was selected to be part our hālau’s first ‘ūniki class of ‘ōlapa as everyone before us who went through the process became kumu. Practice increased to three times a week at 8 p.m., which I would attend after school for a couple of hours. For the ‘ūniki ceremony, we had to learn a trilogy of three very sacred kahiko (ancient) dances as well as nine extensive oli (chants) that have been preserved and passed on for hundreds and hundreds of years.
After two years of training, the day of our ‘ūniki came and our class presented what we A big misconception that most people have about learned and practiced. My parents, brother and ‘ūniki is that you’re done after you complete sister were in attendance as well as other hula the process. That’s not true. It actually means masters such as the late Lokalia Montgomery that it allows you to learn more and to continand Mary Kawena Pukui whom my kumu had ue doing what you’re doing. I think that’s what studied under, as well as previous graduates set the stage for what was next to come for me. of our hālau. When it was all over and we received the approval from my kumu and her How did it feel to win the kumu that we completed the ‘ūniki process, it Miss Hawaii 1984 title? was a moment of relief, but at the same time It all happened by chance. I was placed in a moment of sadness because it was all over. During the process, you become so ingrained the right time, the right place and with the in the preparations and with the people you’re right people. The offer to pursue this title was training with both mentally and physically. presented to me and I accepted it. I was 26 There were a number of girls who started the years old at the time when I started the insame class with me when I was six years old tensive training and preparations. There were 145 Magazine 19
Bet you Didn’t Know
many decisions that needed to be made that ranged from gown, hair and make-up, to interview preparation and platform selection. But for the talent portion, I knew it had to be hula.
My talent was a medley of two songs, Hawaiian Hula Eyes and Down in Honolulu, both arranged as a 1930s/1940s hapa-haole style number. My friend Randy Ngum choreographed the number and my hula brother and Hawaiian music legend, Robert Cazimero, provided the vocals along with his brother Roland. On the night of the competition, I remember not being nervous because I had years of experience dancing so it came as second nature when it was time to perform. It allowed me to be larger than myself. The final moment of the night came and I took home the title that evening. But the journey didn’t end there. It was the beginning of another as I traveled to Atlantic City to represent Hawaii and compete for the Miss America title.
ers watching at home, was one of the most memorable moments in my life. Because Miss America is a televised event, you don’t get to showcase your talent on TV unless you place in the top 10. So you’re practicing and practicing your talent leading up to the competition without knowing if you’re going to be able to perform or not. So being able to represent Hawaii and present our culture to the entire nation on a televised platform is a very rewarding experience that I will never forget.
What do you think Hula provided you? For me, hula is everything and was always a top priority in my life that came before everything else. I truly believe that I didn’t choose to dance hula, but rather it picked me. So at a young age, it was pre-determined that hula would become a large part of my life. While my friends
Dancing hula on stage at Miss America before tens of thousands of people in the audience and also millions of view20 145 Magazine
Bet you Didn’t Know were out on dates, I was rehearsing, performing or working. It wasn’t a deprivation for me, but rather a way of life. Kumu’s philosophy is that hula expresses all that we hear, see, smell, taste, touch and feel. Hula is life. That statement is very true. Even though hula is considered art, it allowed me to have a deep connection and personal relationship with the natural elements we live with in this world including the wind, rain, earth, stars and more. When I think of hula, it really is the thread that has bound my life together as a young student, as a professional dancer, as an employee of Hawaiian Airlines, as a member of the community, as a woman, as a parent, and as a wife. Everything that I do in life, hula is in every spectrum of it. Hula is the thread that weaves and ties my entire life together.
