Born: Chicago

I was raised in Oaklawn, Illinois and introduced to flying at an early age by my father Woodrow Zellers.   At the age of eleven I started flying lessons at the Chicago-Hammond Airport in Lansing, Illinois and was signed off as, "except for age, o.k. for solo,"  after seven hours of instruction. 

Gaining experience through dual instruction by many flight instructors over the next six years allowed me to solo on my sixteenth birthday and receive my private pilot certificate on my seventeenth birthday.

Attending college, working and continuing to build flying time over the next fourteen years led to many enlightening experiences.  Some of these experiences are:  towing aerial banners and gliders; hauling sky-divers; purchasing my first North American SNJ at the age of 23; continuing practice with aerobatics and formation flying; making many friendships in my continuous membership with Civil Air Patrol and exposure to the airshow circuit since 1966; flying ex-military aircraft (WARBIRDS) since 1969; not ever crashing; attendanding the F.A.A. Academy for Air Traffic Controllers in Oklahoma City; and last but not least, marrying my lovely and understanding wife Melinda, who is very supportive of my extra-aviation activities.

In 1984 I was hired at Britt Airways, a regional commuter airline based in Terre Haute, Indiana.  Eight months and a day after starting out in Beech-99 Airliners and Swearingen Metroliners I was promoted to the left seat as a Captain.  A year later I was flying various models including the much larger Fairchild FH-227 Friendship.  Leaving Britt Airways in 1987 I began flying for Trans-World Express, another regional commuter airline based in St. Louis.

I remained with Trans-World Express until 1989 when I started service with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (which is where I am at today).  There I fly both airplanes and helicopters in executive transportation.

June of 1997 saw the purchase of my second SNJ.  After an eight month restoration process I started flying aerobatic demonstrations at airshows with this aircraft.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to my website.