Biography of the Director, John R. Bayer
John Bayer worked with mainstream, Dropout, and Learning Disabled students from 1997-2002, as Vocational Instructor / Director of the Opportunity Skyway and Skyward Bound programs, youth employment programs, where they built the entire airframe of the RANS S-6ES Coyote II (above, in photo) a total of 7 times!
Mr. Bayer also created/instructed in two other programs for two middle schools in Seattle. In one, at Meany Middle School, the students constructed a Pietenpol Air Camper (a two seat, open cockpit monoplane design from 1929), and learned flight theory, aerodynamics, and ground school for a Private Pilot's certificate among other topics through hands-on learning and flight simulation. Students culminated their year with an actual flight in Cessna 172 aircraft. Students at Zion Preparatory Academy prepared an African-American Aviation Heritage Exhibit, opened in 2001, under instruction from the Director, who also produced a companion curriculum.
Students from these programs participated in two of Opportunity Skyway's Aviation Olympiads, with 1st and 3rd place finishes, and the pilot program for the EAA Wild Blue Wonders competition in 1999. The Director was also Judge for the 2000 iteration of the Wild Blue Wonders NW Regional Competition.
Mr. Bayer grew up around aviation in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, and has served in the Navy and Navy Reserve since 1978, where he returned to active duty in 2002.
Contacting First Across: