ATLANTA — The GEICO Skytypers Airshow Team discussed education and flying with the cadets of the Civil Air Patrol on Thursday to educate and inspire the next generation of aviators and engineers.
As an extension of the U.S. Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol provides local communities with volunteer services. They offer aide to search and rescue aircrews, disaster relief, and volunteer with humanitarian services.
The cadets are teenagers who learn the disciplines of the Air Force. Each carries a strong interest in an aeronautical career in the military or as a civilian.
GEICO Skytyper pilots Chris Thomas and Steve Salmirs, along with the director of maintenance Frank Ateria, addressed the cadets of north Atlanta. The three provided insight of a strong education and the value of teamwork in their career.
Education and Teamwork in Aviation
“I began flying when I was 17 years-old and my dad was my instructor,” GEICO Skytypers right wing pilot Chris Thomas explained. “I love our aircraft, it’s a big aircraft, it’s loud and rumbly.”
“We fly with the canopy open and you smell like gas and oil when you get done flying.”
The GEICO Skytypers showcase low level maneuvers and create huge sky-typed messages over an air show. The civilian squadron’s history dates back to the 1970s, and 15 years as the GEICO Skytypers.
Their flight demonstrations highlight their Navy SNJ-2 aircraft as the pilots tell the story of an age before the jet engine. A flight trainer in the 1940’s, the SNJ was known among the U.S. Army’s aviators as the pilot maker.
Lead maintainer Frank Atria enjoys his full time career with the Skytypers. Atria carries a passion for aviation, especially working on the six 80 year-old warbirds.
“The plane’s engines are like a swiss clock with everything just perfect, and to think they were designed before computers with slide rulers and old school technology,” Atria explained. “The engine’s were designed in the late-1920s, so for them to perform as well as they do is amazing.”
For Thomas, who has logged over 19,050 hours of flight time in 100 different aircraft, he enjoyed the high-schoolers interest. The cadets offer insightful questions related to the operations of the aircraft.
“How many of you have taken geometry so far?” Thomas asked the cadets as he discussed the usefulness of math. “Flying in formation is geometry. How I would follow Steve and get back on his wing tip is geometry.”
Steven Salmirs launched his career at the Kennedy Space Center as a space shuttle ground and flight equipment engineer. Two years later, Steve entered the U.S. Air Force becoming an F-16 Viper pilot.
The GEICO Skytypers are scheduled to perform at the largest air show of the year this week. The squadron will take to the air this week at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
“Everybody on the squadron wakes up in the morning excited to do what we’re doing,” Thomas added. “It’s a team as Frank’s not a pilot, but I’m not a mechanic, but we all have the same goal and we all work together.”
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