One of the biggest things that hula provided me was life skills. I approach hula as a discipline. It is something that I’ve always worked on physically, mentally and spiritually and I never took it for granted. It was a skill that needed to be honed and I always gave it full attention. It helped me to become very observant of other dance forms and other talents as I have a deep appreciation for any kind of art and performance. It also allowed me to develop and expand as a performer. I’ve created contemporary numbers where I would perform hula to an orchestra string quartet and Celtic pipes. I didn’t study other dance forms, but I brought hula to other art and dance forms. Often times it’s the other way around for other people who study other influences. For me, it’s growing hula in other forms and in other ways. Hula also led me to learn the art of lua—ancient Hawaiian martial arts. I continue to learn as a student and develop as a student because of hula. Hula also provided me a career at Hawaiian Airlines that I never sought to have and allowed me to travel all over the world to see different places, experience different cultures, and meet different people. I’ve always performed professionally since I was 13 years old, but when I joined Hawaiian Airlines in 1978 as a mem-
ber of the company’s promotions team, that’s when I started to travel. The Hawaiian Airlines promotions team consisted of sales executives, musicians and hula dancers. Together, we would travel the world to share our culture, sell Hawaii as a destination, and also promote Hawaiian Airlines as the way to get there. Hula has taken me to different countries all over North America, Asia, Europe, South America and the South Pacific. In terms of Hula, what comes next in life? I know that I never want to stop dancing hula so there’s no slowing down for me. Someday, I would like to be a part of a larger ensemble of musicians and dancers to go on tour. In the meantime, I will continue to do and share what I love most and what I’ve been taught. In Hawaiian teachings, when you’re given knowledge and mentorship, it’s not for you to keep. When someone asks you to hula, it’s not for you to say no. You were given this gift and it is to be shared. ‘A‘a i ka hula, waiho ka hilahila ma ka hale.
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Bet you Didn’t Know
Chain Reaction A Story About:
Ivan Volkov- Vice President Stratigic Purchasing at AvAir Mountain Biking Enthusiast How long have you been mountain biking? I started riding casually about 4 years ago on advice from a friend that mountain biking was a fun hobby to get into, and a good way to stay fit. My first mountain bike was a $500 bike from Craigslist. It was a Giant Trance 26er with a non-functioning fork. It was a P.O.S., but it got me into the sport. After a while I started really seeing what I liked and didn’t like about various bike. Within the first 18 month I probably used four different bikes.
What’s your favorite trail? Hard to say as there are so many great trails. I would love to visit some great areas out in Colorado, Utah, California, as well as parts of Whistler up in Canada. I’ve heard it offers some 22
great riding. I think it’s more fun to ride a great network of single track trails, rather than spend an entire ride on a single trail. Trails with varying degrees of difficulty, terrain technicality, and amazing scenery are my favorite. What’s the hardest trail you’ve ridden? Phoenix’s South Mountain area has a network of trails, such as National and Geronimo trail that are pretty gnarly. I’ve also ridden in Moab, Utah which has a huge network of mountain bike trails, many of which are steep and technically challenging. Do you complete in races? I do. I started competing three years ago. My first race was in the Beginner Class, on a 10 mile course. I bonked af145 Magazine
ter five miles and had to walk to the finish line. It was terrible, but it got me hooked on the desire to get better. Now I regularly compete in Category 1 races all across Arizona. What bike do you ride now? I have several bikes now. I ride a Specialized Epic 29er for racing, a Specialized Stump Jumper Evo 29 for trail riding and I’m building a Kona Raijin Ti frame now. I’m still undecided whether or not I’ll make it a Single-Speed or geared bike.
Bet you Didn’t Know What are some of your favorite aspects of mountain biking? I’d say it’s a combination of things: 1. There’s the exercise component of it, as well as the thrill of riding. For me exercise is the biggest attraction. 2. You get to meet a lot of great people. 3. It’s flexible so you can fit it into almost any schedule. 4. Bike customizations and upgrades are practically end less, so you can tailor the bike to exactly your needs. 5. Finally, one of the great aspects of the sport is the fact that once you have the gear, you can ride as much as you want, day or night, for free.
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BE PREPARED TO BE HOOKED AND DON’T LOOK BACK!
