Over a month overdue, the Tunison Foundation team is proud to present two new DC-3 captains: Iain Wayman of Peyton, CO and Justin Zgoda of Zebulon, GA. Both Iain and Justin passed with flying colors after a thorough checkride with warbird examiner Doug Rozendaal of Clear Lake, IA. Both pilots had previously been active contributors to our volunteer teams as leaders and as SIC (second-in-command) pilots, and are very excited to start captaining the DC-3/C-47 to airshows and to Europe in 2024. We are particularly proud of these two new captains because they are both under the age of thirty, ensuring that Placid Lassie has expert custodians for many years to come.
Iain is currently a pilot for Rutledge Airborne Applications, flying single-engine air tankers (SEATs) on aerial firefighting missions across the Southwest. Previously, he was a pilot for K2 Aviation of Talkeetna, AK, and manages a small fleet of warbirds for a private collector in Colorado, including a Max Holste Broussard, Beech 18, and Douglas DST. Iain grew up in aviation and holds a CPL (ASEL/ASES/AMEL/IR/Glider) and is an A&P mechanic; he is a highly respected member of our volunteer team for his dual expertise as a pilot and mechanic of vintage aircraft.
Justin is currently a First Officer for a major airline on the Boeing 757 and 767. He previously flew for a regional airline and towed gliders in college. He is also an active member of CAF Airbase Georgia, and a key contributor to Placid Lassie's airshow appearances across the Southeast. Justin holds an ATP (AMEL), with Commercial ASEL and Glider privileges and Private ASES privileges, with type ratings in the B-757, B-767, and CL-65, and is a CFI and CFII. He is a very active volunteer leader, contributing to our operations, maintenance, airshow booking teams, and more.
The Tunison Foundation is exceptionally pleased by their performance in back-to-back checkrides on March 8th, 2024, and grateful to Doug Rozendaal as an experienced partner and friend in delivering top-quality DC-3/C-47 instruction and examination to our volunteer crews.