Dick Mindek
Richard B. Mindek, Jr.
I love flying with this 43rd club because the camaraderie with fellow pilots who have a common love of aviation is phenomenal! We have the greatest flexibility to use aircraft and go on longer trips than would otherwise not be possible with rented aircraft and our flying vs cost benefit is a no-brainer. I love being able to maintain my flying skills without breaking the bank!
Certifications –
- Private Pilot: 3/7/03 (ASEL)
- Commercial Pilot: 6/19/05 (ASEL)
- Commercial Pilot: 3/17/06 (AMEL)
- ATP (Restricted) Pilot: 3/13/16 (AMEL)
- ATP Pilot: 6/23/18 (AMEL)
- CFI: 10/20/05; CFII: 10/14/07, #2757395, Expires 10/2021
- Total time: 2406 hours
- PIC Time: 2281 hours
- CFI/Dual Given: 1711 hours*
Archer Olmer
Archer Olmer
- Ratings: CFI/CFII ASEL
- CFI Rotorcraft: Helicopter
- ATP Rotorcraft-Helicopter and AMEL
- Military Standardization Instructor Pilot and Instrument Flight Examiner
- Type Ratings: BV-234, SK-92, BAE-125, RA-4000, CE-500, CE-560XL, DA-2EASY, DA-7X
- Total time 9,300 hours
Graduated US Army IERW in 1989 and flew Chinooks for the 101st Airborne Division for five years, then worked at Meriden, CT as a CFI and Charter Pilot for about a year, while joining the CT Army National Guard. Took a full-time Instructor Pilot position at the Guard in 1995, then reverted to “weekend warrior” when I left full-time Govt Service for a Corporate Position with United Technologies in 2002. I retired from the Guard in 2007 with 20 years of military service, all “flying the line”, and then retired from UTC last year after 17 years as a Corporate Pilot. I joined the 43rd right after retiring, and I’m glad I did! Also, I like pina coladas, and taking walks in the rain…
I do love the 43rd for a number of reasons! Fun bunch of folks; all the pilots I’ve flown with have been good pilots and nice people. Airplanes are in good shape and well equipped, and availability is pretty good. Club seems really well-run to me, financially and otherwise. Also, as a retired corporate and military pilot who wants to do a little instructing to keep a hand in, but isn’t really interested in advertising or flying with primary students, the club provides a natural fit just helping out members with BFR’s or IPC’s and aircraft checkouts. One of my favorite things to do as a pilot from early in my career through the present day is “expanding pilots’ comfort range” for Instrument conditions or “Special Mission situations.” In the club aircraft, I think we’ll mainly keep that to Instrument Flying, utilizing the aircraft for cross-country travel, and aircraft upgrades. (;-)
Derek Schwalenberg
Derek Schwalenberg
In a past life I dealt Blackjack and Dice for Mohegan Sun and on the M/S Carnival Victory. In a bid for new adventures, I got my Private back in 2006 at Interstate Aviation in Plainville, CT. I joined the 43rd shortly afterwards and began working towards my Instrument and Commercial ratings. Around this time I also joined the Civil Air Patrol and served for 7 years as Mission Pilot and Flight Instructor climbing my way up to Captain.
I have been instructing since 2009 for the 43rd and various flight schools along the way. Somewhere in there I picked up my CFII, MEI, and ATP ratings as well. Since 2015 I have been flying turboprops and private jets for Tradewind Aviation doing private charters and some scheduled 135 to the islands (MVY, ACK, SBH, etc). Pilatus PC12s and Citation CJ3s, to be specific, rounding out at about 5500hrs total time. I also program computers as a side hustle. I’m 37 years old as of 2020 and I enjoy working on cars, bowling, golfing, sailing, island hopping in small airplanes, and long walks on the beach. I prefer to eat my seafood where I can smell the salt water and feel the cool breeze of the ocean on my skin.
Chris Rozum
Chris Rozum
I have been an active flight instructor for nearly 20 years assisting customers with additional certificates and ratings, proficiency checks, insurance qualifications, and instilling safe operating practices for the casual general aviation pilot. I have taught in light sport aircraft to corporate jets. I am approaching 14,000 total time of which over 4,000 hours is as CFI. I have held a Gold Seal CFI since 2003 and am rated to teach in single- and multi-engine airplanes and instrument-airplane. I also hold an Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor Certificate.
I am a Corporate Flight Department Captain and put my relevant experience in that role to use in my instructional scenarios. I am a relatively new member to the 43rd Aviation Flying Club but wanted to become part of a club which valued safety, well-maintained airplanes, financial stability, and fleet diversity to fly myself around.