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If you were to give a beginner mountain biker some advice on which bike to buy and what kind of trails to start out on, what would you suggest? I’d recommend anyone interested in getting into the sport first set a budget and then try to get as much bike as their budget will allow. There is a massive difference between bikes depending on price. A decent new bike will cost you about $1000 USD, but you can also find great deals on used bikes online. You’re also going to need to buy some gear. A pair of good gloves, a good helmet, are a must. Start slow on some easy trails to get the handling down and fitness up. I can honestly say that it’s a life changing hobby and an addiction. Be prepared to be hooked and don’t look back! 145 Magazine
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Bet you Didn’t Know
Hot Rod Y
ou may know Mike McCune as the Director of Inventory Sales at AvAir, but what you may not know is that when Mike’s not working he’s probably out drag racing. That’s right, drag racing! We had a chance to connect with Mike recently to learn more about how he got started racing cars, and some of the experiences he’s had along the way. In 1975, when Mike was still in high school, his family moved from Louisville, Kentucky to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Not long after arriving in Ft. Lauderdale he started taking his everyday street car, a stock 1973 Dodge Duster, to the Miami-Hollywood speedway. It was there that he had the opportunity to meet a lot of people that shared the same passion for racing as he did, and they were more than willing to help Mike learn the ropes. He converted the back half of his Duster’s chassis with a sub-frame which allowed for aluminum tubs and large racing tires. After getting his car setup, he started racing it at various tracks within Florida, namely cities like Orlando, Gainesville and Bradenton, as well as out of state in Georgia, South Carolina and Texas. 24
As Mike continued to progress in the sport, the kinds of cars he raced also continued to evolve. He bought a 1965 California Coup Corvette that ran 140 mph in 9.6 seconds in the quarter mile. It was his Corvette that helped him win his class at the Super Chevy Show at Palm Beach International Raceway in 1985. “After the race a guy walked up to me and asked if I was interested in selling my car” said Mike. “I thought for a moment and then threw out a high figure, thinking he’d never go for it. Two weeks later the guy showed up at my house with a
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Bet you Didn’t Know McDonalds bag full of cash, all $100 dollar bills. We counted the money on the back of the car and that was the end of my Corvette.”
ly in a position where I could afford to start racing again, so I bought a 1974 Mach 1 Ford Mustang, full chassis race car, with a 383 small block Chevy engine. The car runs on alcohol and does 135 mph in 10.70 seconds in the quarter mile and 110 mph in 6.0 seconds in the eighth mile. “I’m grateful the Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to be in racing again”, says Mike. “I love my aviation family and the friends I’ve made in this industry, but I’m also blessed to have a family outside of work, and that’s my racing family. At the end of the day all I can say is ‘I’m finally back in racing, and I’m loving it!’”
Although Mike did a lot of racing in the 70’s and 80’s, he took a long hiatus from the sport for about 20 years, simply because it had become too expensive to continue pursuing it. Being out of racing for so many years caused him to lose touch with a lot of friends, but with the advent of Facebook he’s been able to reconnect with many of his old buddies. This past year, Mike decided it was time to get back into racing again. “I was final-
“I’m finally back in racing, and I’m loving it!”
Mike’s first car, a 1973 Dodge Duster
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Want to be more productive at work?
Take a Vacation
W
hen you think back about summertime, you might find yourself reminiscing about the three month hiatus you used to take when you were a kid. Ahhhh, those were the days! Playing with your friends in the neighborhood, from sun up till sun down. Sleep overs, pool parties, family trips, camping, block parties, night games, you name it. Summer meant fun! In the US, it used to be that summer breaks were intended for farmers’ children. The parents of farmers needed their children to work in the fields during the growing and harvesting seasons, while children that lived in the cities, or urban areas, went to school 11 or 12 months of the year. Today less than 3% of families living in the US rely on agriculture as a means of living, yet we’ve held onto nine months of school and three months of summer vacation time for kids. As adults though, the days of three-month vacations are as long gone as my grandfather’s full head of hair. Unfortunately, a growing trend among employees is to forgo taking summer breaks, due to increasing demands at work, or at least “perceived” demands. Americans are afraid to take time off work, not because they can’t afford it, but because they don’t want to appear as though they’re not dedicated to their job.
