Richard was fascinated with flight from an early age and eventually flew an airplane in the Spring of his senior year of high school.  Flight training progressed slowly, hindered by work (high school mathematics and science teacher), family, school, and a variety of distractions until one Summer he scheduled nothing but flight training and earned his first pilot certificate--Private Pilot, Single Engine Land.  Richard built time and continued training, earning several more certificates: instrument, commercial pilot, flight instructor, seaplane pilot, and multi-engine pilot.  Currently, Richard instructs part time at AFS while also volunteering at a variety of venues, which include three different aviation museums, Air Force Auxiliary (Aerospace Education and Emergency Services), Angel Flight (non-emergent medical transport), First Time Fliers, Fly It Forward, and Girls Fly.