Embry-Riddle graduates include astronauts, US Air Force Thunderbirds, experimental test pilots, and aerobatic performers. It’s clear ERAU alumni are as fearless as they are focused. And they like to play as hard as they work!
Alain Aguayo’s passion for aviation is clear.
As a flight instructor at the Daytona Beach campus, he earned high scores at Rate My Professors dot com, where his students cite his thorough approach to training – tough but clear, caring and respected, 10/10 would take again!
He came to ERAU in 2006 and earned two degrees – in aeronautical science (flight) and in aerospace and occupational safety. A combination that serves him well as an aerobatic performance pilot. He won his first competition at the US National Aerobatic Championships 2017.
He visited the WIKD-FM radio station last year to share his experiences, and you can listen to the podcast here. He talks about his aircraft, the experimental Giles 202, with the alumni association on campus in this Facebook interview. He discusses Eagle Sport Aviation, the group that got him started, safety procedures and special considerations involved in aerobatic flying.
But you’ll get the full adrenaline rush on his YouTube channel where you can see him in action over the beaches of Florida. Check it out here.
Curt Bartholomew feeds his need for adventure in competitive swooping. If you’re not familiar, it starts out like this:
And then turns into something much more, check out the video here:
His love of jumping out of perfectly good airplanes began on campus with the Sky Diving Club while he was studying Aeronautics at ERAU’s Daytona Beach campus. He’s worked as a videographer for Skydive DeLand and now owns his own company, Team Alter Ego Fastrax where he’s an instructor helping others to master the art of swooping as well as canopy piloting, freeflying, BASE jumping, coaching, ground launching, and more. You can see more of Curt’s swooping on YouTube – including this breathtaking video that will get your adrenaline pumping! For Curt, like many aviators, the passion for jumping out pf aircraft runs in the family, his wife Jeannie is also an accomplished swooper and instructor for the company and boasts a long list of accolades.