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The fact is, there are health benefits, and productivity benefits, that come from taking time off.
Here are a few reasons you NEED to take time off: 1. Regain Focus Stepping back from your work every couple hours can help you to refocus and recharge your batteries. According to one study, researchers found that "brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve one's ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods.” So take a minute to stand up from your desk, go outside (if it’s not freezing, or raining) and enjoy a breath of fresh air for a few minutes. 2. Boost your Creativity Think about it, when you go on a business trip you usually have a lot of free time in the terminal, on the plane and at the hotel to strategize about new ideas and concepts. Many times you’ll come up with things that you normally wouldn’t think about at work, simply because you’re usually too preoccupied with emails, meetings and phone calls. Time off from your daily routine allows you to experience new stimuli, 27
faces, places, smells, tastes, etc., all of which help to contribute to your creativity.
3. Build Memories with you Family I had a co-worker once whose father was a workaholic. The thought of taking time off for a family vacation was unthinkable, so he almost never did. He worked 8-10 hours a day, five days a week for nearly 35 years, until he decided to retire at age 55. Three months after he retired he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and within one month of his diagnosis he was dead.
Time is short folks. You don’t want to end up like the dad in the “Cats in the Cradle” song. I hate that song, but it has a good message. Chances are when you reach the end of your life you’re not going to wish you had worked more, but if you didn’t take more time for your friends, family, or yourself, you’re going to wish you had. Take some time off this summer, you won’t regret it!
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Chances are when you reach the end of your life you’re not going to wish you had worked more.
People in Aviation
People In Aviation
A few months back one or our sales people was telling us about a guy she’d talked to that was a WWE Wrestling referee. When we asked what his name was, she couldn’t remember. Needless to say, we’ve been looking for “Mr. Referee” ever since. Coincidently, while interviewing Mike McCune for an article we were doing on him, we happened to mention we were looking for a guy in the industry that was a WWE referee. Mike just said “Oh, you mean Bruce Owens over at Kellstrom?” Thanks to Mike, we were able to track down Bruce to bring you this great story.
When did you start refereeing wrestling? I started in Florida in 1980, working for the National Wrestling Alliance. Back then there were three US major wrestling organizations: the AWA, based in the Midwest, the NWA and the WWF, based in the Northeast. The WWF would later become the WWE, which is now the world’s biggest wrestling company. Fortunately, I was able to work seamlessly with all three of these companies on both a local and international level.
How’d you get started? Initially I started off as a wrestling fan. As a poor college student back in 1971 I had found a way to make a few extra dollars by doing some freelance photography work for the wrestlers. I had my own darkroom where I developed black and white photos. My cost to produce the photos was $0.13, and I sold them to the wrestlers for $0.50. The wrestles in turn would autograph the photos and then sell them to their fans for a $1.00 each. Back in those days wrestlers were only making $50$75 per night for preliminary matches and $100-$150 for main event matches. Believe it or not, the wrestlers were making more money selling my photos than they were wrestling!
Photo By Sadiel Ruiz
as a “Territory”. This was way before cable television, with the national and international levels we see today. We’d have to travel 200 to 300 miles each way to do a show. Wrestlers would work in a state for 8-12 months, unless they switched from the “Good Guy”, to the “Villain”. Such a switch would extended their time in the Territory several months.
