BruceAir, LLC Services

BruceAir, LLC is a consulting, training, and services company, specializing in aviation-related matters, owned by Bruce Williams. BruceAir is based in Seattle, WA.

I have been a pilot for more than 30 years, and I have an extensive background in journalism, multimedia production, PC-based flight simulation, and technical writing. I am the author of Microsoft® Flight Simulator as a Training Aid: A Guide for Pilots, Instructors, and Virtual Aviators, published by ASA.

I’m also an FAASTeam Representative in the Seattle area. For more information about this program, visit www.FAASafety.gov.

For more background about BruceAir, LLC, see the profile published in the October 2004 issue of Connected (.pdf), the newsletter of the Microsoft Alumni Network.

Aerobatic Rides

From May–September in Seattle, you can enjoy a thrilling aerobatic ride in BruceAir’s Extra 300L, a world-class unlimited aerobatic airplane. BruceAir’s Extra 300L spends the fall and winter months at Boulder City, NV (KBVU), near Las Vegas. (There’s not much point in having an aerobatic airplane in Seattle during the monsoons.)

Each May, I bring the airplane back to Boeing Field (KBFI) in Seattle. I’m based at the flight school at Galvin Flying Services, the oldest full-service FBO in Seattle, where I’m also a flight instructor for more traditional types of flying.

The aerobatic season in Seattle is over, and I flew the Extra 300L from Boeing Field to its winter home at Boulder City, NV (KBVU) on September 20 (planned route here). If you're interested in an aerobatic ride or stall/spin/upset training in 2013, please contact me via email. Aerobatic rides and instruction will be available starting next spring when the weather cooperates.

Please note that I do not offer aircraft checkouts, tailwheel endorsements, high-performance endorsements, or flight reviews in the Extra. The airplane is not available for solo flight.

Note also that aerobatic rides and training are not available at Boulder City. Although I visit Las Vegas often during the winter, my schedule varies, and I am not currently able to conduct commercial operations there. If you're interested in an aerobatic ride or training in Las Vegas, I recommend that you contact Monarch Sky, based at Henderson (KHND). Monarch Sky has Extra 330LCs and and a Citabria available for basic and advanced aerobatic flights and training.

You can learn more about flight training, instruction, and aircraft rental at Galvin by visiting the flight school website.

A typical aerobatic ride lasts about 45 minutes and includes a variety of maneuvers: aileron rolls, loops, barrel rolls, hammerhead turns, Cuban 8s, vertical rolls, point-rolls, inverted flight—and for true thrill-seekers, tumbles (e.g., a Lomcevak), and spins.

For more information, visit the Aerobatic Rides page here at BruceAir.

Stall/Spin Upset Training

From May–September I provide stall/spin/upset/basic aerobatic instruction at Boeing Field in my Extra 300L through BruceAir, LLC. We can explore basic and advanced spins, including all types of upright and inverted spins.

For more information about the training program, including the syllabus and other course details, including custom training programs, see the Stall/Spin/Upset Training page here at BruceAir.

BruceAir is also a member of the Council on Unusual Attitude Training & Education (CUATE), created by flight instructors who specialize in stall/spin/upset training and aerobatics.

Flight Instruction

I’m also on the staff at the flight school at Galvin Flying Services at Boeing Field in Seattle, where I offer instruction, flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, high-performance and complex endorsements, and checkouts in specific aircraft types.

I focus on training in Technologically Advanced Aircraft (TAA)—those with so-called glass cockpits, especially the Garmin G1000 Integrated Avionics System. As noted below, I also make extensive use of the sophisticated Flight Training Devices (FTDs) available at Galvin.

I’m available at Galvin by appointment; please contact me directly or through the Galvin fight school to set up a schedule.

Flight Simulation

I encourage extensive use of flight simulation and PC-based simulations, regardless of the certificate or rating you’re training for. You can often find me in the G1000 training devices at Galvin Flying Services.

Galvin has several training devices, including two G1000-specific FTDs, plus other PC-based training tools to help pilots master the latest technology finding its way into aircraft cockpits.

My latest book, Microsoft® Flight Simulator as a Training Aid: A Guide for Pilots, Instructors, and Virtual Aviators, offers detailed advice about how to incorporate PC-based flight simulations into traditional flight training and proficiency programs. For more information about the book, visit its home page here at BruceAir and the publisher’s website.

I also co-developed the Garmin G1000 Ground School at the Galvin flight school.

Aviation-Related Presentations

I regularly give multimedia presentations to pilot groups, instructors, and others interested in such topics as:

• Stall/Spin Awareness
• Instructing In and Flying Glass Cockpit Aircraft
• Using Microsoft Flight Simulator as a Training Aid
• Online Resources for Pilots and Flight Instructors

I’ve presented at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, AOPA Expo, FAA safety programs, and at other venues, such as The National Conference on Aviation and Space Education (NCASE), the Northwest Aviation Conference & Trade Show, Aviation North Expo, and Northwest Aviation Safety through Education. For more information, see Multimedia Presentations here at BruceAir or contact me via email.

Writing and Other Services

I have more than 30 years of experience as a journalist, writer, editor, technical editor, multimedia producer, and business development manager. In addition to my latest book, I wrote the Version 1.0 column about aviation technology for the General Aviation News, and I’m engaged in several other aviation-related writing projects. For a copy of my resumé or other information, please contact me.

For samples of my aviation writing, see Aviation Writing. I currently specialize in aviation-related projects, but I also write, edit, and produce a wide variety of feature articles, training materials, and multimedia titles. If you have project in mind, contact me through BruceAir, LLC.

Aircraft Ferry Flights

If you need to move an airplane, contact me for the latest information about my availability and services.

I’ve flown most types of light general aviation airplanes, including those with the latest so-called glass cockpits, and I’ve ferried aircraft throughout the continental U.S. and Alaska.

I’m also available to provide instruction en route if you need to log time in type when you pick up an aircraft at the factory or from an existing owner.