2009 Pilots
Home David Beckett Ernie Borjon Marty Carlson Danny Davidson Richard Dowling Russ Dunlap Bob Elliott Wes Erb Eric Erickson Bert Hanson Glen Hanson Ken Kastner Jim Kintz Monte Mabry Billy Mayer Gregory Miller Bruce Moroney Diana Moroney Phil Morgan Rich Mullowney George Murphy Greg Niesen John Norris Dale Olsen Wes Price Reagan Russey Mike Swalling Jerry Wortley

 

Home
David Beckett
Ernie Borjon
Marty Carlson
Danny Davidson
Richard Dowling
Russ Dunlap
Bob Elliott
Wes Erb
Eric Erickson
Bert Hanson
Glen Hanson
Ken Kastner
Jim Kintz
Monte Mabry
Billy Mayer
Gregory Miller
Bruce Moroney
Diana Moroney
Phil Morgan
Rich Mullowney
George Murphy
Greg Niesen
John Norris
Dale Olsen
Wes Price
Reagan Russey
Mike Swalling
Jerry Wortley

Iditarod Air Force Crew 2009

horizontal rule

bullet

Chief Pilot John Norris. 

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1989. Chief Pilot from 1996 to 2009. 24 year Alaska resident, originally from Placerville, California.  Lives in Anchorage with wife Donna, and son Jeffrey. John is Marketing Company President for U-Haul Company of Alaska/ Yukon.  John flies a Cessna 180 for the Iditarod Air Force. His wife Donna works in the background to make sure things get done.

john 28B.jpg (56307 bytes)

 

bullet

Robert “Bert” Hanson.  Asst. Chief Pilot Unalakleet

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1984, Assistant Chief Pilot at Unalakleet since 2006, one of our longest flying pilot volunteers.  Born and raised in Alaska, lives in Anchorage with wife Reb and family. Chief pilot in 1989 and 1991. Ran the Iditarod (behind dogs) in 1990 and 1993. Aircraft pilot and mechanic, currently flying commercially for Alaska Airlines. Bert flies a Cessna 180 aircraft for the Iditarod Air Force.

  hansonUNK02.JPG (35253 bytes)

 

bullet

Reagan Russey. Asst. Chief Pilot Nome

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1987 and flying without a break. Alaska resident since 1979 after having lived all over the world in the military.  A retired Air Force pilot, Reagan is originally from Texas and now lives in Anchorage with his wife, Charlene, and works as a real estate agent. Reagan flies a 1966 model Cessna 180H on hydraulic wheels skies in support of the race.  During the off season when Reagan is not selling real estate or helping with the family owned travel agency he is out flying in pursuit of serious hunting and fishing.

N8221V.jpg (36255 bytes)

  

bullet

David Beckett

bulletDave is a first year IAF pilot and will be flying the only Helio Courier in the air force this year. When not too busy shoveling and scraping the local hockey rink for his kids, he drives a 747-400 for UPS. While Dave has only been an Alaska resident for 9 years his wife Rebecca was born and raised in Alaska. They currently reside in Eagle River with their four boys.

 

 

 

bullet

Ernie Bojon

bullet

Ernie is a first year pilot for the IAF.Moved to Anchorage from California, February 1978, 31 years ago. Climbed Denali May, 1979. Retired from FedEx Aircraft Maintenance, November, 2003. Obtained Private Pilot license in 1964 at Raleigh, North Carolina, while serving as a Green Beret at Fort Bragg, N.C.

bullet

Marty Carlson

bullet

Martin Carlson Marty has been an Iditarod pilot since 2004. He has recently retired from commercial flying after some 40 years of driving airplanes. He now gets to spend more time with his lovely wife Antje and grandkids Tom, Max and George. He still has a couple of secondhand German Shorthairs and a cat about as old as he is. Oh, he also flies a C-185 for the IAF occasionally

 

LkMinchuminasm.500px.jpg (84588 bytes)

 

bullet

Danny Davidson

bullet

Started flying for ITC in 1981, and every year since then, averaging 100+ hours per year . Every annual inspection, the bill comes, and I say "no more". Then the decision time arrives and I am in the plane again. Good fellowship along the trail! A retired steel erection contractor. Currently a missions pilot. Flying 200+ hours this year in:  C180, C182, PA23-250 and Cherokee-6.  Currently President of Christian Pilots Association of Alaska. Wife is Matilda. Last daughter @ home is Dani (student pilot, hopes to be ITC and Missionary pilot), many animals and good friends. Has been in Alaska since 1957.