In the early years of WWE wrestling, all At one point a timekeeper died during a match at the matches were organized and performed the Miami Beach Convention Center. They needwithin individual states, otherwise known ed someone to take his place, to ring the bell, so I
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“I have been shot at twice while leaving arenas.�
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Photo By Sadiel Ruiz
People in Aviation was asked if I would fill in. It was a sad situation, but I guess you could say I was at the right place at the right time. Later, I became a Ring Announcer and then a TV Announcer. After about five years of being an announcer, I wanted to referee. Referees made more money than the announcers and in my opinion had more fun in the process. Since most ring announcers were employed by the facility where the matches took place, I had to ask the Booker (often a wrestler who makes up the matches and wrestles in them as well) if I could transition to being a ref. Fortunately, he said “Yes”, and I showed up in Orlando, Florida that next weekend to referee my first match. Bruce Owens and Hulk Hogan
Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) and Bruce
Female Wresting Champion and Bruce
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What’s your most memorable wrestling match? Ric Flair and Wahoo Mc Daniels in a Steel Cage match. Wahoo " Ed" McDaniel's used to play Pro-football for the Miami Dolphins, but in the off season he would wrestle. The match lasted 49 minutes and both guys went at it very rough, despite it being a controlled event. Wahoo later left Pro-Football and became one of wrestling's biggest stars in the 1970's and 80's, exceeding what he could have ever earned playing football.
Who’s the most famous wrestler you’ve met? That depends on who you talk to. I’d have to go with Dwayne Johnson, “The Rock”. I’ve known Dwayne since he was a kid and his father was a wrestler and boxer. He has transitioned to Hollywood now, but remains the same great guy he’s been his whole life. Second place would have to be Hulk Hogan. He is one of the main guys to transition the business to the entertainment spectacle it is today. My first meeting with Hulk was when he was playing guitar in a band in Tampa that the wrestlers frequented when we were in town. A decade later, Hulkamania would transition from the somewhat obscure world of pro-wrestling into the world of mainstream entertainment. Which would you rather referee, matches between men or women? Great question! From an entertainment standpoint, the ladies put on a special show of their own. Kind of like the Ladies Lingerie Football League and the NFL, people watch both, but there’s quite a difference between the performance levels of
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People in Aviation discs which requires laser surgery every six to eight months to burn the nerves in order to reduce half of the pain. My herniated discs are the result of 35 years of being hit with chairs and getting thrown out of the ring. If I had to do it over again, as crazy as it seem, I would still do it again.
Have you ever felt threatened? Never from the wrestlers, but from the fans, yes. I have been shot at twice while leaving arenas in 1978 and in 1980 when the villain won the main event. The referee was part of the controversial finish, or outcome of those matches. In 1982, after a native Bahamian lost the Bahamas title because of the referees’ call, the crowd turned on us as well as the police. Wrestling fans are unique. I have met doctors, lawyers, priests, blue-collar workers, and everything in between. It is quite a mix.
Photo By Sadiel Ruiz
the two groups. Personally I prefer performing in the men's match since they are usually rougher, and have higher energy. The fans especially enjoy the hard fought, tough brawling matches that includes being thrown out of the ring onto the floor, getting hit with chairs, and crazier high flying moves and stunts where the impact risk is extremely high. Have you ever been really injured? It’s important to know that we do get hurt, but those are accidents. Everyone in and around the ring protect each other every minute of the match. Wrestlers have died from stunts going wrong or from heart attacks in the ring. I’ve seen broken arms, legs, concussions, and I’ve personally have had 19 stitches in my head from a chair shot that was angled the wrong way. Currently, I have five herniated
Are your matches televised? Some are and some aren’t, it all depends on the level of the wrestlers. I’ve been on TV many times but due to my aviation job at Kellstrom Defense Aerospace, I work mostly independent and local shows these days. My last televised international tour was in 2014, when we toured the Dominican Republic, Grand Cayman, Aruba and the Bahamas.
Photo By Sadiel Ruiz
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People in Aviation
Photo by Sadiel Ruiz
Do you have to be trained to be a WWF/ WWE/NWA referee? Today, yes. Since the business was a “closed business” when I started and they only let in certain people, I had to learn the hard way. Today they show you how you should land when being thrown out of the ring, or being punched, so you don’t get hurt. It’s a lot safer than it used to be, since now there are independent training centers for wrestlers, referees, and managers.
