Meet JD Brooks

[Continuing our interview series, Meet the Faces of JGG we're excited to introduce you to JD Brooks! A longterm tenant of JGG, you can often find him enjoying a meal at Charly's (located on our premises) or taking off in his Piper Vagabond!]

How long have you been a pilot??

JD told me about how his father was in the 8th Army Air Corps and stationed in England. His father would talk about airplanes when he was a kid and soon JD acquired an affinity for flying and watching planes. “I just liked it, I loved it” says JD. With a local airport nearby in Mountain Empire in Marion, Virginia, JD would go to the airport and paddle around with the pilots and persuade them to give him rides in Cessna-172’s. With the opportunities that arose from those encounters, JD has now been a pilot since 1973 when he earned his private pilot's certificate.?

What type of planes have you flown??

Going back to the start, JD began by paying?$15 a week to learn how to fly. JD has now “flown them all” listing for me: C150’s (aerobatics), Citabria, Decathlon, Pitts Special, and his beloved yellow Piper Vagabond (which he currently owns).?

?What has flying done for you in the past 48 years??

He said: “[it] entertains me!”, and that spending time with his friends and family at the airport is part of the reason why he enjoys flying so much.?

How long have you been at the airport and what has made you stay??

Out of the 51 years the airport has been open JD has been a part of 32 of them! His profound interest and love for flying has kept him set in his ways whether it be fixing the plane, giving it an oil change or even the nostalgic smell of the hanger. JD decided he was on board with Jean and Larry Waltrip’s vision and decided to stick around. When he first came to the airport there was no terminal, just a trailer where Larry Waltrip's wife, Jean, managed the airport. Their vision for the airport was big and included building a restaurant and a terminal—both of which have been present for more than three decades now.??

Any advice to someone interested in becoming a pilot or becoming a part of aviation??

“Stay current” JD says. As a pilot, he says that staying current with aviation means a lot. The plane needs a lot of attention and staying current is the way to do it.?

A few weeks after this interview, I was able to join JD for a thrilling and unforgettable experience flying his Vagabond around Williamsburg. I am deeply appreciative and respectful of his time for the interview, for taking me flying and for his decades of patronage to JGG.???

On most calm-wind days, you’ll find JD and his Vagabond in the local pattern but also, often on days when weather prevents flying, you can just find JD visiting airport and restaurant patrons on the patio and talking about all things aviation. Make sure to say ‘hi’ if you see him!

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