Everett Flight Instructor To Receive Top Honor From FAA

An Everett based flight instructor is about to receive what the FAA says is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as “Master Pilots”. Michael Richardson from Regal Air at Paine Field passed along this piece of positive news to share with readers of MyEverettNews.com.

On May 16th, 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will present Roetcisoender with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, recognizing his professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise as an accident-free career pilot. Less than 1% of current active pilots have been bestowed this award, and Bob has certainly earned it.

Bob Roetcisoender was commissioned in the United States Air Force in 1958, promoted to Colonel in 1974, and served until 1988. While in the service, he accumulated flying time in many aircraft, most notably the Boeing B-47 Stratojet and the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Among Bob’s fondest memories are flying in the Blackbird at over 2,000 MPH and above 80,000 feet.

In addition to flying operations, Bob held various senior command and management positions in the Air Force involving supervision of up to 8,000 personnel and overall responsibility for more than $6 billion worth of equipment. He spent his last four years in the Air Force as the Director of the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Washington.

Since 1990, Roetcisoender has served as the Director of Flight Operations for Regal Air, a flight school on Paine Field (KPAE). He has been there since 1986, when he joined as a part-time flight instructor. In 1993, Bob was appointed by the FAA as a Designated Pilot Examiner and has been administering flight exams for 70-80 student pilots per year.

When asked how he’d sum up his flight career and if he’ll ever stop flying, he said, “I have been privileged to fly for such a long time in so many different and interesting aircraft. I hope to continue flying as long as I can climb into the airplane.”