What’s the best and worst part about being a WWF/ WWE/ NWA refere? I was fortunate enough to fulfill part of a childhood dream. Being in the ring, traveling to Europe, the Middle East, South America, and many other countries has been a great experience. Considering that we only work about 3 hours a show allows for a lot of free time to see and enjoy countries while on a tour. Top that off by being paid to do what you love has been the icing on the cake! The only downside to this job is that sometimes when we travel we only have a few hours to sleep before we have to perform. In some cases, with time zones, we leave one day and arrive the next, then perform without ever getting any sleep. 34
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Photo by Sadiel Ruiz
Let’s Give Back T
here are a lot of companies in the industry that do their part in giving back to the world community. For example, Javier Maudet, from Aviation Concepts, started a 100% non-profit foundation that gives toys, beds, computer, and love to those children in need all over the world.
How did the Amigos Near Foundation get started?
In 2009, a friend of mine asked me to help get some toys together for kids with cancer in Miami. I emailed my friends in the aviation industry and ended up raising $750. The next year I solicited my aviation friends again and we raised $1,500. By the third year, donation had increased to $7,500, at which point I decided to setup a foundation. I contacted ten of the people who had donated in the past and they all agreed to share the cost of creating and managing the foundation. All founders would be setup as volunteers, meaning we would receive no salaries, or compensation of any kind, from the foundation. 36
Tell us a little bit about the foundation and what you do?
Amigos Near Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation with a mission to help underprivileged kids around the world. Our focus thus far has been working with orphan children, and kids with cancer. These children yearn for our love and attention. Our goal is simple: to bring a smile to their faces. Since 2009 our foundation has enjoyed exceptional success, consistently exceeding our goals. Our hands-on approach and passion for helping kids has permitted us to physically hand deliver donated toys, shoes, clothing, beds, food, and
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other aid, directly to the source of need. We are a group of friends that like to do our part in giving to those in need. We are a ZERO overhead foundation, which means 100% of all donations go directly to the kids. All fees and expenses related to running the Amigos Near Foundation are paid for by the founders of the foundation.
Who funds it?
80% of donations come from people in the aviation industry and the rest comes from friends outside of aviation.
What countries have benefited from your foundation?
Thus far, we have visited a total of 37 countries. See map below:
What do you enjoy most about running a charity?
I love seeing the smiles on kids’ faces! Sometimes it may be a kid with cancer, spending every day in a bed, but bringing him, or her, a toy will make their day. One time we gave beds to 35 kids that were sleeping on a floor in orphanage in Haiti. Seeing the excitement, and smiles on the faces, made my day. Another time we visited a teenager at a hospital here in Miami. We gave her a computer and her mom started crying. She later told us that all their money was almost gone, and just the week before her daughter’s computer had died. Her mom had to tell her they couldn’t afford a new one. So when we came to visit her at Miami Children’s Hospital, to give her the computer, it was the best gift ever. I also enjoy giving others the opportunity to do hands-on AID. Everything from packing boxes of food to send to Haiti, to distributing toys during family vacations. I love hearing the stories when people return from their vacations, having done something selfless to help others in need.
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What can the industry do to help you achieve your goals this year?
Anyone that would like to make a donation, can do so by visiting our website: www. amigosnear.org, and clicking on the “Donate” button at the bottom of the page. We’d also graciously accept any leftover, or surplus, marketing items from trade shows, such as t-shirts, model planes, promotional toys or other things kids may like. We are always grateful for any donations, and enjoy being a conduit for the airline industry to help others.
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Top 10 Paying Jobs in the Aviation H Industry 1. Director of Aerospace Program Management Average Annual Salary: $151,000
ave you ever wondered what the average annual salary is for various jobs within the aviation industry? If so, here’s a list of the best-paying jobs in the industry, according to pay scale.
