Fred Abrams is a nationally known aviation lecturer, humorist, veteran instrument instructor, volunteer FAA Aviation Safety Counselor, and aviation technical writer. Fred began his aviation career in the U.S. Air Force in 1961. After graduating from the Flight Simulator Technical Training program at Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul, Ill., he was assigned to the Combat Crew Training Squadron at Castle Air Force Base, Merced, Calif., as a KC-135 simulator operator. The railroad car mounted system made the circuit of all the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) bases in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River. Many a retired tanker pilot will remember dealing with every conceivable emergency while “flying” BOXCAR 50.

 

Fred became a licensed private pilot while still in the U.S. Air Force and subsequently obtained a commercial pilot’s certificate and ultimately an instrument flight instructor rating. Combining his love of flight, and a passion for teaching, Fred joined the staff of a national flight school after leaving the military in 1965. Training pilots in general aviation took him to classrooms and airfields throughout the United States. Fred has provided more than 5,000 hours of instrument flight training and more than 7,000 hours of instrument dual in flight training devices and simulators. In addition, Fred estimates he has at least another 8,000 hours of classroom training and one-on-one tutoring.
Fred has also taught and managed hundreds of flight instructors. Today, many of those same flight instructors send their students to Fred for help passing their FAA knowledge tests. For more information, Email Fred.

Terry Lankford earned a private pilot certificate in 1967 through a U.S. Air Force aero club in England. He added commercial and flight instructor certificates in 1968 and in 1994 he obtained a Multiengine instructor rating. Terry currently holds a Gold Seal flight instructor certificate with airplane single, multiengine, and instrument ratings; a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single and multiengine land, and instrument ratings; and a ground instructor certificate with advanced and instrument ratings. He has accumulated over 5600 hours of flight time, over 2000 as a flight instructor.

In 1974 Terry became a Flight Service Station (FSS) Specialist for the FAA. This brought together two main interests—aviation and weather. He retired from the FAA in 1998. He has consulted with Jeppesen, the National Weather Service (NWS), FAA, and NASA on education materials concerning aviation weather and pilot weather briefing services. He has been a member of the National Weather Association (NWA) since 1975, and serves on the Aviation Weather Committee. With the NWA he developed an interactive pilot education program, Weather Theory for Pilots.

Over the last thirty years Terry has published dozens of articles in various national aviation publications. He has seven books in publication, most on aviation weather subjects. For more information, Email Terry.

 

 

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