Field Director: Ray Hawkins

Email Ray: Ray@soaringhawk.com

Call Ray: 303-342-1537

Ray Hawkins is an Aviation and Information Technology (IT) Professional with over 45 years direct aviation experience and 27 years direct IT experience. Ray holds a Commercial Pilot with Instrument, multi-engine, single-engine land and glider rating. He is a Certified Flight Instructor for single-engine aircraft and instrument flight. Ray holds a Master's degree in Computer and Information Systems Management, a Bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics, another Bachelor's degree in Computer Studies, and an Associate's degree in Air Traffic Control Technology. He has designed, developed, maintained and/or managed a wide variety of automated systems, ranging from single-user logbook systems to Air Traffic Control information and display systems. The vast majority of his experience has been at the intersection of these two fields.

Ray's aviation career began on June 2, 1970 when he flew in a BC12D Taylorcraft a grass field in Florida. That, as they say, was when he was hooked. Within 14 months he obtained his commercial and flight instructors ratings. After graduation from high school in May 1971, Ray attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida in pursuit of a career with the airlines. As things go, the timing was not right. With the end to Vietnam, military pilots flooded the field. Ray left college and began flight instructing at the Brooksville Municipal Airport in Florida. Once again fate would intervene as the economy began to decline. With few options available, Ray joined the Airforce in 1975.

Initially trained as an electronics specialist, Ray worked on long range radars in Roanoke Rapids, NC. The budgetary axe chased Ray out of NC in 1978 to Rantoul, IL and Chanute AFB where he trained as a Flight Simulator Instructor and Technician. Upon graduation from Chanute, Ray was stationed at Columbus AFB, MS, where he met and married his gorgeous wife, Peg. Again, the budgetary axe fell and Ray was retrained as an air traffic controller and stationed at Williams AFB, AZ, Bitberg AB Germany, and Buckley ANGB Colorado.All good things must end; so after 20 years with the Air Force and attaining the position as Chief, Air Traffic Control Operations, Ray began his new career in computer programming.

After a few years of working with legislative bill tracking software and membership management systems, Ray consolidated his skills as the Flight Manager of a Boeing remote sensing venture. Issues with the sensing camera caused the venture to fold and once again he was working on accounting systems as a contractor with the US government. When the tech bubble burst, Ray scrambled for employment falling back onto his electronic skills to become the project manager for the installation of ATC radios and NAVAIDS. During this time Ray installed radios at the US Air Force Academy Control Tower and a dual Instrument Landing System at Cannon AFB, NM.

Always looking to stay close to aviation, Ray embarked on a career working for the FAA on a varied of systems including ERIDS, ERAM, and CARTS. Today Ray is managing the adaption software for several TRACONs and ATCTs in the US.