 

 

Dany and 75C on lake.jpg (50255 bytes)

 

bullet

Richard Dowling 

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1994. 38 year resident, originally from Florida. Lives in Anchorage. Engineer for General Communication Inc. Richard flies a Cessna 185 for the Iditarod Air Force.

P2190007.JPG (27506 bytes)

 

bullet

Russ Dunlap

bullet

I've been an Iditarod Air Force Pilot since 2001.  Alaska resident since 1994. Alaska Airlines pilot since 1988. Lives in Palmer with his wife and 2 sons. Russ flies a Cessna 180 for the Iditarod Air Force.

  Dunlap_04.jpg (26105 bytes)

 

bullet

Bob Elliott

bullet

Iditarod Pilot since 1996.  30  year Alaska resident who lives in Anchorage.  Bob is an engineer with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.  He flies a 1969 Cessna 180 for the Iditarod Air Force.  

Elliot_04.jpg (27859 bytes)

 

bullet

Wes Erb 

bulletIditarod Pilot since 2005. Wes grew up in Hendersonville, NC, moved to Alaska in 1994 and lives in Chugiak with his wife and daughter. He is a MD-11 first officer for FedEx, is an active Civil Air Patrol pilot, and flies a 1965 Cessna 180 for the Iditarod Air Force.

 

 

bullet

David "Eric" Erickson

bullet

Iditarod Air Force Pilot since 2007.  As a 10year Alaska resident, Eric and his wife Frieda live at Wolf Lake in the winter and Seldovia in the summer.  Eric retired from Flying Tigers and Federal Express after 30 plus years.  In ‘06 he spent 6 months flying the Twin Otter on humanitarian flights in the Darfur region of Africa.  This past summer he flew the Twin Otter with fisherman and hunters down to a camp 450miles southwest of Anchorage near the Aleutian Chain.  Eric flies a Cessna 185 for the Iditarod Air Force.

 

 

bullet

Glen Hanson. 

bullet

Pilot since 1984. Started flying a Cessna 185 and using a 182. A & P mechanic and was a commercial pilot for Northern Air Cargo and PenAir. Iditarod trail breaker 2 years. Currently living in Anchorage with his wife and working as an energy consultant.

G_Hanson.jpg (28138 bytes)

 

bullet

Ken Kastner

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 2001. 25 year Alaska resident. Ken lives in Anchorage with wife Lorraine. Ken recently retired after 25 years with Eastman Kodak Co. and now operates a small construction business. Ken flies a Cessna 180 for the Iditarod Airforce.

kastners 0A.jpg (43852 bytes)

 

bullet

Jim Kintz.  

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1993. 47  year resident of Alaska, originally from Gillette, Wyoming. Lives in Anchorage. Retired engineer and land developer. Commercial hunting guide and pilot. Jim flies a Cessna 180 for the Iditarod Air Force.  

Kintz_3_04.jpg (26491 bytes)

 

bullet

Monte Mabry 

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1997.   22 year Alaska resident, born in Tennessee; lived in Montana, Oklahoma, the Carolinas, Texas, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and London, England before settling down in Alaska.  Monte holds an ATP but prefers to fly on his own.  In his other life he is an Exploration Geophysicist at ConocoPhillips Alaska.  Monte flies a Cessna 180K for Iditarod  Air Force.
 

monye2.JPG (132112 bytes)

 

 

bullet

Bill Mayer

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1990. 29 year Alaska resident, originally from Philadelphia, PA.  Bill is a cardiologist and president of Alaska Heart Institute, previous Chief of Cardiology at Providence Hospital.  Bill flies a Cessna 185 for Iditarod  Air Force.

Mayer 11C.jpg (53753 bytes)

 

bullet

Gregory Miller

bullet

Gregory is a new pilot this year for the IAF I have about 4500 TT.  Commercial, instrument, single engine land/sea, multi engine land, CFII/MEI, glider, typed in PV2 (Harpoon) and P2V (Neptune).  I've been in Alaska 21 years.  Have owned 9 planes.  Long ago, in a place far, far away (Lower 48), I flew fire bombers -- that's where the type ratings come from.  By day I'm an attorney in a private law firm in Anchorage (Birch, Horton, Bittner & Cherot), practicing LOTS of aviation law, plus civil and criminal defense.

   

 

bullet

Bruce Moroney

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1986. 34 year Alaska resident, originally from Los Altos, Calif. Bruce holds an ATP and has been flying commercially since 1971. Bruce flew for several Alaska bush operators until joining Alaska International Air/MarkAir in 1977, where he spend 19 years flying the C-130 and B-737. Bruce now flies the B-747 for Atlas Air flying world wide. Bruce is an Iditarod musher, finishing twice, last Iditarod 2001. Bruce flies a C-185 on skis which he owns with his wife Diana , also an Iditarod Airforce pilot.