A Director of Aerospace Program Management usually has a degree in business, on top of their degree in engineering. They are in charge of developing the company’s business strategy, discussing and negotiating contracts to build aircraft and taking responsibility for the company success.
2. Airline Pilot, Copilot or Flight Engineer Average Annual Salary: $117,000
Whether you receive training from an FAA-certified flight training school or in the military, there are several career options for pilots besides flying for commercial airlines. About 34 percent of commercial pilots spend their time in the air testing planes, crop dusting, monitoring traffic, fighting fires and other atypical jobs. 3. Aerospace Project Engineer Average Annual Salary: $82,000
Besides having an education in aerospace engineering, project engineers are in charge of hiring and training staff, budgeting for projects, checking the teams’ work and many more administrative jobs.
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6. Sky Marshal or Air Marshal Average Annual Salary: $62,100
For you strong and courageous folks out there, a sky marshal might be an option. Employed by the government to protect against terrorism, sky marshals are trained to recognize terrorist behavior and have experience with handgun accuracy. They commonly work alone, without back up. 7.
Airplane Inspector Average Annual Salary: $60,600
An Airplane Inspector’s job is very secure because airplanes always require maintenance, and all aircraft must be inspected after maintenance is performed. Inspectors must be available regularly to examine aircraft after any repairs or maintenance has been done.
4. Aircraft Maintenance Manager Average Annual Salary: $74,200
Like a Project Engineer, Maintenance Managers need to have technical skills and be capable of leading a team. The Aircraft Maintenance Manager is accountable for making sure all maintenance professionals are doing their jobs properly. They also do much of the hiring and training within the maintenance department. 5. Air Traffic Controller Average Annual Salary: $62,500
Unlike most of the jobs so far, which require a Bachelor’s degree, air traffic control is one of the best paying jobs you can have with only an Associates degree. This steady and lucrative job also comes with sky-high stress. Depending on the airport, there are separate controllers for ground, take off, en route flight time, landing and more,
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8.
Aircraft Mechanic Average Annual Salary: $50,500
There are 170 FAA-approved schools in the US. Although attending one is not mandatory, it is where a lot of aircraft mechanics learn their skills. Aircraft Mechanics are in charge of repairs, as well as preventative aircraft maintenance. Mechanics usually receive the best pay, and benefits, working for major airlines. 9.
Avionics Technician Average Annual Salary: $49,300
Avionics Technicians focus on repairing the navigation equipment, radio communications equipment, weather radar systems, and other parts dealing with computers. Technicians spend a lot of time solving complex electrical problems that can take hours. 10.
Aircraft Loadmaster Average Annual Salary: $40,900
If you’re good at math, here’s a job for you. The load master uses math to pre-plan the correct and best placement of passengers and cargo on each aircraft so that the plane can take-off, and land, safely. No need to be concern about job security with this job, there will always be a need to be a loadmaster to calculate weight and balance for every plane.
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2014 Top Shop in Review
American Cooler Services 20
YEARS
How does a repair center win a Top Shop Award year after year? I know what you’re probably thinking, they spam their customers requesting them to nominate their company as a Top Shop. It’s true there are companies out there that do just that, but in the end it’s up to a panel of 20 airlines and suppliers to select the winners from a short list of nominations. The short list isn’t always that short. On average, the panel has to sift through 6-10 companies, per repair category, before selecting a winner. American Cooler Service happens to have won OneAero MRO Top Shop Awards three times in the past six year. It’s obvious these guys must be doing something right! We approached Steve Dellinger, President and CEO of American Cooler Services, about doing an article for 145. Here’s a quick look at what he had to say:
A
merican Cooler Service was started 20 years ago over a fishing hole and a cold beer. Two neighbors, Steve Dellinger and Ivan Sharp, met at an annual neighborhood block party, where they shared their love for outdoor activities and all that life had to offer. They instantly became friends and spent a lot of time fishing and hunting together. Even though they had come from completely different career backgrounds, they both shared a common goal, or vision, the dream to build a top tier service organization.
