Vince Mayfield

BIO:

Vince began flying in 1982 with the Eglin Aero Club at the age of 16. He always sought to fly and be a military officer, and as a result, he became an Air Force Jr. ROTC and Civil Air Patrol cadet. In 1982, the Air Force Association honored him with a $1,000 scholarship to learn to fly. Soon after, he joined the Eglin Aero Club and enrolled in Private Ground School. Once he completed ground school and passed his FAA exam, he enrolled in the Part 141 Training Program to earn his Private Pilot’s License. He began to solo in one of the Aero Club’s BE-77 Skippers over Crestview. Flying out of Eglin was a thrill to him. Training to fly into a towered joint military and civilian use airport was valuable experience for a young pilot.

Coming from a military family, his parents, Chief Master Sergeant Vincent and Mary Mayfield, were intent on Vince learning the value of working hard to achieve goals. He supplemented his scholarship money by working several jobs while going to school to attain his coveted Private Pilot License in 1984. While in College ROTC, Vince went home on every break to work towards his Instrument Rating and Commercial License, completing both goals in 1987. After serving in the USAF, Vince returned to fly at the Aero Club. While working as a Supervisor of Flying at the Aero Club, he also worked as Software Engineer for a local government contractor.

Today, Vince owns Bit-Wizards Custom Software Solutions, a Software Engineering and Web Design firm. Bit-Wizards designed and developed the Eglin Aero Club website. From time to time, he fills in as a Supervisor of Flying at the Eglin Aero Club. He attributes his long-term association and membership in the Eglin Aero Club due to the camaraderie and friendships he developed while learning to fly at Eglin. Vince believes the flying programs at Eglin Aero Club produce a disciplined, safe, and well-rounded aviator. The training at the Eglin Aero Club sport a structured, yet fun, approach to flying, while the recreational and club atmosphere promote long-term aviation-based friendships.