      

 

bullet

Diana Moroney

bullet Iditarod pilot since 1998. 32 year Alaska resident, originally from Monterey , California . Diana holds an ATP and has flown commercially in Alaska since 1995, flying the DC-3, DC-6, Casa-212. Diana currently flies the Caravan for Grant Aviation. Diana has been involved in Sled Dog racing since the early 80’s and has raced the Iditarod 10 times, (last Iditarod 2005). Diana has also run the Hope race, Nome to Anadyr Russia and the Yukon Quest, Knik-200, Kobuk-440, Copper Basin-300 and Beargrase-500 as well as many others. Diana flies a Cessna-185 on skis for Iditarod which she owns with her husband Bruce, also an Iditarod Airforce pilot.

 

 

 

bullet

Phil Morgan

bullet

 Iditarod pilot since 1995. Born and raised in Alaska. Lives in Anchorage. Captain for Alaska Airlines. Phil normally flies a Cessna 185 for the Iditarod Air Force. Phil was the Red Lantern Winner for the 2005 Iditarod. He has been flying with the IAF since 95.

  Phil M 04.jpg (28724 bytes)  

 

bullet

Rich Mullowney

bullet

Rich was first on the trail in 1995 as a coordinator. he has been flying for the  for the IAF since 2005. He first came to Alaska in 1970. Rich started flying in 1968 and recently retired from the airlines as a Boeing 747 Captain. He and his wife, Kaarin, currently live in Kenai where they own and operate a fishing lodge on the Kenai River. Rich flies a Cessna 185.

rich plane.jpg (46616 bytes)

 

bullet

George Murphy 

bullet

Iditarod pilot since 1980. Chief pilot in 1992. George and Danny Davidson are some of the longest flying members of the IAF.39 year resident, originally from Massachusetts. Lives at Long Lake in Willow, Alaska.  George is an engineer, pilot and owner of Alaska Bush Expeditions, a charter service in Willow. George flies an Aeronica for the Iditarod Air Force. Dorthia keeps George young by going on really great adventures

Murphy plane.jpg (44567 bytes)

 

bullet

Greg Niesen

bullet

Iditarod Pilot since 2005. Greg Niesen was born and raised in Alaska.  Greg grew up around airplanes, flying out of his hometown of Seward, Alaska with his father.  He currently owns a Piper PA-18 and a Cessna 180.  Greg is President / CEO of Frontier Business Systems and rebuilds airplanes as a hobby.   In his spare time, he hunts, fishes and explores remote areas of Alaska in his plane.  He lives on a private airstrip in Peters Creek with his wife and two teenage boys.

 

niesen_180.jpg (79986 bytes)

 

bullet

Dale Olsen. 

bullet

An IAF Pilot since 2006 and has been a professional pilot for more than 35 years, and a resident of Alaska since 1997.  He lives with his wife and her golden retriever in Palmer.

Olsen.jpg (46955 bytes)

 

bullet

Wes Price

bullet

The is Wes's 2nd year with the IAF. He started last year at the beginning of the race. Wes grew up in a ranching family in eastern Oregon and moved to Alaska in 2004 to go to work for KPMG.  He started flying in high school and earned his private license at age 17.  Now he enjoys flying the Last Frontier to get out of the office as much as possible.  Wes runs Price Accounting & Consulting LLC, a local CPA firm specializing in outsourced accounting functions.  He looks forward to many more years of flying with the Iditarod Air Force. He flies a beautiful Cessna 185.

 

 

bullet

Mike Swalling

bullet

Mike is a 1st year Iditarod Pilot and a lifelong Alaskan who has been flying since age 18. Mike is the owner of Swalling Construction Co. and is married to Linda Chase. They have three children, CeeCee, Chase and Alexandra. Any time not spent at home with the family is spent flying, fishing and duck hunting.

 

bullet

Jerry Wortley

bullet

This is Jerry's  IAF pilot since 2007. I was raised on a farm in Idaho and graduated from the University of Idaho in 1971. My interest in aviation started at a young age and I began flying 40 years ago in a PA12.  After college I spent a tour in the Marine Corps as a RIO in F-4J Phantoms.  After the Marine Corps I became an aviation insurance broker specializing in commercial accounts. I hold an ATP with 6000+ hours and currently fly a Piper Cheyenne for business and a Cessna 180 on wheels, skis & floats for business and pleasure.

