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New Members in 2023

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New Members in 2023

Greg McGregor

Brody Waren

Steve Lucas

Pete Wiebens




2022

Greg Jacobs-New Member in 2022

Greg Jacobs joined MDPA in May, 2022 and comes to us with 54 years of flying experience.  He received his Private Pilot certificatae on January 10, 1969.  Greg currently holds a Commercial certificate and flies a beautiful Mooney out of Buchanan Field.  Greg’s Mooney is hangared on the West Ramp.

He is a passionate flyer and got into it because he loves flying and that his dad was a B-17 captain in WWII.

Greg has flown numerous single engine aircraft over the years.  The writer concludes he has a connection to Mooney aircraft since he has owned 4 Mooney aircraft, including:

2 C models,

1 J model

and his current R model (an Ovation). 



He has also spent about 400 hours flying right seat as co-pilot in several Cessna Citation models:i.e., Citation I, II, III, V and VI.

Greg’s favorite memories from flying were an 11 day cross trip to see as many of the airports within the  United states as he could.  His earliest memory about flying happened when he began flying in 1969. 

He loves being airborne above everyone and enjoying the great view as he traverses the terrain below the airplane.  There is nothing he dislikes about flying, except perhaps an engine failure.  Greg, everyone in MDPA agrees with you.  Especially those of us who have indeed experienced an engine failure. 

Greg enjoys spending time at Lake Tahoe, which is a short flight from the Bay Area.  His second favorite destination(s) are the backcountry strips in Idaho.  Most likely in the Frank Church Wilderness Area.

Greg has flown over 4,000 hours as PIC since 1969. 

Other activities that Greg enjoys

Golf

Snow skiing

Water skiing

Hiking

Camping

Family gatherings and

Trips with friends.

Greg has expressed an interest in volunteering time to MDPA.  Let’s get him involved!


Greg - Welcome to MDPA at Buchanan Field




Sean Bryan is one of our new members who joined MDPA in 2022.

Sean grew up mostly in NJ, but after finishing his BA at UC Berkeley in 2008, he decided to stay in CA.  He joined the Seminary with the Salesians of Don Bosco for 4 years, but discerned out just before taking his vows.  He then, as a layperson, earned an MA in Theology at the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology (DSPT) in Berkeley.  Around that time, he started to compete on American Ninja Warrior, known as the Papal Ninja.  Also around that time, he started a ministry ( laymission.net ) with the former President of DSPT, where we assist ordinary Catholics to live the faith in their daily life through a process of community building, prayer, education, discernment, and dialogue. 

As a child, he dreamed of flying.  That dream never left Sean, but he never pursued it until recently.  Since moving to Concord in 2017, and seeing all the planes turn base for 32R over his house, the itch just kept nagging at him.  In the summer of 2022 he ran out of excuses and took a discovery flight at Buchanan Field.  He was all-in after the discovery flight.  He trained at TrexAir and passed the private pilot practical exam in October, 2022.  He joined One Niner Right, LLC, based in the east ramp hangars, and has continued to learn, build friendships, and simply enjoy flying all the more.  Because of One Niner Right’s planes, he received a high performance endorsement, and had additional training for TAA and mountain flying.  Sean plans to start instrument training, but for now, he is simply enjoying staying well clear of IMC.

Sean’s faith helped him pursue his love of flying.  In his words:

Saint Thomas Aquinas described “play” as doing something for its own sake. In that case, I fly in order fly, so I guess I do it as play: for the delight I take in it, and the joy it affords those whom I fly with. I have no plans to do it commercially.’ 

Sean ‘plays’ in a Cessna 172K and a Piper Dakota PA-28B-236.  Both of these planes are a good platform to use for his flying and ‘playing’.

                                                               

When asked about his favorite memories and/or exciting times while flying he answered:

Any time I experience a sunset it is quite captivating, and to do so while fling is soul-nourishing. Also, the two times I did air to air photography/videography were most delightful.

Like most of us, Sean dislikes the high cost of flying.  He hasn’t been to many places yet, but his experience at the Monterey Jet Center tops the list. He has been to Lake Tahoe once, and plans to go there much more often.  Again like the rest of us Half Moon Bay is a great place for a quiet lunch, and is a go-to destination for giving his friends an extended bay-tour. 

It appears Sean is flying on a regular basis since he has accumulate these hours since getting his pilots license.

PIC

Instrument

Cross Country

46.8

3.3

26.35


Sean also enjoys these activities in addition to his hours spent in flight:

An avid American Ninja Warrior (obstacle course racing)

Rock climbing,

Gymnastics,

Golf

Pickle ball and

Hiking

Sean is interested in volunteering with MDPA.  Please introduce yourself at the next MDPA event and welcome him to our club.

 Sean - Welcome to MDPA

Keri Martin is one of our new members who joined MDPA in 2022.

Keri isn’t a pilot but she is an A&P mechanic at United Airlines and loves aviation/ airplanes. 

                                     Keri - Girls in Aviation                           Keri inside UAL Engine




In Keri’s words:

 "My earliest aviation memory is when I was 4 or 5 and flying on a 747 from San Francisco to New Zealand to visit my Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles.  It was Air New Zealand and the flight attendants allowed my brother and I to take the lollies around the cabin after dinner.  Then they gave us the left-over lollies in a white paper bag!!"

When asked what she likes and dislikes about flying, she answered:

“I love going to different locations and I don’t like how cramped the cabins are.  My favorite destination is Melbourne, Australia – to visit my relatives.”

Her interests outside of aviation include:

Quilting

Reading

Watching movies

Camping

Going to concerts

Volunteering at church

Keri is also the Secretary-Treasurer of two chapters of the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance.  Obviously Keri is quite busy with her work at United Airlines, her hobbies, introducing women to aviation and spending time with her family, yet she has also volunteered as Secretary for MDPA.

MDPA members, please welcome Keri to MDPA membership.



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