Pilot Spotlight 2009 Bert Sparrow

        Bert Sparrow (FCF Vice President), is a Lt Col in the US Air Force and has served for 23
years. He grew up in Madison Alabama, and during his time in the Air Force, he's been stationed
in Texas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Wyoming, California, Colorado, Germany and back in Alabama.
        He's currently assigned to Maxwell AFB and is on faculty at Air Command and Staff college.
He's been married to his wife Lesley for 23 years, and has two sons, Chip and Alex. Chip is a
student at Auburn, and Alex is a senior at Prattville High School. He has a beagle (Sadie) and a
black cat (Binx). Bert has loved aviation since he was a young boy, and has been flying RC for
10 years.
        Burt first soloed in January 1998, and then crashed three trainers in 4 months! During his
10 years of RC, he's flown war birds, pattern, IMAC and 3D.
        In 2006, he placed second in the FCF IMAC Basic sequence, and in 2007, he placed third in
IMAC Sportsman. In 2000, he won the infamous "Turf Bird" award at the Western Ohio Radio
Control Society RC club, for having more crashes than any other club member that year (10!)
        He enjoys building just as much as flying. He currently has two RC planes in his fleet: a 40%
Carden Edge 540, and a great planes 85" Cub.
        Bert plans to compete this year in IMAC (sportsman), senior pattern, and 3D.