Welcome New EAA 430 Member: Scott Fitzgerald

Born in NW Arkansas in ‘86, I grew up looking at my father’s models hanging in the garage. He flew control line in the 1970s. When I was 12, we decided to get back into the hobby together. He built some new control line models, and I found a used RC trainer with a .49ci glow engine. We got after it in a big way, flying multiple days a week for several years in the late 90’s-early 2000’s with the local AMA club. We flew a full 55gal drum of glow fuel in the summer of 2000 (with 0.49ci or smaller motors) on evenings and weekends. We went to competitions, both local and national, and have a few trophies to show for it. We made some cherished memories. When I started flying RC, I met another new RC pilot named Nikita. Our lives have crossed paths sparsely throughout the years but in big ways.

My first experience with full scale flight came at Tenkiller Airpark (44M), Oklahoma in 2000. Our AMA club had gone to an invitational fly-in at this airpark. I was doing aerobatics with something that resembles an Extra 300. A resident approached me and asked if I would like to do the real thing. I jumped at the chance, and my parents said “Go for it.” It was a 1977 Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 (N52GB). We put on our chutes, pulled it out of his beautiful hangar, taxied out onto the grass strip, ran it up, and then put the power down. We did enough aerobatics to make me as green as I could handle. He let me do much of the flying, or well…slipping, looping, rolling, inverting. I don’t think there was much for level flight except the departure and approach. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a pilot. I planned to reconvene on this idea 2 summers later when I was 16. Then there was 9/11/2001, with war, fluctuating economies, and aviation careers that were looking pretty grim for a time.

At the age of 16 I took up rock climbing with my RC pilot friend Nikita. Rock climbing took over my life for 14 years. It became a passion, an addiction, a lifestyle, and at times a job. The only “aviation” I did during this time was using an RC helicopter to take aerial photos/video before drones really existed. I really missed the boat on this one as it turned out to be a lucrative and growing industry that I failed to see at the time. I made a feature length climbing film with some friends about rock climbing in Arkansas. It was internationally distributed. Also, during this time I went to college and obtained my EMT-B, a degree in nursing and my RN license. I have done this professionally since 2010. As a travel RN and rock climber, I explored the US for several years and met my wife, Tasha, (in 2012) who decided to come along for the journey.

We moved to Port Angeles in 2016 after spending time here during the summer of 2015. We bought and fixed up a foreclosure. I work as an RN at OMC in the ICU and ER.

In 2017 I met 430 member Red Hausler through a motorcycling group. I explained my longtime desire of becoming a pilot. He decided to sell his Kitfox II in 2018 and asked if I wanted to buy it. My first thought was “of course!” But given the large financial responsibility, lack of knowledge, and adding even more “hobbies” to the equation, I waffled on the idea for some time. I took a vacation to visit friends in Wyoming and came home with renewed energy and purpose. I decided to take the plunge. After all, it was a long-term dream.

I purchased the Kitfox in late July 2018. I had a heck of a time finding a TW instructor. I ended up contacting my old friend Nikita who happens to be an ATP, CFII, MEI. He lives in Idaho and has lots of TW experience. He came out and over the course of 2 days, I was solo’d. I later found another local instructor and was able to finish my first certificate as a sport pilot in May 2019. My first 100+ logged hours were all TW time and I have had a couple off airport experiences. I am working toward more certificates with the goals of commercial, CFII, maybe MEI and seaplane. I don’t currently have an interest in the ATP. I joined EAA 430 in March 2019 and have had some great experiences from joining. I volunteer for CCDART (Clallam Co Disaster Airlift Response Team). I welcome any experience and knowledge you all can impart.