Rick Bishop

Growing up in the Miami, Florida suburbs during the carefree years of the ‘50s and ‘60s, the author was captivated by aviation and dreamed of one day piloting an airplane to faraway destinations. Soloing at age 16, his passion for flight knew no bounds and during his third year of college, he enlisted in the Army Aviation program leading to 1,000 hours of heavy-lift helicopter combat time in Vietnam. Following his early release from the Army and finishing his bachelor’s degree, he joined the Air Force to fly jets and after four years as an aircraft commander, instructor, and evaluation pilot was selected for special duty assignment as a U-2 pilot culminating, 12 years later, as the commander of the only operational U-2 squadron in the U.S. Following further advancement, he retired early after nearly 25 years of military aviation service to fly for American Airlines where he remained until federally mandated retirement. After fifty rewarding years of piloting civilian, military and airline aircraft, his childhood dreams had been actualized.

Rick holds A.S., B.S. M.P.A. degrees and is a graduate of the very selective and prestigious Air War College

He now resides in the rolling hills of a central-Florida on their horse rescue in an equestrian community, north of Ocala with his dedicated wife, Giny, of 42 years.