   

 

Our Pen Air Crew

 

Bill Batman has been flying Iditarod Support since 2001. He flies the Caravan and can load a whole dog team and sled without breaking into a sweat.

 

Now we have the Logistics Coordinators 

 

bullet

Britany Hanson Anchorage

bullet

Brittany Hanson was born and raised in Alaska and has been around aviation and the Iditarod for as long as she can remember.  As the daughter of a long time IAF pilot, Bert Hanson, Brittany has seen both the flying side of the race and the ground side of the race when her father ran in 1990 and 1993 and again when her sister Kimarie ran in 1998, not to mention the numerous times her siblings ran the Junior Iditarod.Brittany is currently an Assistant Manager at Century 16 Theaters in Anchorage and is in the process of finishing up a degree in Computer Networking Technology through the University of Alaska Anchorage.

 

bullet

Hannelore Kelliher NL7EA.Nome

bullet

 Iditarod Comms volunteer,  since the late 70’s, holds a private pilot SEL/S. Iditarod Load Coordinator Since 2001.  

hanne McGrath.JPG (57624 bytes)

 

bullet

Nan Llewellyn, Load Coordinator McGrath

bullet
bullet

1st year as a Load Coordinator was born and raised in Boulder Montana.  During my Montana years I followed the Race to the Sky dog sled race.  I moved to Alaska in 2003.  I love the excitement of the Iditarod Race and have never missed a Ceremonial Start or Restart since moving to Alaska.   I received my undergrad degree in Aviation Management from the University of North Dakota and my Masters of Business Administration from Alaska Pacific University.  While at UND, I received my Commercial / Instrument Pilot certificate- SMEL.  I’ve worked in the management-side of aviation for over 6 years.  I am an Aviation Planner at DOWL HKM in Anchorage and have traveled to airports all over the State for work, from Ugashik to Klawock.  I am actively involved with the Alaska Airmen’s Association and have served on the Board of Directors since 2008. I am currently helping a friend rebuild his C-170; this has been a very good learning experience for me. I don’t have my own plane, but enjoy going up with friends. Outside of work and aviation my interests include: following the Iditarod Race, hunting, ice fishing and summer fishing, kayaking, camping, softball, snowshoeing, traveling abroad, and knitting. I live in Anchorage.

 

 

bullet

Teri Paton, Unalakleet

bullet

bullet

Teri has been a Volunteer with the Iditarod since 1999, started with ANC HQ sales, phone room, ITC HQ office help, restart dog handler, trail guard, and working both ( musher and people) food drops.  In 2001 headed out on the trail as a “hub” cook, and in 2007 helped in UNK as an IAF asst. load coordinator and took over as housing coordinator for out of state volunteers/mushers.   The rest of the year, I’m a soccer mom, school volunteer and C.P.A.     

 

 

bullet

Susan Watson, Anchorage HQ

bullet

Susan is a long-time fan and first time volunteer.  She moved to Alaska from Columbus, Ohio in 1999.  She works at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport as a Leasing Officer at the Lake Hood General Aviation office.  She loves flying (especially on floats) and airplanes of all kinds.  She is very excited to be a part of the "Last Great Race"!

 

Loaders

Jay Holtan      Jay was bornn and raised in Alaska and a 30 year pilot, He became an "Iditarod Junkie" in 1996. That year, he and his son embarked on an unforgettable adventure following the dogs in their Cessna 170, camping along the trail to Nome. Most recently he has been a volunteer, setting up and working the Eagle Island checkpoint in 2007 and with Bert in Unalakleet for the 2008

race.

                        

    

Al Ostrowski   Al moved to Alaska in 2000 courtesy of the US Army and decided to stay. He's been an Iditarod volunteer since 2002. He lives in Eagle River with his wife, daughter, and three dogs

 

     

 

bullet

Mark Kelliher KL7TQ McGrath

bullet

I have been a Communications Volunteer since the 70's, but now retired from Comms.. I am assisting the IAF with prestaging of supplies  from  Anchorage and McGrath. I create the IAF website and the pilots handbook

 

 

 

 

THE OFFICIAL IDITAROD PHOTOGRAPHER

JEFF SCHULTZ

Jeff has been photographing the Iditarod since 1981 and has been volunteering his time and talent as the official photographer since 1982.  His God-given talent has resulted in his Iditarod photos being published worldwide in books, calendars, advertisements, magazines and the like.  You can see more of his work or purchase Iditarod books, calendars and posters at www.schultzphoto.com 
 

Ho Ho HO back to top