Ivan had worked in the aerospace industry for more than 20 years, and Steve had owned and operated a Sunbeam bread distributorship in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area. Prior to servicing restaurants, Steve spent three years at a specialized trade school to 46
become a certified architectural steel welder. “I had no aviation background, and neither of us had run a repair station before”, said Steve, “so we had a lot to learn...especially me!” One thing both men understood was the importance of providing second to none customer service and support, regardless of the industry they chose to build their business. After much thought, they set their sights on building an aviation repair center. For the next several months they worked day and night, filling-out paperwork, looking at building facilities, and searching for enough equipment to get the business started. “We didn't have a big budget, nor did we have any outside investors. So we financed our dream using our personal life savings”, said Steve. On April 15, 1995, American Cooler Service received its FAA approval, and opened
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2014 Top Shop in Review its doors for business the same day. “There was some skepticism and angst about opening on April 15th, since that was “Tax Day”. We weren’t sure if it was a good, or bad, omen”, said Steve. The company’s first facility was only 5000 sq ft., with three employees, which included Steve and Ivan. They started by repairing only general aviation oil coolers, condensers and evaporators. By 1998 the number of employees had risen to fifteen, so the decision was made to move the company into a larger 12,000 sq ft. facility. Additional personnel from the regional and commercial aircraft sector were added, allowing the company to expand its scope and repair capabilities within heat transfer products. In 2001 the company hired its first General Manager, Eric Wallac. Eric was very familiar with aviation’s pneumatic and electrical sectors. He was responsible for helping the company to expand from its focus on heat transfer repairs, into more di-
verse offerings, which included pneumatics and electrical components. In the process, this expansion necessitated adding an additional 6,000 sq ft. to our existing facility. By 2010 the company’s continued growth had forced ACS to make another calculated risk. Expanded repair capabilities meant more space would be needed… again. During the evaluation phase of planning, the company realized that their rapid growth would require a larger facility, but more importantly, they would need to change their operational processes. They decided to completely revamp their entire production operation. They designed and developed processes that would more easily accommodate future growth and at the same time create an environment to deal with ever evolving regulatory issues and customer requirements. In 2012 the company’s hard work and planning had finally paid-off. They moved into their new 38,800 sq ft. facility, equipped with new state-of-the-art flow machines, down draft booths, and support equipment. American Cooler Service continues to increase its market share steadily since its inception, realizing 600% growth from 2003 to 2014 alone. Last year, the company added its first international support office in London. There’s no question that 50% of our success can be attributed to having great customers! The other 50% is due to our exceptional staff. All American Cooler team members, from top to bottom, work very hard every day in support of our customers and partners. When customers contact any one of our support staff, a live person always answers the phone, ready to assist. We really do strive to deliver the very best quality product we can, while meeting the requirements of our customers.
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2014 Top Shop in Review As an added value tool, we provide our customers with a customized, online reporting system, which shows the real-time expectation for repair processing and delivery. This assists our component management customers to prepare, and plan for the delivery of their components to their customers, MRO providers or airlines. We have a very positive outlook on the future. To ensure further growth, American Cooler Service plans to continue diversifying into other markets and product lines, which will most likely include newer aircraft types and repair technologies.
“Knowing your weaknesses, and being able to identify future problems, will benefit your operation greatly.”
Advice for those looking to get into the repair business: Steve says: “Build a solid foundation of knowledgeable support, supervision and management, BEFORE implementing production processes or deciding on the operational direction of your company. You may find your staff has a lack of understanding your intended operational capabilities, or you may find your staff possess the ability to grow in more profitable avenues or directions. Either way, this top down approach will help to prevent operational missteps and/or pitfalls that doom an organization to stagnate growth. Knowing your weaknesses, and being able to identify future problems, will benefit your operation greatly.”
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